Salvador

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Brazil Salvador - Pelourinho with the famous Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim ( Portuguese: Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim ) on the left side.Stitched Panorama photo

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Overview

Salvador da Bahia has an energy and unadorned beauty that few cities can match. Once Portugal's colonial capital, today Salvador is the pulsating heart of the country’s Afro-Brazilian community. Festivals happen frequently, with drum corps pounding out rhythms against the backdrop of historic buildings almost daily. Elsewhere in town, a different spirit flows as crowds of religious adherents celebrate African gods at Candomblé ceremonies. In fact, there’s no other place in the western hemisphere where the culture of those brought as enslaved people from Africa has been preserved as it has been in Salvador – from music and religion to food, dance and martial-arts traditions. Aside from the many attractions within Salvador, a gorgeous coastline lies right outside the city – a suitable introduction to the tropical splendor of Bahia.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Pelourinho

Salvador

The centerpiece of the Cidade Alta is the Pelourinho, a Unesco-declared World Heritage site of colorful colonial buildings and magnificent churches. As…

Igreja NS do Bonfim

Salvador

This famous 18th-century church, located a few kilometers north of Comércio on the Itapagipe Peninsula, is the source of the fitas (colored ribbons) you…

Museu Náutico da Bahia

Salvador

This excellent nautical museum in Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra contains relics and displays from the days of Portuguese seafaring, plus exhibits on the…

Museu Afro-Brasileiro

Salvador

Holding one of Bahia’s most important collections, the Museu Afro-Brasileiro exhibits wood carvings, baskets, pottery and other artwork and crafts linking…

Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra

Salvador

Built in 1698, Bahia’s oldest fort is more commonly called the Farol da Barra for the lighthouse (South America’s oldest) within its walls. In addition to…

Elevador Lacerda

Salvador

The beautifully restored, art deco Elevador Lacerda connects the Cidade Alta with Comércio via four elevators traveling 72m in 30 seconds. The Jesuits…

Solar do Unhão

Salvador

This well-preserved, 18th-century complex served as a transfer point for sugar shipments: legend says it's haunted by the ghosts of murdered slaves. Today…

Mercado Modelo

Salvador

The original 1861 Customs House, where slaves were housed when they arrived in Salvador, was partly destroyed in a fire in 1986. After reconstruction, it…

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