Salvador: The Heart & Soul of Brazil

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Salvador

It’s difficult to think of a place in South America more rich in history, more steeped in art and culture, more tied to the conquest of liberation than Salvador da Bahia. Many consider Salvador to be the very pulse of Brazilian culture, the grand palace overlooking Brazil’s ethnic landscape. Salvador’s heart remains in Africa and the African influences here are strong and colorful, having been filtered through almost three centuries of slavery and hardship. Today Salvador celebrates its liberation with music, dance, art, festivals, and traditional religious ceremonies. The streets of Pelourinho, the Centro Histórico, vibrate with history, music, art and food—both during the day and at night. The night scene in Pelourinho is a non-stop festival of the senses. Besides the historical buildings throughout the Centro Histórico, there are numerous museums, architectural monuments, and Baroque churches to explore.Now let’s talk about the beaches: Salvador is guardian of the All Saints Bay, which is home to several tropical islands. On some islands, you can sit on a sandy beach and look across the bay at the Salvador skyline. Others offer more secluded experiences. Up the northern coast of Salvador are the famous beaches of Itapuan and Flamengo, both with excellent beach bars for relaxing in the shade. There are also restaurants and a variety of hotels.

Geographically, Salvador lies on the tip of land that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Bay of All Saints. The most interesting elements of the city are concentrated on the coastline and the city can be divided into three parts: The coastline along the ocean (Flamengo Beach, Itapuan Beach, and the Blue Coast areas); the coastline along the bay (Pelourinho, Cidade Baixa, Bonfim, and Campo Grande vicinity); and the point in-between (Barra). This chapter uses these three basic divisions.

The best time to visit Salvador is from October–December, part of the dry season. The months of December–March are also good in terms of weather, but things can get a bit crowded at this time, as these are holiday months for Brazilians (at least until Carnaval in February). During these months, prices go up in most hotels. The rainy season begins full-on in March and goes until June. Of course, you’ll get rainy periods during any of these times and some years have seen endless storms throughout October and November, but this is not the norm. Salvador is always warm and tropical with plenty of humidity.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

There is so much to do and see in Salvador that planning takes on a new dimension. Most visitors not only want to see Salvador, but also some of the islands in the bay (especially Morro de São Paulo) and some of the northern coastline (especially Praia do Forte). Here’s my advice for setting yourself up in Salvador: Get a decent hotel along the bay in the Campo Grande area (see listings below) and take taxis back and forth to Pelourinho and Bonfim to see the sights and nightlife. You can walk around these areas once you get there (Bonfim only during the day, please) and it’s easy to catch a taxi back from Pelourinho at any time of the day or night. You can walk to many of the sites in the Campo Grande area, since you’ll be staying right there. Hire a taxi to take you on a tour of the few distant sites between your hotel and Pelourinho—or to the sites in Barra.

Next, move your base to Itapuan for the next day or two. Besides enjoying the Itapuan and Flamengo areas, you can make day-trips to the north coast. This is a good time to rent a car, so you can come and go as you please. When you’re ready, catch a small plane from the airport (not far from Itapuan) to Morro de São Paulo for the final few days of your trip. I personally can’t imagine a better Brazilian vacation.

For a more economical version of this trip, just substitute a hotel in the Barra neighborhood and catch the frequent busses back and forth from Pelourinho and Bonfim. You can splurge for a taxi if you end up staying out too late. For the sites between Barra and Pelourinho, take a bus to the Carlos Costa Pinto Museum and walk from there up to the São Pedro Fort, passing various sites along the way. Take a taxi to the final few sites on the way to Pelourinho. You can take day-trips to Itapuan and the northern beaches and catch a boat across the bay to Morro de São Paulo. Voila! A perfect trip on a budget.

A couple more tips: Try to avoid the city beaches on weekends, unless you like rubbing elbows with the masses. This is especially true in the summer months. Weekdays in the summer are best for visiting the Salvador coast. On weekends, you can head up to the northern coast or to Morro de São Paulo or even take a trip to Itacaré to the south (these locations are covered in the following chapter, South of Salvador). Itapirica Island has wonderful beaches, but will also be very crowded on the weekend, although less so than the coast of Salvador. A weekend exploring Pelourinho and the museums in Campo Grande is a decent option. Many churches and museums are closed on Monday or Tuesday, so these are perfect days to hit the beaches. If it’s raining when you wake up, don’t despair. Most likely it will pass in a couple of hours, so keep you plans intact. Remember that any place you have to pay to get into will be safer than those you don’t. That means that it’s safer to sit in the actual area belonging to the beach bar, rather than on the sandy beach. The same is true for any sidewalk establishments in town.

Don’t Miss in Salvador da Bahia

The Streets of Pelourinho: When people think of Bahia, Brazil, the images that come to mind are probably from the streets of Pelourinho, the Centro Historico of Salvador. From this small, historical town spreads a wave of art, music and culture that touches the entire world.
Igreja e Convento de Sao Francisco: If you’ve never seen hundreds of kilos of pure gold, splashed over the walls and altars of a 17th century church like it was paint, then you should not miss the Sao Francisco Church and Convent. Don’t let the humble exterior fool you, going inside is like walking into the king’s jewelry box.
Mercado Modelo: It’s an obstinate person, indeed, who can resist purchasing a little something at the Mercado Modelo. The place is bursting with Bahian arts, crafts, clothing, jewelry, leather goods, and trinkets–two floors and over 250 stands full of goodies. There’s a restaurant out back and an international ATM in the front in case you need to refuel.
Itapuan in the afternoon: Made famous in the music of Bossa Nova, Itapuan still has a shady, laid-back feel to it, especially in the late afternoon as the sun goes down over the Salvador skyline to the south. Find a spot at one of the beach kiosks and watch the tide come in.
Morro de Sao Paulo: Sunset from the ruins of the old fort is only one of the many highlights on the island. The waterways of the Archipelago turn red and gold and then disappear for the night. That’s when the village lights up with food and dance. During the day, you can walk the beaches or take a speedboat around the island. In the afternoon, you may see dolphins heading out for the night while flocks of Snowy Egrets come in.
Sunset at Praia da Concha: You’ll probably wonder how you can go about staying in one of these beach cabanas for the entire summer. This is a perfect slice of tropical Bahia. When the sun begins to set, you’ll see the Capoeira artists practicing their craft, silhouetted against the palm trees, the surf, and the horizon.
Marao Peninsula Excursion from Itacare:The trip up the Marao Peninsula takes all day and requires an off-road vehicle. The only other equipment you’ll need are a mask and snorkel because you’ll encounter some of the best tide pools and underwater reefs in the country. The water is warm and clear and you get a variety of lakes, ocean reefs, and semi-deserted beaches, surrounded by thick tropical vegetation.

HISTORY

A Brief History of Salvador