BR
Salvador
Brazil’s first capital, with a colourful colonial old town and strong Afro-Brazilian culture
Brazil’s first capital, with a colourful colonial old town and strong Afro-Brazilian culture
The heart of the old town: sloping squares and streets lined with pastel colonial houses, churches, music schools and craft shops.
Stay on the main streets after dark and keep valuables out of sight.
Photo: Paul R. Burley, CC BY-SA 4.0
An 18th-century Baroque church whose interior is covered in gilded carved wood, with blue-and-white tile panels in the cloister.
Photo: Wellington Da Costa Gomez, CC BY-SA 4.0
A lighthouse in the fort at the tip of the Barra peninsula, with a nautical museum. It is a popular spot for sunset, and the beaches of Barra are nearby.
Photo: Turismo Bahia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Bahian food has strong African roots: try acarajé (black-eyed pea fritters fried in palm oil), moqueca (fish or seafood stew with coconut milk and dendê oil) and vatapá.
Buy acarajé from the baianas’ street stalls, and eat moqueca in Pelourinho, Barra or Rio Vermelho.
Salvador International Airport (SSA) is about 30 to 45 minutes from Barra by taxi or ride-hailing; a metro line runs from the airport towards the centre. The Elevador Lacerda links the Upper and Lower City.
Citizens of the EU and the UK do not need a visa for a tourist stay. Since April 2025 citizens of the US, Canada and Australia need an e-visa, applied for online in advance. Stays are limited to 90 days per visit and 180 days in 12 months. Check current rules before you travel.
Salvador is cheaper than Rio or São Paulo, except during Carnival. Brazil uses the real (R$). Cards and contactless payment are accepted almost everywhere, and Pix (instant bank transfer) is very common.
Carnival prices are many times higher than normal.
Old town, culture and the coast.
Explore the old town, the Church of São Francisco and the Afro-Brazilian Museum, and look for a live music or capoeira show.
Ride the Elevador Lacerda to the Mercado Modelo, then head to Barra for the beach and sunset at the lighthouse.
Visit the Church of Bonfim, then have dinner in the lively Rio Vermelho district.
Phone snatching is the most common crime in big Brazilian cities. Keep your phone out of sight on the street and at the beach.
People in Pelourinho may tie Bonfim ribbons on your wrist and then ask for money; a firm no is fine.
Use ride-hailing apps rather than walking between districts at night.
Tuesday nights in Pelourinho traditionally have live music.
Quick answers for planning time in Salvador.
EU and UK citizens do not for a tourist stay. Since April 2025 US, Canadian and Australian citizens need an e-visa, applied for online before travel.
Yes, the Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia has been on the UNESCO list since 1985.
September to March is drier and sunny; April to July is the rainiest period.
Acarajé and moqueca, both made with dendê (palm) oil.
Petty theft is common. Stay in busy areas, avoid empty streets at night and keep valuables out of sight.
Offline maps are useful; Google Maps and Waze work well in cities.
Free
Portuguese is the language of Brazil; English is limited outside hotels and tours.
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Almost everyone in Brazil, from hotels to tour guides and restaurants, uses WhatsApp.
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Planning a wider trip? Our Brazil travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.