Salvador da Bahia in 3 days
Brazil's first capital and the cradle of Afro-Brazilian culture, with the colonial Pelourinho set above the Bay of All Saints. Come for its pastel façades, capoeira on street corners, Candomblé traditions and drumming.
The plan, day by day
Day 1
- Morning
The colonial Pelourinhofree · half a dayThe UNESCO-listed old centre, with cobbled slopes, pastel colonial houses and baroque churches; the gilded São Francisco is closed for restoration until about 2029.
Day 2
- Morning
Lacerda Elevatora few minutesAn art deco lift linking the lower city by the port with the upper city, with views across the Bay of All Saints.
- Evening
Capoeira and blocos afrofree · an eveningCapoeira circles in the squares of the old town, and Afro-Brazilian drum groups such as Olodum, whose rehearsals and parades peak around Carnival.
Day 3
- Morning
Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfimfree · about 45 minA pilgrimage church where visitors tie coloured Bonfim ribbons to the railings, making a wish with each knot.
- Afternoon
Bahian food (acarajé, moqueca)about 1 h 30Acarajé, black-eyed pea fritters fried in palm oil by women in white, and moqueca, a seafood stew cooked with coconut milk.
Where to sleep in Salvador da Bahia
- Bahiacafé Hotel · €45 a night
- Laranjeiras Hostel · €25 a night
- Hostel Barra · €20 a night
- ibis Salvador Rio Vermelho · €45 a night
- Bahia Flat · €55 a night
- Pousada do Pilar · €85 a night
- Fera Palace Hotel · €115 a night
- Wish Hotel da Bahia · €110 a night
- Fiesta Bahia Hotel · €90 a night
Plan this trip
Hotel prices per room per night, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.