Salvador
Historic Centre Of Salvador De Bahia (The Pelourinho), UNESCO World Heritage Site Inscribed 1985; Capital Of Colonial Brazil From 1549 To 1763 · Salvador, Bahia
Salvador was the first capital of Brazil, founded in 1549, and for two centuries the main port of the Atlantic slave trade in the Americas; today it is the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture and one of the most distinctive cities on the continent. Its heart is the Pelourinho, the old upper town on a ridge above the bay, a UNESCO-listed tangle of steep cobbled streets, pastel colonial houses and baroque churches, above all the Church of São Francisco, whose interior is covered in gilded carving. The Lacerda Elevator, an Art Deco lift, connects the upper town to the lower city and the Mercado Modelo. Salvador's culture is the reason to come: capoeira in the squares, drumming rehearsals by bands like Olodum, candomblé religion, and the food of Bahia, from acarajé sold by women in white to moqueca stew. Carnival here is a vast street festival led by trucks carrying bands. The Pelourinho is heavily restored and touristy by day and empties at night; parts of the city around it are not safe to walk, and the beaches are out along the coast.
Pelourinho, Centro Histórico, Salvador, BA, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
A city, always open, but the historic centre has a clear daily rhythm. Churches and museums in the Pelourinho keep daytime hours, often close for a long lunch, and many close on Mondays or Sunday afternoons, so a day spent there needs a plan. The Church of São Francisco charges entry and closes during services. The Lacerda Elevator runs through the day and into the evening, and the Plano Inclinado funicular keeps shorter hours. The Mercado Modelo is a daytime market. Drumming rehearsals and music events are mostly in the evenings, with Tuesday nights a long-standing tradition in the Pelourinho. After the shops close the historic centre empties quickly, and the streets around it become unsafe to walk; use a ride-hailing car to leave. Carnival, in February or early March, takes over the city for about a week, closes the main circuits to traffic and multiplies hotel prices. Summer festivals in January, including the washing of the Bonfim steps, fill the city too.