The Great Brazilian Road Trip is dazzled by the magic of Brazil’s third largest city.
Salvador
Unlike Brazil’s other large cities, Salvador has a strong African influence which makes everything seem a little more vivid: history, food, colors, and, of course, people.
As the third largest city, Salvador is HUGE which makes it absolutely impossible to see everything in a single day.
We tried anyway.
We began our day at the Mercado Modelo (Model Market). As the name suggests, this massive two-story building is an indoor market and offers an impressive assortment of souvenirs. After wandering around the stalls for a little while, we exited through the back of the building and were immediately stopped by a tour guide.
Would we like to learn a little bit about the history of the city? Yes, please!
For the next 3.5 hours, our tour guide, Abby, took us on a whirlwind tour of Salvador’s “must see” tourist attractions.
Elevador Lacerda
Across from the Mercado Modelo, we rode the iconic Elevador Lacerda. At the top, we took in the incredible view while Abby explained the significance of various landmarks and how/why the footprint of the city has evolved over time.
Before exiting the deck, Abby cautioned us about the day ahead: we will be approached, sometimes aggressively, by many different vendors.
This includes the “Bahiana ladies” in colorful dresses, street performers, and artists offering tribal body paint. If you want a picture, you absolutely must pay. If you’re uninterested, say “no” politely but firmly. Better yet, let the tour guide know ahead of time that you’re planning to “pass.”
You are not obligated to buy anything unless you try to sneak a picture.
Fair enough.
Pictures like this seem to be Instagram essentials anyway!
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Although we covered a lot of ground on our tour, our two highlights were: Igreja de Sao Francisco and Praca do Pelorinho
Igreja de Sao Francisco
Brazil has over 8,000 historic churches. That’s a lot of competition, but, without a doubt, Igreja de Sao Francisco is one of the winners.
Why?
Gold, gold, and more gold, everywhere. Ornate carvings from floor to ceiling and elaborate artistic pieces both overwhelm and delight any visitor. You have to see it in-person because none of the pictures do it justice.
It’s no surprise that the church is listed as one of the 7 Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World.
Praca do Pelorinho
Abby explained to us that a “pelorinho” was once the place (post) where slaves and criminals were tied and publicly whipped. Any city could have several “pelorinhos,” depending on the size of their population.
Today, “pelorinho” is both the name given to the entire historic Salvador neighborhood as well as the specific square (praça) that was once home to the last remaining whipping post.
Although the history behind the name is heartbreaking, present-day Praca do Pelorinho is a positive hive of activity.
If you’ve seen the music video for “They Don’t Really Care About Us,” (1996) this is where Michael Jackson danced around the circle of drummers (known as “olodum”).
This is where you can: recreate your music video moment, adorn yourself with tribal paint, seek a blessing and/or purification from a candomblé religious representative, sample delicious acarajé… and more. The people watching alone makes this a fantastic place to spend some extra time.
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Once our tour was over, we parted ways with Abby and found our way to the Casa do Carnaval da Bahia (Bahian Carnaval Museum). Unfortunately, we were running out of daylight and so were unable to check it out.
Instead, we went next door to the Plano Inclinado Gonçalves streetcar which we rode down to the lower city. It was time for us to catch an Uber to another important stop.
Basilica do Senhor do Bonfim
If you’re in need of some luck, or if you have a special wish to make, this is the place to be.
Step 1: Buy a ribbon (or two … or more) from any vendor.
Step 2: Tie it to the fence around Basilica do Senhor do Bonfim using exactly 3 knots.
Step 3: With each knot, make a wish.
Step 4: Keep your wishes a secret or they won’t come true.
Senhor Bonfim represents Jesus Christ. Each colored ribbon represents a different saint/ African tribal deity. Legend has it that Senhor Bonfim and these deities grant your wishes once the ribbons fall from the fence.
Clearly, lots of folks are still waiting for their wishes to be granted.
But wishes aside, the ribbons are absolutely beautiful.
Farol da Barra
To end our day, we rushed back across town to catch the sunset at Farol da Barra (Barra Lighthouse).
While we weren’t the only ones to have the idea, it sure was pretty. Most folks were wearing masks so, despite the close quarters, we felt relatively COVID-safe.
However, in Salvador, personal security is another matter entirely. Once we had captured the magic of the moment, we decided to hurry home so as not to be caught on the street after dark.
Overall
Salvador is impossible to see in a single day but, if needed, you can make it work.
If given an extra day (or two), we would have taken a deeper dive into the history, food, and local art scene. In fact, the amazing food alone would have kept us busy for several days.
People are friendly, but stay vigilant. Vendors are much more aggressive than in other parts of Brazil so it helps to know ahead of time which things you're willing to pay for vs. which things are a "no."
If waiting for an Uber, try to stay inside the entrance of a store or business. Avoid lingering outdoors after dark.
Most importantly, don't let fear stop you from having fun.
Salvador is magic! We hope to return some day.
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