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Hey babes! I am back from my first-ever visit to Brazil and couldn’t be more excited to share what I saw and experienced in Salvador Bahia during a week long vacation.
Salvador Bahia, Brasil was the first Brazilian capital, founded on March 29, 1549 as one of the oldest cities in Brazil and is home to rich history, gastronomy, and musical influence that comes from the African people who were enslaved.
In Salvador there are more than 7 million inhabitants, making it the most populous city in Bahia and the 4th most populous in Brazil.
Salvador is a Brazilian city in the northeast of the country, in Bahia state. This coastal city is just over 400 miles from Porto Seguro and almost 1.300 miles from São Paulo and more than 990 miles from Rio de Janeiro.
Salvador Bahia Fast facts: Know before you go
💰 Currency: The official currency in Brazilian Real (R).
In the country’s main tourist destinations, such as Rio de Janeiro and even in many parts of Salvador Bahia, you can pay for your purchases in local currency, or with debit or credit cards.
🇧🇷Weather: You can visit Salvador any time of the year, considering that the average temperature in the city varies between 75ºF and 80°F and the water is always warm. But, if you wanna escape from the rainy season it’s better to avoid traveling between April and July.
🇧🇷 Language: Most Brazilians speak Portuguese and I highly recommend learning key phrases before you visit as there could be chances of a significant language barrier.
When traveling, make the google translate app your best friend and refer to it when needed. You can also take a photo of a menu, sign, etc and the app can translate for you on the spot.
My Brazil Travel Guide also lists helpful words and phrases in Portuguese to know as a traveler visiting the area for the first time.
✈️ How do I get there: Getting to Salvador Bahia isn’t difficult at all. By plane, you will fly into Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport. The airport code is SSA.
Salvador subway map Source: CCR Metrô Bahia
🚗 Getting around:
Just like the United States, Salvador has taxis, Ubers, and public transit, however when visiting Brazil for tourism, especially for solo travelers or visiting for the first time I recommend using a private transfer service upon your arrival to the country to avoid any harassment or hassle with taxis and any potential issues with Uber service while at the airport… an area with prominent potential for scams.
You can easily enter your travel dates and budget here to locate a private driver to pick you up when you land in Salvador.
Locally they have a bus system, subway, and Uber is commonly used for local transport along with standard taxi’s.
You can arrive in Salvador by plane, bus or car. If you are arriving from other cities of Bahia, even from other states as Sergipe or Alagoas, you can get the last two options.
Otherwise, the best option is to take a flight to the Salvador Bahia Airport – Dep. Luís Eduardo Magalhães. The Salvador bus terminal is located on Antônio Carlos Magalhães avenue, number 4.362 in the Pituba neighborhood, and it has a nearby subway station, the Bus Station.
🌎 What are the entry requirements: You can find the latest entry requirements here. Most important is making sure your passport has at minimum 6 months before it expires.
☀️ When is the best time to visit: December to March is the high season; amusements, music festivals or nightlife are most popular during this time of year. Temps are high and it may rain a little, but thankfully humidity is not as high as in other months.
🚑 Insurance: It is always a good idea to protect your investment in travel. Whether you get sick, lose your phone, anything could happen during your vacation and having travel insurance gives you the peace of mind you need to have a safe and successful trip.
Where to stay in Salvador Bahia
If you are looking for a luxury hotel experience that puts you in the heart of the historic district with packages that include transfer service and breakfast then look no further than the Fera Palace Hotel.
Fera Palace Hotel is located in Salvador, putting you a short walk from Lacerda Elevator and a quick drive to the popular Mercado Modelo.
At the hotel you can enjoy the on-site bar, free wifi and private parking. All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV with cable channels. Bathrooms include free toiletries and a hairdryer.
Bilingual staff members man the 24-hour front desk at Fera Palace and the Luis Eduardo Magalhães Airport is 13 mi from the property.
The rooftop is stunning, click here to review the menu ahead of time.
Click here to easily book your stay.
Things To Do in Salvador Bahia
Salvador Bahia is filled with rich culture and history and there are tons of tours and excursions to consider.
Mercado Modelo
The Mercado Modelo is in the lower part of the city and it is one of the entrances to the Historic Center. It is great for those who want to buy handicrafts and also taste delicious typical Bahian cuisine at its restaurants.
Ticket: Free of charge
Hours: from Monday to Saturday – from 9am to 6pm / Sunday – from 9am to 2pm
Address: 250, Praça Visconde de Cayru – Comércio
Contact: +55 (71) 3242-5860 / +55 (71) 3242-5860
Elevador Lacerda
The Elevador Lacerda is hands down one of the most famous attractions in Salvador! It is the first urban elevator in the world, connecting the lower and upper cities. It’s located in the Baía de Todos os Santos and it has a beautiful view, perfect for taking photos.
Ticket: R$0,15*
Hours: (During the pandemic) from Monday to Friday – from 7 am to 5:30 pm / Saturday – from 8 am to 5 pm
Address: Praça Cairu in the lower city, and Praça Tomé de Sousa in the upper city
Largo do Pelourinho
The word pelourinho means pillory that refers to a large stone where slaves were punished. Today, the plaza and the neighborhood represent the history of the black struggle, which beautifully takes over the streets and buildings, bringing strong colors, flavors, music, and religious manifestations to the place.
Farol de Itapuã
Brazil’s most popular lighthouse is also a tourist attraction in Salvador. The 21-meter tower has this name because it is located on Praia de Itapuã.
Important to know: The inner area of the Farol de Itapuã is not open to visitors.
Memorial Irmã Dulce
A nun from Bahia canonized by the Vatican, Irmã Dulce had a huge impact in the community through your charity work. In the Memorial Irmã Dulce you can learn about her story, see her bedroom that is still intact, as well as other items that have marked her history.
Casa de Yemanjá
Iemanjá is an really important Orixá patroness of fishermen, worshiped especially in Salvador. On February 2nd, Rio Vermelho beach receives devotees from all over Brazil to throw offerings to the sea.
But you don’t have to wait until this day to know this little and powerful house, it is open the whole year with offerings and prayers in Rio Vermelho neighborhood.
Museu Afro-Brasileiro (MAFRO)
The museum is impressive because of the beauty of its facade. It is an important collection about African and Afro-Brazilian history.
It counts with some fixed exhibitions, as Carybé and his 27 wood carvings representing the candomblé’s orixás, and MAFRO also receives temporary artworks.
Address: Largo do Terreiro de Jesus, Bahia Medical School building – Historic Center of Salvador
Contact: +55 (71) 3283-5540
Afroturism
Going to Salvador is an excellent opportunity to learn about afro-Brazilian culture. If you want to awaken your black consciousness, there are several tour companies locally and one that I used and thoroughly enjoyed is Your Tour Brazil.