Dear fellow traveler, if you’re looking for yet another delightful “Top 10 Things to do in Salvador de Bahía list,” you have opened the wrong page. For starters, you will notice – if you have any talent for counting at all – that this list does not contain ten items. A list of ten would suggest a sense of completeness and order that simply does not exist in this wretched world. These recommendations are culled from my own harrowing experiences, though I have included a few locations I have not yet visited, solely because I have heard whispers of their greatness and feel a desperate, perhaps foolish, urge to see them for myself before something goes horribly wrong. 

I must caution you: while the tone of this guide is somewhat grim, the logistical information contained within is – most distressingly – entirely accurate. I have meticulously recorded prices and logistical advice with a level of accuracy that is frankly exhausting. Every detail was correct at the time this document was published, though in a world as unstable as ours, accurate is a word that should always be whispered with a note of caution. You may use this information to plan your journey with terrifying efficiency, though why you would want to arrive at your destination any sooner is a mystery that I have no desire to solve.

You have clearly been tricked into reading about Salvador, Brazil. Forget the brochures that use words like vibrant and happy. Salvador is a city built on gilded contradictions and a deeply regrettable history. Its name, meaning Saviour, is a grim joke. Below, you will find a list of its best things, which include the brightly-coloured but ominously-named Pelourinho (a word for a public whipping post) and the Elevador Lacerda (a large, clanking cage designed to efficiently transport you between the high promise of the city and its low, uncomfortable reality). Proceed if you must, but remember: the only thing guaranteed here is a memorable sense of unease.

If this is your first stop in Brazil, read this Cautionary Guide.

Best Things to See and Do in Salvador (And Why They Might Disappoint You)

In any given metropolis, there is a list of Best Things to See and Do, an optimistic and misleading phrase that suggests these activities will be entirely delightful and without peril. Such a list, however, is merely a catalog of places where one can witness something curious, or perhaps even perform a curious deed oneself. One should approach this list with caution and a healthy dose of suspicion, as no one can truly promise that what you see and do will be anything but an experience of dreadful consequence.

While I endeavor to furnish you with the costs of regular adult admission for the various locales of interest, you must understand that the proprietors of these places will almost certainly offer lesser prices for children, students, the elderly, and other groups in order to make a simple transaction more complicated. 

The Inescapable Weight of Historical Misery and Gilded Hypocrisy

These are the attractions where the past reaches out from its shallow grave to deliver a swift, sobering slap to your momentary cultural delight. You will be forced to confront the wretched origins of beauty and wealth, leaving a bitter taste that not even the sweetest Quindim can wash away.

Wander the cobblestone streets of Pelourinho

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• What the guides say: The historic heart of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its steep cobblestone streets. Once a site of grim punishment, it has transitioned into a cultural hub. Today, one can hear the Olodum drummers and observe capoeira circles, which are rhythmic displays of strength that serve as a testament to the city’s African heritage.
• What they don’t tell you: Allow yourself to be captivated by the brightly painted colonial facades of this UNESCO World Heritage site, a saccharine collection of pinks, blues, and yellows. The name Pelourinho, which translates to Pillory or Whipping Post, is a direct and horrifying reference to the central square where enslaved persons were publicly tortured. You may enjoy the lively drumming or the sight of the dancers, but that momentary cultural enrichment will be perpetually undermined by the sobering, inescapable truth that you are standing on a foundation built upon the colossal, unspeakable misery of others.
• Go for: The beating heart of Salvador’s Afro-Brazilian culture, characterized by its brightly colored colonial architecture, cobblestone slopes, and the rhythmic echoes of Olodum drumming.
• Cost: Free to wander; individual museums or churches in the area usually range from free to R$ 30.
• Public punishment: This UNESCO World Heritage site was once the city’s main square for public punishment (the name Pelourinho means Pillory). Today, it is a hub for Capoeira schools and artisan shops. 
• Best time: Visit on Tuesday nights for the most vibrant atmosphere, live music, and street parties, but stay alert as the narrow alleys can be confusing at night.
• Verdict: Your legs will object to the stones and your heart to the history; it is the most beautiful way to stand on a foundation of misery in all of Brazil.

Gaze upon the gold of the Igreja de São Francisco (Church of São Francisco)

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• What the guides say: Often called the Golden Church, this building is a masterpiece of the Baroque style. Its interior is covered in approximately 800 pounds of gold leaf, a mineral that is very shiny and very heavy. The adjacent cloister features blue-and-white tiles called azulejos, which depict stories meant to improve one’s character, or at least occupy one’s time.
• What they don’t tell you: Enter this celebrated 18th-century Baroque church, a dizzying edifice whose interior is reportedly gilded with tons of pure gold. You will crane your neck in awe at the sheer, blinding decadence. Then, you will be forced to ponder how this astonishing display of wealth – this obscene quantity of precious metal – was primarily financed by the very same colonial system of sugar plantations and human bondage that defined Salvador’s wretched history. 
• Go for: One of the most spectacular displays of Baroque Gold Church architecture in the world; the interior is covered in nearly 1,000kg of gold leaf.
• Cost: Free.
• Azulejos: While the gold is breathtaking, don’t miss the cloister, which is lined with 37 panels of Portuguese blue-and-white azulejos (tiles) depicting scenes of moralistic life. 
• Protest: Look closely at the angels and cherubs; many were carved by enslaved people who gave the figures African features and exaggerated anatomy as a subtle form of protest against the colonial church.
• Verdict: A blinding tax on your moral compass that proves 800 pounds of gold can hide a multitude of colonial sins, provided you don’t look too closely.

Attend a capoeira performance in the Largo Terreiro de Jesus

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• What the guides say: This central plaza is a meeting point surrounded by historic churches. It is a place where one can find artisanal crafts and people selling iced coconut water, a liquid that is much more refreshing than the lukewarm tea often served in gloomy mansions. It provides an excellent view of the city’s architectural buzz.
• What they don’t tell you: Watch as nimble individuals perform the fluid, acrobatic martial art of Capoeira, which they will inform you was cleverly disguised as a dance by enslaved Africans to secretly practice fighting. It is an inspiring story of resistance and survival, which is a rare thing indeed. Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. In fact, oftentimes, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table.
  Unfortunately, the moment of awe will be immediately followed by the performers passing a hat or demanding a pre-arranged payment, thereby transforming this poignant cultural display of historical struggle into a transactional interaction, a moment where the very spirit of resistance becomes another item on the tourist bill.
• Go for: People-watching, sampling street food, and admiring the concentration of four historic churches in one single plaza.
• Cost: Free.
• Capoeira: This square is often filled with Capoeira circles; if you stop to watch or take photos, it is customary (and expected) to leave a small tip for the performers. 
• Cravinho: This is a great spot to try Cravinho, a local clove-infused cachaça sold in the small bars flanking the square. Try O cravinho (Map).
• Verdict: An inspiring display of resistance that earns its reputation, right up until the hat is passed and the struggle becomes a transaction.

Seek tranquility at the Basilica of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim

Website | Map

• What the guides say: Salvador’s most sacred site is famous for Fitinhas, which are colorful ribbons tied to its gates. These ribbons represent a blend of Catholicism and Candomblé. During the Lavagem do Bonfim festival, the steps are ceremonially washed with scented water – a process that makes the stairs both clean and fragrant.
• What they don’t tell you: Travel to the suburban peninsula to observe this famous church, revered for its role in the syncretic blend of Catholicism and Candomblé. Tourists often tie fitas (ribbons of desire) to the gate, each knot a solemn wish. You will dutifully tie your ribbon, perhaps wishing for something modest, like a more comfortable pair of walking shoes. The profound disappointment is that the sheer multitude of ribbons – tens of thousands – testifies not to the power of belief, but to the overwhelming, statistical improbability of any single one of those desperate hopes ever coming true.
• Go for: The spiritual soul of Salvador, where Catholic tradition and Candomblé faith merge, and to tie your Fita do Bonfim (wish ribbon) to the gates.
• Cost: Free, but you will regret it if you don’t purchase fitas from vendors in the square. Expect to spend R$ 5 for 10 fitas, cash only.
• Best time: The Wash of the Steps (Lavagem do Bonfim) in January is the city’s second-biggest party after Carnival. 
• Wishes: When you tie your ribbon, make three knots and three silent wishes; tradition says your wishes will come true when the ribbon wears off and falls away naturally.
• Verdict: A five-real investment in a ribbon of hope; you will tie your wishes to the gate and leave convinced that statistical improbability is a small price for a miracle.

The Misery of Mundane Disappointment and Predictable Suffering

These are the inevitable setbacks that prove that even when you manage to escape historical guilt, you cannot escape the everyday annoyances of human existence – be they digestive, architectural, or social.

Subject yourself to the Elevador Lacerda

Website | Map

• What the guides say: This Art Deco elevator connects the Lower City to the Upper City, standing 72 meters tall. It is a vertical form of transit that offers a view of the bay. It is a well-documented fact that taking the elevator is significantly faster than climbing seventy-two meters of stairs while carrying a heavy suitcase.
• What they don’t tell you: Join the throng of people who believe a 19th-century public elevator is a worthwhile tourist attraction. This towering metal cage – an Art Deco marvel designed to connect the city’s Upper and Lower halves – will swiftly lift you 72 meters above your starting point. You will spend a brief, claustrophobic moment pressed against strangers, only to arrive in the Cidade Alta (Upper City), where, despite the promising views of the sprawling, beautiful Bay of All Saints, you will realize you are now merely 72 meters closer to more disappointment. 
• Go for: A quick, functional transit between the Cidade Alta (Upper City/Pelourinho) and Cidade Baixa (Lower City/Harbor) with a classic view of the bay.
• Cost: Extremely cheap (approximately R$ 0.15 – cents, not dollars).
• First: It was the first public elevator in the world when it opened in 1873. It travels 72 meters in about 30 seconds. 
• Best Time: Use the elevator to get from the historic center down to the Mercado Modelo, but be prepared for long lines during peak tourist hours or when cruise ships are in port.
• Verdict: You will spend thirty seconds in a vertical cage only to realize you are now merely eighty meters closer to more disappointment and a slightly better view.

Navigate the labyrinthine stalls of the Mercado Modelo

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• What the guides say: Located in an old customs house, this market contains over 250 stalls selling leather goods and musical instruments like the berimbau. Behind the building, one often finds capoeira displays. It is a primary location for souvenirs and other objects you buy to prove you were somewhere other than your own living room.
• What they don’t tell you: Descend to the Cidade Baixa (Lower City) to visit this market, housed in a building that was once a customs house and, tragically, burned down more than once. The market’s current incarnation is filled with over two hundred vendors eagerly offering trinkets, questionable handicrafts, and local cuisine. The sensory overload of sights, sounds, and smells is meant to be charming, but it merely proves that even the most authentic cultural experience is, in the end, simply an enormous commercial enterprise designed solely to relieve you of your cash. You will purchase a souvenir that you will inevitably regret buying and likely discard before the plane ride home.
• Go for: Souvenir shopping for lace, leather goods, musical instruments (like the berimbau), and traditional Bahian handicrafts.
• Cost: Free to enter.
• History: The building served as the city’s customs house in the 19th century. 
• Haggle: Bargaining is common and expected here. 
• Terrace: After shopping, head to the back terrace on the upper floor for a drink overlooking the harbor.
• Verdict: A sensory overload designed to relieve you of your cash; you will buy a souvenir you don’t need to prove you were somewhere you didn’t understand.

Take solace in a dish of Acarajé

• What the guides say: This is a sacred culinary tradition prepared by women in white lace dresses. It consists of a black-eyed pea fritter fried in dendê oil and stuffed with spicy fillings. It offers a savory explosion of flavor, which is a much better kind of explosion than the ones involving gunpowder or unfortunate accidents in a laboratory.
• What they don’t tell you: Sample this classic street food: a deep-fried patty of mashed cowpeas, split open and stuffed with dried shrimp, palm oil (dendê), and a spicy relish. The pleasure will be intense, the flavor rich and complex, a brief, fleeting moment of true enjoyment. But you will quickly be reminded that dendê oil is both famously heavy and frequently difficult for the uninitiated digestive system to process, ensuring your temporary delight will soon lead to an uncomfortable few days.
• Go for: The definitive taste of Bahia – a deep-fried ball of black-eyed pea dough filled with vatapá (shrimp paste), salad, and hot peppers.
• Cost: R$ 10.00 – R$ 20.00.
• Baianas: It is traditionally prepared by Baianas de Acarajé dressed in flowing white lace gowns. 
• Spicy: If the vendor asks if you want it quente (hot) or frio (cold), they are not talking about temperature – they mean the amount of chili pepper. Quente can be extremely spicy for the uninitiated!
• Read: Culinary Guide to Salvador de Bahía for specific restaurant recommendations.
• Verdict: An intense, greasy masterpiece that offers a brief moment of bliss followed by a persistent, three-day reminder of your own digestive limitations.

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Visit the Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra at sunset

Website | Map | Tickets

• What the guides say: This fort houses the oldest lighthouse in the Americas. Locals often gather on the grass to watch the sun disappear into the ocean. When the sky turns pink and orange, the crowd frequently breaks into applause, treating the sunset as a successful theatrical performance that fortunately happens every single day.
• What they don’t tell you: Join every other tourist, amateur photographer, and sentimental couple at the Fort of Santo Antônio da Barra to witness the famous sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. The moment the sun descends is, against all odds, undeniably beautiful. This brief period of aesthetic perfection, however, only serves to underscore the sad, predictable nature of pleasure: it is fleeting, universally shared, and inevitably followed by having to fight through a crowded promenade in the dark just to secure transportation back to your lodgings. 
• Go for: Watching the sun dip into the ocean (one of the few places in Brazil where the sun sets over the sea) next to the oldest lighthouse in the Americas.
• Cost: Free to sit on the grass outside; approximately R$ 20.00 to enter the Nautical Museum inside the fort.
• Sunset: Locals gather on the grassy knoll behind the fort every evening. 
• Tradition: When the sun finally disappears, it is a local tradition to applaud the sunset.
• Verdict: Free, unavoidable, and quietly excellent, provided you don’t mind joining a crowd to applaud the sun for simply doing what it does every day.

Take a schooner trip across the Baía de Todos os Santos (Bay of All Saints)

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• What the guides say: The largest bay in Brazil contains 56 islands and serves as a playground for sailors. Whether one boards a traditional schooner or a modern catamaran, the turquoise water provides a cooling breeze. It is a different perspective of the coastline, which is useful if you are tired of looking at the coastline from land.
• What they don’t tell you: Board a crowded, rickety vessel with the expectation of a breezy, nautical adventure to a pristine island like Ilha dos Frades. The trip will begin with promise, but the unavoidable reality is that you will be trapped on a small boat with a large number of sunburnt strangers and an aggressively cheerful host whose only goal is to sell you lukewarm drinks. The pristine beach you arrive at will be instantly ruined by the simultaneous arrival of every other tourist schooner from the mainland. 
• Go for: A schooner (escuna) boat trip to explore the tropical islands like Ilha dos Frades and Itaparica.
• Cost: R$ 60.00 – R$ 150.00 for a day trip.
• Superlative: This is the largest bay in Brazil and the second largest in the world. 
• Try: Book your trip on this schooner.
• Private Option: Most boat tours usually include live samba music and a bar on board. If you prefer quiet, look for smaller private boat rentals departing from the Bahia Marina.
• Verdict: You will arrive for the turquoise water and leave trapped on a rickety vessel with sunburnt strangers and lukewarm drinks. Regrettably, it is essential.

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Endure the traffic of the Rio Vermelho neighborhood

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• What the guides say: This is the city’s primary nightlife district, where people occupy the sidewalks until very late. It is an enclave of live music and restaurants, and was once the home of the writer Jorge Amado. It is a place where the party spills out, so there are more people outside than inside.
• What they don’t tell you: Seek out this celebrated bohemian district, known for its nightlife, street artists, and general air of effortless cool. The pursuit of coolness, as you know, is usually a fool’s errand. You will spend an inordinate amount of time trapped in a taxi, slowly inching forward, only to arrive at a crowded bar where the music is too loud, the drinks are too expensive, and the genuine, artistic bohème you sought has long since been replaced by loud, modern commerce.
• Go for: The best nightlife in Salvador, legendary street food, and a more local bohemian vibe compared to Pelourinho.
• Cost: Free to walk; dinner/drinks vary.
• Acarajé: This is the home of famous acarajé stands such as Acarajé da Dinha (Map). 
• Best Time: On February 2nd, this neighborhood hosts the massive Festa de Iemanjá, where thousands of people dress in white and throw flowers into the sea for the Goddess of the Ocean.
• Verdict: You’ll hate the traffic, not the place. It is a bohemian dream that has been paved over by modern commerce, yet it remains unavoidable.

See the art at the Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia (MAM)

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• What the guides say: Housed in a historic seaside building, this museum features a sculpture garden and contemporary art. It is most famous for “Jam no MAM,” an outdoor jazz session. At sunset, the sound of experimental music mingles with the sound of waves hitting stone walls, which is a very sophisticated way to spend an evening.
• What they don’t tell you: Visit the museum housed in the historic Solar do Unhão, a colonial complex with stunning views. You will appreciate the architecture more than the art, which is often a cruel fate for a museum. But the real misfortune will be finding the museum’s famous sculpture park slightly overgrown, the café closed, or one of the most interesting exhibits inexplicably roped off – a reminder that culture, like everything else, is often subject to the unpredictable, miserable vagaries of scheduling and maintenance. 
• Go for: Contemporary art and the legendary “Jam no MAM” (open-air jazz sessions) held on the waterfront.
• Cost: Museum is free; Jazz sessions approximately R$ 10.00 – R$ 20.00.
• Solar do Unhão: The museum is located in the Solar do Unhão, a historic 16th-century estate. 
• Jam no MAM: Check the schedule for Saturday evening jazz – it is widely considered one of the coolest cultural experiences in the city, offering views of the bay as the sun sets.
• Verdict: A seaside masterpiece where the architecture is the real art; go for the jazz and stay for the reminder that maintenance is always a secondary concern to beauty.

Dine at a highly-rated Moqueca restaurant

• What the guides say: Eating this seafood stew is a slow sensory experience. It is cooked in a clay pot with coconut milk and dendê oil. It represents a fusion of indigenous, African, and Portuguese influences, proving that when different cultures are put into a pot together, the result is often much better than a political argument.
• What they don’t tell you: Order the regional seafood stew, a delicious, aromatic concoction of fish, coconut milk, and dendê oil. The meal will be a highlight, a triumph of flavor. However, the service will be agonizingly slow, or your table will be slightly wobbly, or some other minor, persistent annoyance will be inflicted upon you, ensuring that even a moment of gustatory bliss cannot be experienced without a persistent, low-grade sense of irritation. 
• Go for: A slow-cooked Bahian fish or shrimp stew made with dendê (palm oil), coconut milk, and cilantro, served in a heavy clay pot.
• Cost: R$ 120.00 – R$ 200.00 (usually serves two people).
• Regional Variations: Unlike the version from Espírito Santo, the Bahian Moqueca is heavy on the palm oil and coconut. 
• Eat at: Antique Bistrô (Instagram | Map) or Cuco Bistrô (Website | Map) for a memorable experience.
• Pro tip: The rice, farofa, and pirão (gravy) served on the side are just as important as the stew itself.
• Read: Culinary Guide to Salvador de Bahía for more restaurant recommendations.
• Verdict: A slow-cooked triumph of flavor that proves even gustatory bliss cannot be experienced without the low-grade irritation of a wobbly table and agonizingly slow service.

Encounters with the Utterly Futile

These are the moments where you attempt to interact with the local culture or people, only to realize that your efforts are entirely in vain, resulting in guilt, frustration, or a sense of isolation.

Observe the street vendors in the Largo do Pelourinho

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• What the guides say: This triangular square is one of the most photographed views in Brazil, bordered by a sky-blue church. It was featured in a music video by a famous singer named Michael Jackson. It remains a site for cultural festivities on Tuesday nights, an evening often considered the least interesting day of the week elsewhere.
• What they don’t tell you: Take a moment to pity the street vendors who are constantly being driven from one unfortunate circumstance to the next. They will approach you with determined friendliness, attempting to sell you small, utterly superfluous items. You will be forced to employ the awkward, international gesture of rejection, a small moment of guilt that reminds you of the vast, insurmountable gulf between your life of tourism and their life of perpetual salesmanship.
• Go for: Standing in the exact spot where Michael Jackson filmed the “They Don’t Care About Us” music video.
• Cost: Free.
• Landmark: This triangular sloping square is bordered by the blue church known as Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos. 
• Michael Jackson: You can visit the balcony where Michael Jackson stood; it’s now part of a small souvenir shop.
• Verdict: You will arrive for the Michael Jackson backdrop and leave with a small weight of guilt; a reminder of the gulf between your vacation and their salesmanship.

Attempt to understand the local dialect

• What the guides say: The “Baianês” dialect is a rhythmic version of Portuguese. You will likely hear “Oxente!” or “Beleza?”, expressions that denote surprise or agreement. While it is a challenge for students of standard grammar, the patience of the locals makes the language a joy to practice, even if you get the verbs wrong.
• What they don’t tell you: Listen carefully to the rapid-fire, musical Portuguese of Bahia. You may have studied the language, or perhaps you speak a different Romance language, giving you a false sense of preparedness. You will quickly discover that the local accent and slang render your formal knowledge entirely useless. This brief, frustrating exercise is a humbling reminder that no matter how much you prepare, the world will always find new and inventive ways to confuse and isolate you.
• Go for: A deeper connection with the Soteropolitanos (residents of Salvador) and their unique, musical way of speaking.
• Cost: Free.
• Vocabulary: You will hear “Axé” as a greeting and “Ô pai, ó” (Look at that, man) constantly. 
• King for a day: If someone calls you “Meu rei” (My king), they are being friendly and welcoming. Just smile and go with the flow!
• Verdict: It asks nothing of you except the admission that your formal Portuguese is useless; a humbling reminder that the world is designed to confuse you.

Explore abandoned glitter at the Casa do Carnaval da Bahia

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• What the guides say: This interactive museum uses high-tech displays to celebrate the history of the city’s street carnival. One can use virtual reality headsets to experience the “Trios Elétricos” or visit a dressing room to try on flamboyant costumes. It allows you to participate in the rhythm of the city without actually having to dance in front of a million people.
• What they don’t tell you: This is a place where joy is pinned to the walls like captured butterflies. Within its hollows, one finds sequined costumes and the deafening echo of drums that have long since stopped beating. To visit is to realize that a party, once finished, is merely a collection of very expensive laundry. It is remarkably vivid and deeply suspicious. 
• Go for: An interactive, high-tech museum that explains the history, music, and social impact of the world’s largest street party.
• Cost: Approximately R$ 20.
• Virtual Reality: The museum offers VR headsets to experience the Carnival parade from the top of a Trio Elétrico truck. 
• Rooftop Terrace: Head to the rooftop terrace for a hidden, spectacular view of the harbor and the Lacerda Elevator.
• Verdict: A vivid monument to captured joy and expensive laundry; it proves that once the drums stop, all that remains is abandoned glitter and virtual reality.

Your tour of Salvador’s highlights is complete. You have admired the blinding gold inside the São Francisco Church, an expensive layer of religious optimism designed to distract from the enduring sadness outside. You have perhaps tied a Fita do Bonfim ribbon, a small charm for a big wish, which is a perfect symbol for the futility of hope.

The loud music and strong seasoning are merely temporary diversions. Salvador, like a handsome but deeply troubled stranger, has given you a fleeting, complicated memory. Your trip’s lasting effect will not be joy, but a sharp, clear understanding that beauty and sorrow are always, and quite unfairly, intertwined. Now, like all travelers, you must simply return to the comfort of your own, smaller, more personal brand of misery.

Further Reading

If one is in search of a less dreadful and more pleasant perspective on Salvador, a number of additional resources exist. These are, of course, presented with the understanding that such information is often a mere sugarcoating on a very bitter pill, and should be consumed with a healthy dose of suspicion. 

• Visit Brasil – Salvador
• Salvador da Bahia (Official City Guide)
• “Salvador, Bahia: Afro-Brazilian Soul and Heritage” from the New York Times (paywall)
• “Salvador Travel Guide” from Live More, Travel More by Elaine Villatoro
• “3 Days in Vibrant Salvador” from Postcard From Taylor