3 days in Salvador: see itinerary to enjoy the city – 04/10/2024 – Tourism

Salvador already demands attention as soon as tourists leave the airport and cross a road embraced by a type of tunnel created by a bamboo grove. This is almost an advertisement for a city that is made up of many stimuli — the colors of the sea, the sky and the buildings, the music that fills the streets, the spices of the rich cuisine, the weight of a place that carries what is best and worst in Brazilian history.

It is possible to access part of this in a few days and knowing where to go — and that is the idea of ​​this series, which creates a itinerary to make the most of tourist places in 72 hours — but it is worth remembering that the capital of Bahia is inexhaustible and worth a lot more than that. Check out tips below for experiencing a little of everything in Salvador.

DAY 1

Your morning can start at the friendly Mimu, a café located right at the entrance to the National Museum of Afro-Brazilian Culture, Muncab —the next attraction on this suggested itinerary.

Inside, you can try coffees and snacks such as dried meat quiche with banana and ham pie, which appear on a rotating menu. For dessert, try the munguzá or the house-made cakes.

With your belly full, head to the museum dedicated to black identity and history. Currently, Muncab hosts the exhibition “Um Defeito de Cor”, which uses Ana Maria Gonçalves’ book as a guiding thread to exhibit works by a hundred black artists, in addition to displaying its collection that helps tell the story of trafficking of enslaved black people, quilombos, revolts, cuisine, popular festivals and religiosity.

The museum is less than a five-minute walk from the Elevador Lacerda, which is located in Praça Thomé de Souza — you can stop to enjoy the view of the Baía de Todos-os-Santos. From there, two options are possible.

The first is to take the elevator down and walk through the corridors of Market Modelo, with hundreds of souvenir and food stores. Another is to go straight to Pelourinho, a few meters from the square, and stroll through the hills, shops, churches, restaurants and the Casa do Carnaval da Bahia — if you decide to visit the last one, follow the guided tour, which contextualizes the objects on display.

To top off your tour of one of the city’s postcards, stop at Cravinho and grab a bottle of the drink that gives its name to the bar opened in 1989 — this version contains cachaça, cloves, honey and lemon, but there are other mix options, such as those with Jatobá or ginger peel.

It’s good to walk aimlessly through the stone streets, but there are some points that require special attention. The Olodum School and the Casa de Jorge Amado Foundation, opened in the 1980s to preserve the Bahian writer’s collections, are examples.

The visit is free and guarantees a beautiful view of the region from above — right next door is the balcony on which Michael Jackson recorded the video for “They Don’t Care About Us”, marked by a cardboard doll of the singer.

There is also the Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos Church, founded in 1685 by enslaved black people. If you’re in Salvador on a Tuesday, it’s worth arriving early to attend the 6pm mass, which incorporates elements of African culture and Candomblé.

If it’s also the last Tuesday of the month, head towards Escadaria do Passo, a ten-minute walk away, to watch a classic show of the Salvador capital’s landscape. On a stage at the foot of several steps that turn into bleachers will be Gerônimo, owner of the song “É d’Oxum”, which guarantees a delicious start to the night in the city.

Right next door, the A Marujada bar hosts samba circles and parties. You can also enjoy the night at Samba do Lázaro, further away, which takes place on Fridays and starts at 10pm.

National Museum of Afro-Brazilian Culture (Muncab) – R. das Vassouras, 25, Centro Histórico, Instagram @muncab.oficial. Tues. to Sun., from 10am to 5pm (entrance until 4:30pm). R$ 20. The café opens at the same time

Market Modelo – Pr. Visc. de Cayru, s/n, Comércio, Instagram @mercadomodelobahia. Mon to Sat, from 9am to 6pm, and Sun. and holidays 9am to 2pm

Bahia Carnival House – Pça. Ramos de Queirós, s/n° – Pelourinho, Instagram @casadocarnavaldabahia. Tues. to Sun., from 10am to 6pm (entrance until 5pm). R$ 20 (half price for residents, students and seniors). Free on Wednesdays

O Cravinho – Lago. Terreiro de Jesus, 3, Pelourinho, Instagram @cravinhobar. Mon to Fri, from 11am to 8pm. Sat. and Sun., from 11am to 7pm

Olodum School – R. das Laranjeiras, 30, Pelourinho

Jorge Amado Foundation – R. das Portas do Carmo, 49/51, Instagram @casadejorgeamado. Monday to Friday, from 10am to 6pm. Sat., from 10am to 4pm. Free

Mass at Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos Church, Instagram @irmandadedoshomenspretos. Tues., at 6pm

Gerônimo at Escadaria do Passo – Ladeira do Carmo, 24, Pelourinho, Instagram @geronimosantanaoficial. Last Tuesdays of the month

A Marujada – r. do Passo, 37, Carmo, Instagram @amarujada. Wed. to Sun., from 6pm

Samba de São Lázaro – Lgo. of São Lázaro, Federation, Instagram @samba_do_sl. On Fridays, from 10pm

DAY 2

Arrive in the morning at Bar da Mônica, close to the Museum of Modern Art of Bahia, and guarantee a table with a view of the sea on the cement pier — you can walk around the community of Gamboa de Baixo or take a small boat (R$ 10 in cash or Pix) on Gamboa beach.

The tip is to spend the whole day there, alternating between snacks, cold beers (from R$8) and diving in the sea — access to the water is via a ladder, like in a swimming pool.

The moqueca is the signature dish of the house and comes in prices starting at R$19.90 and versions with plantain, octopus, shrimp, lobster or fish. To snack on, there are portions such as sun-dried meat (R$ 34.90) and fried fish (R$ 29.90).

It’s worth watching the sun setting from the bar, but if you want a change of scenery, a great option is to go back to Gamboa and take another boat, this time towards Prainha do Mam — be careful not to waste time, as the place is usually closed when it gets dark.

At night, dedicate a few hours to explore the charming Santo Antônio beyond Carmo, with its little shops and gastronomic options. Music fans find paradise in spots like Caveira Discos, a store full of LPs that holds pearls of Bahian and terreiro music that are difficult to find in other corners of Brazil.

Don’t leave without stopping by the Travessa’s snack bar, which serves what is known as the best hot dog in Salvador for R$6. If you have the money, however, take a car towards the Lafayette restaurant and try it, overlooking the sea ​​and under the lit tree outside, dishes made with fresh seafood.

Good choices are the tasty octopus à la gallega (R$ 118), with potatoes, paprika, lemon and aioli and the nero di sepia pasta with perfectly cooked scallops with lemon beurre blanc sauce, which comes out at R $182.

Bar da Mônica – R. Barbosa Leal, 31, Gamboa de Baixo, Instagram @bardamonica. Daily, from 9:30am to 6pm

Prainha do Mam – av. do Contorno, s/n, Comércio

Caveira Discos – R. Direita de Santo Antônio, 119, Santo Antônio Além do Carmo, Instagram, @caveiradiscos. Tue. to Sun.

Travessa’s Lanchonete – Tv. dos Perdões, 65 – Santo Antônio Além do Carmo

Lafayette Restaurant – Av. Lafayete Coutinho, 1.010, Comércio, Instagram @restaurantelafayette; Mon., from 12pm to 3:30pm; Tuesday and Wednesday, from 12pm to 3:30pm and 5pm to 10:30pm. Thu. on Saturday, from 12pm to 11:30pm; Sun., from 12pm to 10pm

DAY 3

It’s the end of the trip to Salvador and you can spend it exploring more of its cuisine and tourist attractions or taking the opportunity to visit one of the islands that form the Baía de Todos-os-Santos.

If the first idea pleases you more, be sure to try the cuisine at Dona Mariquita, in Rio Vermelho. The restaurant has a menu created from in-depth research into Bahian cuisine and serves well-made portions of what they call heritage cuisine.

Bet on options such as the mini acarajé with yam vatapá and vinaigrette (R$ 50, with four pieces) for the starter and try the poqueca —a moqueca baked in the leaf— with acaçá de leche (R$ 200) or the ipeté, a shrimp bobó with yam cream (R$ 180). The two dishes serve two people. To get your teeth wet, try caipirinhas with flavors like tamarind and seriguela for R$25.

Another restaurant worth a visit is Cantina do Jullius, which has been serving octopus salami (R$ 81.90) for two decades — seasoned mollusk blades and served with bread.

Afterwards, stroll through points such as the Basilica of Senhor do Bonfim, the viewpoint of Ponta do Humaitá and the Fort of Monte Serrat, Boa Viagem beach and end the day by trying the famous green coconut ice cream at Sorveteria da Ribeira.

If you want to travel to more distant places, Ilha de Maré is an unmissable destination — but the journey takes time. The visit starts at São Tomé de Paripe beach, where boats leave towards the island and charge around R$8 for each part of the journey.

Twenty minutes later, you reach beaches such as Neves and Itamoabo, with crystal clear and calm waters, which have stalls serving crabs, fish and dishes for lunch. Eat there and stay until the end of the day to say goodbye to Salvador at sunset seen from the boat.

Dona Mariquita – R. do Meio, 178, Rio Vermelho, Instagram @donamariquita. Tues. to Sun., from 12pm to 5pm

Jullius’ Cantina – r. da Galileia de Cima, 96, Rome, Instagram @cantinadojullius. Wed. and Thurs., from 12pm to 5pm. Fri to Sun, 12pm to 6pm

Basilica of the Lord of Bonfim – Lgo. from Bonfim, y/n

Ponta do Humaitá and Monte Serrat Fort – R. da Boa Viagem, 56