Attractions Salvador da Bahia

Salvador da Bahia - Attractions region Salvador da Bahia

Largo Pelourinho

This is the historic heart of the city and it has the largest collection of Baroque colonial architecture in Latin America.

Most of the attractions are found on the main square in Pelourinho: "Terreiro de Jesus". This small, steeply sloping triangular square gets its name from the whipping post that used to stand at the top end. This was where slaves and criminals were flogged. The smaller building at the top of the square, now the Casa de Jorge Amado, used to serve as the city's slave market. Casa de Jorge Amado is a museum devoted to the life and work of Bahia's and Brazil's most famous living and internationally-known novelist.

Downhill, on the right-hand side of the largo you'll find the blue and creamy yellow Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos.
Literally translated as Our Lady of the Rosary of the Blacks, the high baroque structure was erected over the course of the 18^th century by and for the African slaves who represented the backbone of Salvador's sugar economy. Today, much of the congregation is still of African descent; new paintings inside show the Passion of Christ with an all-black Holy Family, and drums have largely taken the place of the organ in church services.
At the far end of the square is the tiny Praça de Reggae. At the lowest point of the Largo Pelourinho a narrow street leads steeply uphill to a trio of old baroque churches, the Igreja de Carmo, de Ordem Terceiro, and do Santissimo Santo do Passo. Only the Ordem Terceiro is open.

This is the historic heart of the city and it has the largest collection of Baroque colonial architecture in Latin America.
Most of the attractions are found on the main square in Pelourinho: "Terreiro de Jesus".

This small, steeply sloping triangular square gets its name from the whipping post that used to stand at the top end. This was where slaves and criminals were flogged. The smaller building at the top of the square, now the Casa de Jorge Amado, used to serve as the city's slave market. Casa de Jorge Amado is a museum devoted to the life and work of Bahia's and Brazil's most famous living and internationally-known novelist.

Downhill, on the right-hand side of the largo you'll find the blue and creamy yellow Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos.
Literally translated as Our Lady of the Rosary of the Blacks, the high baroque structure was erected over the course of the 18^th century by and for the African slaves who represented the backbone of Salvador's sugar economy. Today, much of the congregation is still of African descent; new paintings inside show the Passion of Christ with an all-black Holy Family, and drums have largely taken the place of the organ in church services.
At the far end of the square is the tiny Praça de Reggae. At the lowest point of the Largo Pelourinho a narrow street leads steeply uphill to a trio of old baroque churches, the Igreja de Carmo, de Ordem Terceiro, and do Santissimo Santo do Passo. Only the Ordem Terceiro is open.

Other delights of Pelourinho are its hidden interior courtyards. There are 4 of them: the Praça de Arte, Cultura e Memoria; the Praça Tereza Batista; the Praça Pedro Arcanjo; and the Praça Quincas Berro d'Água. Their entrances branch off the little streets between the Largo Pelourinho and the Terreiro de Jesus. During the day they contain cafés and artisan booths and museums. At night, nearly every one features a band.

Catedral Basilica

This 17^th century Basilica dominates Terreiro de Jesus square at the west end and after a thorough restoration in 1996, it now looks as good as it did when it was first erected by the Jesuits in 1672. The craftsmanship found inside is impressive. The many altars are made from cedar and covered with a thin layer of gold; the high altar alone consists of 18 gold-covered pillars. The image of Christ the Savior above the transept is the largest wood sculpture in Brazil.

Museu Afro-Brasileiro/Faculdade de Medecina

This old building, located next to the Catedral Basilica was built in 1808 and has 3 museums inside: the Memorial de Medicina, the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia, and the Museu Afro-Brasileiro.
The Memorial contains photos of old staff and students and some 19^th century surgical equipment.
The Archaeological Museum contains arrowheads and obscure pottery shards found in excavations of Xingu Indian settlements in the Bahian interior.
The Museu Afro-Brasileiro attempts to show the development of the Afro-Brazilian culture that arose as African slaves settled in Brazil. There is a large portion of the exhibit space dedicated to the Candomblé religion, explaining the meaning and characteristics of each god and the role they play in the community.

Igreja de Ordem Terceiro de São Domingos de Gusmão

Built between 1713 and 1734, this baroque church suffered through a 1870s renovation that destroyed most of its fine interior painting and tile work. It is located at the far end of the Terreiro de Jesus.

Praça Anchieta

Located on the south side of the Igreja de Ordem Terceiro is a wide cobblestone street with a tall cross in the middle. The saint on the cross is São Francisco de Xavier, patron saint of Salvador.
At the far end of this cross stand two of the most impressive churches in the city. The large two-towered one on the right is the Igreja de São Francisco and next to it is the Igreja de Ordem Terceira de São Francisco, immediately recognizable by its ornately carved sandstone facade.

Comércio

The Lower City was always the commercial center of Salvador. In the 16^th century people preferred to live in the cooler heights of Pelourinho and keep their offices and warehouses on the waterfront below. The concept is the same today, but Comércio, as the area is known, is now planted thick with stubby commercial high-rises. The Elevator Lacerda is the easiest way to access this area, though there's really little of interest down here except the ferry docks and the crafts fair in the Mercado Modelo. A number of steep, shabby-looking alleys also connect the Lower City to the Upper City, but it's safer to take the elevator.

Mercado Modelo

This former customs building and slave warehouse burned to the ground in 1984 and was then rebuilt in its original 19^th century style. It is a center for Bahia handicrafts as well as a site for many artistic and cultural events. Because of its fine selection of restaurants and the variety of events, the Market has become one of Salvador's major tourist attractions.

Barra

The most popular beach neighborhood close to town, Barra is a neighborhood of restaurants and small shops located south of the city center just where the coastline makes a sharp turn to the east. Many hotels are located here, and in the evenings, locals and tourists mingle in the bars and restaurants. Sights in the area include the Barra Lighthouse and the smaller Forte Santa Maria. The prime attraction, however, is the sunset.

Bonfim/Monte Serat

Located on a small peninsula that juts out into the bay, Bonfim is home to the Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, one of the most important religious sites in the city. Beloved of both Catholics and Candomblé worshipers (who revere their equivalent deity of Oxalá), the hilltop church draws huge crowds who come to pray or ask for miracles. The Washing of the Steps, which takes place on the third Thursday in January, is one of the year's most colorful religious events.

The neighborhoods of Bonfim, Ribeira, and Monte Serat are now mostly home to the lower middle class and working poor, but started out originally as a summer destination with cottages and summer homes. The other worthwhile sight is the Forte Monte Serat, which offers fabulous views of Salvador. On Sundays the seawall is packed with families and teenagers out for a stroll.

Ondina & the Beaches

Once past Ondina, the coast is an almost uninterrupted string of beaches. Most neighborhoods are very modern and new, with little attraction beyond the beach itself. The only thing wrong with Savador's excellent beaches is that visitors are spoilt for choice. The range extends from calm coves (ideal for swimming, sailing and underwater fishing, such as Porto da Barra beach) to wild beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean, such as Aleluia beach, which attracts surfers. Some beaches are surrounded by coral reefs, forming natural swimming pools that are ideal for children. The beaches are the location for many of Salvador's great festivals, including the New Year festivities, which includes performances and an impressive fireworks display.