Guide to Salvador neighborhoods – where to go and what to see
There is so much to see in the city of Salvador that a guide to Salvador neighborhoods is essential. The Salvador metro and Salvador suburban trains are decent, but the best option and the easiest way to see as much as possible is to jump on a Salvador bus. This is a quick and easy way to get around – and very cheap! – so knowing the names of some of the Salvador neighborhoods is a good idea.
First of all, you can’t have a guide to Salvador neighborhoods without mentioning Pelourinho, the “Old City”, one of the most fascinating parts of Salvador to visit, with much historical and traditional interest. You can quite happily spend ages wandering around Pelourinho, with its delicious cobbled streets, traditional buildings and wonderful small shops and bars to lose yourself in.
Guides to Salvador neighborhoods can be picked up at the Bahiatursa, an information center for travelers and tourists where you can get maps and local information and find out what’s nearby.
Tuesdays are a good day to visit the Pelourinho, as a guide to Salvador neighborhoods will soon advise you, especially if you can stay into the night. There was an old custom of giving bread to the poor each Tuesday night in Pelourinho, and this is still celebrated by the Tuesday party nights, with plenty of people, music and dancing.
Barra is another central Salvador neighborhood, where lots of the major hotels are, as well as the two main beaches that are close to the central part of the city.
Santo Antonio is a bit like Pelourinho, but more residential. It is worth a visit, particularly if you are interested in the local architecture, in which case you should have a walk to the Largo de Santo Antonio, a square with an impressive church and fort.
Some other Salvador neighborhoods, which might not be included in an “official” touristy guide to Salvador neighborhoods because they are much less commercialized than other parts of the city, include:
- Dois de Julho – which includes the “Museum of Sacred Art” and nice little Bahian bars.
- Preguica – has the long “ladeira”, or sloping street, which used in olden days to be the main thoroughfare for bringing incoming cargo to the central city.
- Saude – a bit like Pelourinho, but rather crumbling and not commercialized. Interesting place to walk around.
These neighborhoods are lovely to investigate and explore if you want a taste of the genuine (untouristy!) Salvador. But they are also known for being the Salvador unsafe neighborhoods. So do be extremely careful as there is a fair bit of pick pocketing and even mugging that goes on. Take sensible precautions, don’t wear lots of flashy jewellery – and a good guide to Salvador neighborhoods would advise you to retreat to more commercialized neighborhoods after dark!
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