Salvador de Bahia Travel Guide

(Last update: Oct 03, 2011 )

All the renowned beauty of the brazilian state of Bahia, can be found combined in one city, San Salvador de Bahia de todos los Santos, the capital. The waters of Atlantic Ocean bathes the coast of the peninsula creating spectacular natural landscapes and starting an area of 50 km of beaches that are considered the most beautiful beaches in South America.

Over 500 years of history have given Salvador a deep cultural and religious imprint with an entrenched African influence brought by slaves from their homeland. Despite the cultural influence of their European rulers, they did not lost their African musical roots as the Axé and Samba, or Afoxé more spiritual, religions like Candomble or even their dances and sports that make Bahía the birthplace of Capoeira. With colonization also arrived the christian religions of Europa, melting with these African roots in a religious syncretism that you can breathe the very moment you start to walk by the city. This melting pot of Native American, African and European is reflected in all cultural and religious manifestations in the city, as well as architecture with hundreds of cathedrals, and even in the manner of its inhabitants.

Tourism suggestions

Salvador de Bahia, as commonly is known, is located in northeastern Brazil. Today is a populous and dynamic city with more than 3 million inhabitants, and is recognized for being a destination with a fully mixed tourist proposal. Beyond the main tourist activities are concentrated on the beaches, there you can practice sea sports, taking advantage of the ocean waters or, if you dare, why not venture into the stylized and acrobatic martial dance of Capoeira. You can also go for a a stroll through the picturesque historic old city with cobblestone streets, colorful colonial houses or enjoy the delicious Bahian cuisine based on fish, crab and other seafood mixed with coconut milk and dende oil (a tip: If you are not accustomed to hot meal, be careful because palm or dende oil, so typical Bahian cuisine, may be too much for a tourist). Be adventurous with "moqueca" of shrimp and especially the "acarajé", a kind of fried dumplings in palm oil, which can be tasted in small stalls that bahian ladies, with its snow-white dress, prepare in full view of the tourist.

Carnival

Most tourists who visit San Salvador de Bahia plan to do so in time of Carnival since, not in vain, this city is known as the "happy city." As February draws near, hundreds of people began to arrive to San Salvador de Bahia and, in just a few days, we can see this great city completely full of tourists and citizens.

Although the whole country stands out for their summer carnivals, the Carnival of Salvador de Bahia has no match. Just by walking the streets you can feel the joy in the air and the music that bands go playing meanwhile parade with their colorful costumes. But you need not look at it from afar as in other Brazilian cities. Here you can also buy your own carnival T-shirt (called abadá) and join those bands to participate in the parade, or if you do not want to spend money, you could walk and dance alongside a Electric Trio, which are platforms on trucks with lights and music where Bahian bands play their music. However you participate, you'll be stuck in the madness of crowds that throng the streets to dance with electric trios and deafening batucadas.

The best thing is that after the Carnival, the festival continues throughout the whole year with nightclubs, discos and casinos that offer entertainment until sunrise, and this makes Salvador de Bahia, one of the favorite destinations for young people.

The town

But by day, the city of San Salvador de Bahia also has its charms and a plenty of places to visit. The city is divided into two sections known as High and Low. To get from one to another section you will need to go through the Lacerda elevator, almost a icon of San Salvador. This quaint mode of transportation is an impressive building of 70 m height and two towers, one embedded in the rock and another with an elevator. The relocation of the lift takes 30 seconds and offers a spectacular view of the sea and the port of Bahia. The use of this lift, which has been running for more than one century, is almost free (less than a 1 USD) and is one of the most attractive tourist spots in the city.

At the bottom you can not miss to go for a walk around the Mercado Modelo where stallholders offer numerous crafts and gems for you to buy and take home as souvenirs of the trip or as gifts for a loved one. One of the favorite objects of all the tourists who walk by Salvador de Bahia is the "Bonfim ribbon" to create a bracelet with three knots which means 3 wishes to play in the life of the wearer.

The Pelourinho

At the High city, you will find one of the most important historic neighbourhoods of San Salvador de Bahia, declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its streets and squares. We are talking about "the Pelourinho" the core of the historic city of Bahia.

The cultural offer includes a walk through the neighborhood and visiting most churches, cathedrals and houses of earlier centuries, which are known for their wonderful architecture and brightly colored walls that form a truly unique post. In addition, Pelourinho column will take us to some very tragic history, where slaves were punished by tying them to this pillar and whipped in the full view of everyone.

This picturesque area has waxed and waned throughout its history. In the epicenter of commerce, to immerse themselves in the marginality and prostitution in early twentieth century and then, at the behest of government intervention by involving a variety of Brazilian artists and intellectuals ended up becoming the cultural center of the city. Today, walking through its streets is like being transported back in time to the very history of Brazil.

Weather

The tropical climate of San Salvador de Bahia allows us to visit this destination in any season since none of them has extreme temperatures. In winter, minimum temperatures around 20°C, the days are ideal to visit the city without end exhaust. In contrast, in summer the temperature rises to about 35°C, a perfect temperature to enjoy the fascinating beaches of San Salvador de Bahia.

Beaches & Islands

The destination has more than 50 km of beaches, ideal for horseback riding contemplating the wonders of nature. Each of the beaches has a distinct charm but all share a pure sand, fine and white, bathed by the crystalline waters of the Atlantic, palm trees and rocks, make visitors think they're in paradise. Most visited beaches of San Salvador are Artistas, Porto de Barra and Pituba, perfect places for tourists who want to practice water sports like surfing, water skiing, fishing and diving, this last being the most chosen, giving an experience not easily forgotten. But the nature of San Salvador de Bahía never ceases to amaze and now invites us to know all the islands surrounding the peninsula. Bahia Port can find ships offered to take us on a tour of the Atlantic and then land on the islands to enjoy these wonderful places. The Morro de San Pablo, Frades Island and the Island of Itaparica have tropical beaches and typical Bahia villages, where we can enjoy night parties and beach restaurants that offer us to taste delicious seafood and fruit juice or beer. But the majestic nature of San Salvador de Bahia still has more to offer. The village of Praia de Forte, north of Bahia, offers a dazzling beauty landscape that is made up of several natural pools where you can swim and practice other water activities. Here you'll also find a protected area of sea turtles, ideal to visit with your family and children.

In short, this is only a summary of what you can live in your vacation for San Salvador de Bahia, as this is a destination that has endless tourist proposals that you can only discover on your journey.

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