Salvador da Bahia

Arrival

From Cuiaba we had an early flight to Salvador via Brasilia. Unfortunately the weather was too bad to land so we had to fly to Maceio, wait a bit and then to Salvador. The pick up at the hotel was organized by the hotel and was about 115 BRL for a 30 minute ride.

Day 1

We stayed at the Pousada Estrela do Mar, a very nice hotel in Barra with great breakfast, close to the sea in a very safe area. Close to the hotel there is the famous lighthouse in Salvador and many restaurants and bars. Make sure to have a delicious Açaí during your time in Brazil. It’s a sort of ice cream which you can mix with fruit or granola.

Salvador is famous for its historic center - the so called Pelourinho. We took a taxi (25 BRL) from Barra to the upper side of the elevator which connects the lower town to the upper town. At first we were not sure where it is safe to walk around, but there is quite a lot of police around, so we just tried to stay within an area where you can always see a policeman and we did not have any issues. On the streets, especially close to the elevator, many guides will try to sell you a walking tour, but you can also do it on your own. If you need help, watch out for the official tourist guides dressed in a blue t-shirt. They can give you some advice (for free) or can organize a tour for you.

If you have been to Portugal before, the historic town of Salvador will look familiar - nice squares & many churches with blue tiles. We visited the São Francisco Church (only 5 BRL). You will see many small shops selling souvenirs, paintings, small Olodum drums and other things. Speaking of Olodum (the famous Brazilian music group): Michael Jackson shot the music video for “They Don’t Care About Us” at the Pelourinho featuring many drummers. You will not miss the famous balcony where he stood in the video. Another good place to shop for souvenirs is the Mercado Modelo at the lower side of the elevator.

Back at the area Barra, close to our hotel, we visited the lighthouse and walked to the beach “Praia do Porto da Barra”. At the Forte Santa Maria we saw a nice light show where they projected pictures and arts onto the building which looked really cool. You’ll also have nice restaurants in this area.

Day 2

The next day we went to the shopping center Barra and bought a pair of Havaianas - also a must in Brazil. They are really cheap compared to what they cost in Europe. After going shopping we walked to the Morro do Cristo. From here you can enjoy the views while having a coconut water. The rest of the day we spent at the Praia do Porto da Barra, a nice sandy beach with very warm water. An umbrella, two beach chairs (for a half day) and two beers only cost us 25 BRL. At this beach we also had the delicious Acarajé (12 BRL, one portion is enough for two). We also saw people eating some sort of grilled cheese, but the smell alone was enough for us.

Every Tuesday evening there is big party happening in the historic town, so we decided to go there again in the evening. There is live music, cheap and good caipirinhas (the cheapest one we had was only 5 BRL), lots of samba dancing, capoeira shows and good food. We also visited a church service, at least for a couple of minutes, to see how the African culture influenced the catholic church with its rhythms.

We had a very early flight from Salvador to Rio, so we decided to stay at a hotel closer to the airport before we left. The taxi from Barra to the Hotel Pousada Salvador Paradise cost 110 BRL (40 minutes). If you go there, make sure to print/download a map. Our taxi driver had no idea where this hotel was it took us some time to find it.

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