Take the plunge in Salvador
Explore Brazil’s most African city and make the most of its modern infrastructure.
Vinicius Souza
Photos by Vinicius Souza and Maria Eugênia Sá
Walking through the winding, narrow pebble-dashed streets separating the semi-derelict buildings of Salvador’s Cidade Baixa, I couldn’t help thinking of Angola. In my minds eye the sweeping bay in front of me, replete with catamarans and ferries heading off towards the Itaparica Island, merged with my memories of Luanda Bay and the surrounding peninsula, commonly referred to as “the island” by the Angolans. The same bare black backs bathed by the sun, the same murmuring voices conversing in Portuguese, the distant sound of drumming, the old colonial architecture and the scent of hotly spiced, exotic food.
Suddenly, a group of youths approached us holding Senhor do Bonfim ribbons in their hands, asking: “Mister, Mister? Guide, Mister?” What?! English!!?? OK, we were obviously tourists, with our cameras dangling from our necks, but we’re still as Brazilian as caipirinha, feijoada, acarajé, vatapá… well, maybe not all Brazilians are “that Brazilian” after all… the fact is, once the initial shock had passed, we realised that, as Paulistanos, we were as much foreigners in Bahia as we would have been in Africa. We also noted that the service, prices and infrastructure offered by the city’s tourist industry were a far cry from those offered on the African coast.
Whilst in Luanda, an overnight stay at any reasonable hotel will set you back at least $200, a taxi ride $100 and a pizza and a beer $60; in Salvador an en-suite room by the beach in the elegant Porto da Barra, where Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil like to spend their holidays, costs the equivalent of $70 per couple, bobó de camarão (a delicious shrimp chowder, thickened with manioc flour, coconut milk and palm oil) in a decent restaurant in the middle of Pelourinho, the city’s main tourist area, for two people with drinks included, doesn’t cost more than $30, and the taxi back to the hotel weighs in at $5. That’s without mentioning that Angola’s banking network isn’t connected to international banks and credit facilities like Brazil’s is.
As long as you take the same precautions as you would in any busy tourist destination (such as following the tour guides’ advice, not wearing lots of jewellery and watching out for pickpockets), Salvador is a fairly safe city. The majority of restaurants have bilingual menus and practically anyone on the street will be able to give you basic information in English, such as where to buy a beer, get water, catch a taxi, etc. The tourist offices and all of the hotel lobbies have plenty of leaflets in English and Spanish on offer, as well.
Musical beaches
If the weather’s good (and it is roughly 300 days per year), it’s worth making the most of Salvador’s coastline. The most popular central beaches are Porto da Barra, Farol da Barra and the illustrious Itapoã (immortalised by Vinícius de Moraes and Toquinho) where you’ll find the Lagoa do Abaeté, Armação and Flamengo. Heading north via the Estrada do Coco and then taking the Linha Verde, you’ll arrive at beaches like Arembepe, which boasts an up-and-running hippie commune, beautiful Itacimirim, Praia do Forte (which hosts a marine turtle reserve), Porto de Sauípe, Barra do Itariri, Siribinha and finally Mangue Seco, which lies on the border with Sergipe and was the location for the film Tiete do Agreste. As for the beaches along the southern coast of Bahia, that would take up a whole other article…
Back in the city, there’s a wide range of different activities on offer. Culturally, there are numerous museums and exhibition rooms to choose from, such as the Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia, Conjunto Cultural da Caixa Econômica Federal, Instituto Goethe, Museu Afro-Brasileiro, Museu de Ex Votos do Senhor do Bonfim, Fundação Pierre Verger and the Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado. The majority can all be found near the city’s historical centre (Pelourinho itself). Also, don’t forget to visit the plethora of colonial and baroque churches dotting the city, such as the Igreja do Bonfim, Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos, Nossa Senhora da Graça, Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Lapa, da Ordem Terceira do Carmo and São Pedro dos Clérigos.
Bahian cigars
There are lots of opportunities for shopping in Salvador, ranging from the craftware and souvenir stalls at the Mercado Modelo (in the Cidade Baixa at the bottom of the historical Elevador Lacerda) to the sophisticated Barra and Iguatemi shopping malls. Roadside shops are also a temptation. You may have heard of Brazil’s famous semi-precious stones, but it’s unlikely that you’ve ever puffed on a Bahian cigar. Whilst they might not be as expensive and well known as their Cuban counterparts, they’re generally of a high quality and refined flavour.
Salvador’s nightlife is a whole other department. Practically every evening there are free shows at the Praça 16 de Novembro, formerly known as the Terreiro de Jesus, and it’s not uncommon for similar events to take place in Pelourinho and at the Praça Castro Alves. It’s worth asking at your hotel about performances by Afro-Brazilian percussive bands like Ilê Ayê, Carlinhos Brown’s Timbalada and Olodum; more traditional sound systems such as Dodô e Osmar and Expresso 2222 (headed by the current Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil); and popular artists such as Ivete Sangalo, Margarete Menezez and the group Araketu. If that doesn’t get you going, the Praça do Reggae, which is also in Pelourinho, plays Jamaican rhythms all night long and the city’s rock scene has churned out stars like Raul Seixas (the “father” of Brazilian rock), Camisa de Vênus’ Marcelo Nova and current rock goddess Pitty.
In Bahia de Todos os Santos, the party lasts all year round, and not just during Carnival, New Year’s Eve and São João. The city offers a fusion of Brazilian and African culture with a touch of syncretism and miscegenation, and boasts a modern infrastructure that offers tourists from across the world more comfort and security than Rio or Sao Paulo. A great place for relaxing and having fun.
Approach With Caution
Check out our gastronomic tips to help you make the most of your stay
Vinicius Souza
Bahian cuisine can be a bit heavy on European stomachs. Jot down the following tips and put them into practice during your trip
- Try out local dishes such as acarajé (dumplings made of mashed beans, filled with dried shrimp and fried in palm oil) and vatapá (a kind of stewed purée made from shrimp, fish, peanuts, cashew nuts and pepper) at lunchtime and reserve supper for grilled fish and meat.
- Don’t get dehydrated in the tropical heat, drink lots of coconut water and all the tropical fruit juices that you’ll only find in Brazil, such as cashew apple, cajá, mangaba, cupuaçu, soursop, etc.
- Even if it seems irresistible, avoid food cooked on the street.
