Salvador & Morro de São Paulo Salvador Visiting Salvador is like undertaking an unforgettable voyage filled with emotion. The city belongs to Oxum, but also belongs to Senhor do Bonfim, to an orixa (camdomble deity) and a saint. Above all, the city has authentic, happy, and hospitable people. In it the tropical nature arises in all its splendor and mixes history and culture. For all these reasons getting to know Salvador is a fascinating experience and constant discoveries.
The city reveals itself through its architecture. Salvador historical center has over 1,000 buildings and churches built in the XVI, XVII, and XVIII centuries. It has been proclaimed part of Brazil\'s historical patrimony and declared humanity\'s patrimony by UNESCO. Salvador also has futuristic architecture with colorful and bold constructions that balance materials such as glass and steel.
In Salvador you don't have to worry about traffic. The avenues are wide and there's an efficient traffic that allows easy access to the main tourist attractions.
Some say that there are 365 churches in Salvador, one for every day of the year.There it seems that every day is a holy day. The city even has the "Bahia de Todos os Santos" (Bay of Saints). The "Nosso Senhor do Bonfim's" church is the most popular among Baianos and tourists cannot leave without a ribbon with three knots and three wishes.
The baiano has a reputation of being lazy, but that is just a legend. Imagine living in a city surrounded by the ocean, by nature and with an average temperature of 25ºC? A place like this is a permanent invitation for leisure and the outdoors.
The ocean shore is where Salvador offers charm and axes. The options are enchanting and the attractions irresistible. Only after you get acquainted with the beaches here you understand what Caymmi meant when he sang "spend an afternoon in Itapua".
Without a doubt the main characteristic of Salvador is its cycle of popular parties that begin on New Year's day and continues throughout the summer - with its climax at Carnival, then comes the saint parties in June, the washing of the church's staircases until New Year's Eve when everything begins again. That is why some say that the baiano is not always partying, but only practicing.
This is just a sample of what Bahia has to offer. Don't waste anymore time. Come check at our site your trip's itinerary for Bahia's capital and smile once you get to Bahia.
Events
Carnival
Like a river rapids, from which no one wants to escape, the ‘trio-elétricos’ sweep up whoever is in Salvador during Carnival. The ‘trio-elétricos’, floats with amplifiers used as moving stages, pass through three official circuits. Behind them, more than 2 million merrymakers follow over 25 km of streets and avenues. Osmar goes from Campo Grande to Castro Alves square, downtown; Dodô, goes from Farol da Barra to Ondina, along the coast; and Batatinha goes through Pelourinho.
The first is the oldest circuit. It is also where the event’s most traditional groups parades. In Dodô, where the artist box seats are located, the party becomes lively toward the end of the afternoon and it continues until morning.
Attractions
Historical Center
The Salvador Historical Center, which was declared a Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, has thousands of 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th Century houses. It is divided in three main areas: the Municipal Square on the Largo de São Francisco, the Pelourinho and the Largo do Carmo, ending at the Largo de Santo Antonio Além do Carmo. There are secular churches and houses, surrounded by rich locally developed cultural activity. In addition, its steep sidewalks and streets paved with ‘cabeça-de-negro’ stones register important episodes of Brazilian history.
Among its attractions, those deserving of special attention include the Municipal Square and Sé Square, Lacerda Elevator, City Hall, the Municipal Plaza, Rio Branco Palace, Misericordia Hospital and Church, the Archepiscopate Palace, Basilica Cathedral, the Terreiro de Jesus, Largo do Cruzeiro de São Francisco, Pelourinho with its churches, shops and squares, and last but not least, Largo do Carmo, where Santo Antonio Fort and the great religious complex formed by the Church and Convent of Our Lady of Carmo and the Church of the Third Order of Carmo are located.
Popular Manifestations
Passed on from generation to generation, the popular manifestations are a strong cultural trait of Salvador. City folklore gathers artistic elements made by the people for the people, always emphasizing the traditional character of these performances, such as: capoeira, afoxé, Folia de Reis, Maculelê and Samba de Roda.
Beaches
The Salvador coastline is one of the longest in Brasil. There are 50 km of beaches distributed between the High City and the Low City, from Inema, in the railroad suburb to the Praia do Flamengo, on the other side of town. While the Low City beaches are bathed by the All Saints Bay waters – the country’s most extensive bay, with 1052 km of reflecting waters – the High City beaches, from Farol da Barra to Flamengo, are bathed by the Atlantic Ocean. The exception is Porto da Barra, the only High City beach located in the All Saints Bay.
The capital’s beaches have enormous ecological diversity because of this difference. There are calm inlets, ideal for swimming, sailing, diving and underwater fishing, as well as open sea inlets with strong waves, sought by surfers. There are also beaches surrounded by reefs, forming natural pools of stone, ideal for children.
Churches
Church of Ajuda
Founded in the 16th Century by the Jesuits that arrived with Tomé de Souza. In the 20th Century, it was demolished and rebuilt on the other side of the street. It is one of the oldest churches in Salvador. Its neo-romantic façade is currently being remodeled.
Church of the Lord’s Ascension
This church, built in 1975, does not follow the conventional standards of Salvador’s churches. Almost everything in it is related to the number 12. In homage of Christ’s 12 apostles, the ceiling is formed of 12 concrete “petals” and 12 pews are positioned in a row. In the basement there is a mini church, where the baptistery and sacristy are located.
Church of the Third Order of Saint Domingos
It was started in 1731 and finished six years later. It has a rococo style façade and neoclassic engraving. Its floor plan is typical of 18th Century churches, with lateral corridors and overlapping pulpit. The nave’s ceiling has an illusionist concept and the Noble Room panels are attributed to José Joaquim da Rocha. The tiles on the Main Chapel are paintings of Saint Domingos.
Our Lady of Penha Chapel
Located in the Iguape Estuary, the main chapel and church nave are totally covered with “massaroca” type tiles. It is dated from the mid-17th Century.
Priests House – Itacaré
It was constructed by the Jesuits over the high basement in the beginning of the 18th Century. The roof has four slopes, with ‘beira-saveiro’ trimming. The house is in semi-ruins and its roof has collapsed.
Basilica Cathedral
It was built in the 17th Century with materials such as gold, marble, rosewood, and turtle ivory. It is a church that blends baroque and rococo styles.
Church of Our Lord of Bonfim
It was built on the top of a hill in the middle of the 18th Century. The image of Our Lord of Bonfim stands out, an ebony cross adorned with silver, greatly adored by the people of Bahia.
Saint Francis Church and Convent
This church is one of the greatest expressions of baroque in Brazil, having retables covered with gold leaves. The Saint Peter of Alcântara image is a work by Manoel Inácio da Costa. Church construction began in the first half of the 18th Century. The panels made of Portuguese tiles, portraying Saint Francis’ birth and his renunciation of material goods, are also baroque. The central nave, transversally cut through by a smaller one, represents the Cross of the Lord. The paintings are star-shaped, hexagons and octagons and exalt Our Lady. In the sacristy, there are 18 oil paintings telling the story of Saint Francis.
Forts
Santo Antonio da Barra Fort
This fort belongs to the Brazilian Navy and it is located at the northern entrance of All Saints Bay. It was started by the first donee of the Bahia Province, Francisco Pereira Coutinho, in 1536, and it was originally shaped as a ten-sided tower.
Mont Serrat Fort
Due to its elegant shape it is considered the most beautiful military construction of the Brazilian colonial period. Construction started in 1583, on a strategic position on top of the most projecting side of the peninsula, overlooking the city’s port. It was finished in 1742, and has not suffered any modifications from its original plan. It still has a command house flanked by round bastion walls and nine canyons.
Museums
Carlos Costa Pinto Museum
This museum reveals the intimacy of the rich 18th and 19th Centuries families. Costa Pinto’s private collection originated 23 art décor and painting exhibition rooms. The collection includes silver piece collections, jewelry, Chinese and European porcelain, crystals, furniture, paintings, ivory works, opaline, copper and Chinese lacquer. The gold jewels and the collection with 27 silver trinkets are the most valuable pieces in the entire collection.
UFBA Sacred Art Museum
It was inaugurated on August 10th, 1959 and it is located at the Santa Tereza Convent, one of the most amazing architectonic complexes from the XVII Century. The work was done by the Carmelitas Descalças (Barefoot Carmelites). Its collection consists of sculptures in wood, soapstone, clay and ivory and jewelry. It also includes a golden silver vessel adorned with more than 400 gems and semi-precious stones.
Bahia Museum of Art
The Bahia Museum of Art is the oldest museum in the State. Founded in 1918, today operates at the Solar Cerqueira Lima. Its collection consists of wood, clay and ivory sculptures, painted tiles and 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Century silver pieces, as well as pieces typical Bahia furniture from the same period.
Abelardo Rodrigues Museum
It has one of the largest private collections of sacred art in Brazil: 808 pieces consisting of images, paintings, oratories, altars, as well crosses from the 17th to 19th centuries. It is located at the Solar Ferrão, a valuable building from the civil architecture of the colonial period.
Shopping
Arts and Crafts
The simplest arts and crafts use natural resources such as straw, leather, ceramic, wood, seashells and seeds. The most sophisticated are produced with gems and semi-precious stones. Many pieces are made in metal like gold, silver, copper and brass. The artisans in general opt for religion as a theme for their works, expressed in images of catholic saints as well as candomblé. The amulets, that reveal the syncretism of its people, are explored through figas (an amulet in the shape of a clenched fist with the thumb clasped between the fore and middle fingers), bull’s-eye, garlic, four-leafed clover, the famous Bonfim ribbon, among others. Nature, reflecting the local fauna and flora, is also lapidated on these pieces. The music is represented by atabaques, pau-de-chuva and water drums, in addition to the famous berimbau and many others unusual instruments.
Morro de São Paulo Only sixty kilometers south of Salvador, Morro de Sao Paulo is today one of the most desired tropical destinations in the world. One of Brazil’s oldest colonies, it still has clean sand, warm water, Atlantic rainforest as well as mangroves and countless virtually deserted beaches. It’s a perfect place to hide from it all and enjoy a well-deserved break up, far from the stress of large cities. Morro de Sao Paulo is also a place of cultural heritage, fresh coconut water, caipirinha drinks and the spicy and contagious Brazilian music. Night-time is party time, every night is Saturday night! The circle of Capoeira, Brazilian music, delicious sea food spiced on a Bahia-style… everything in Morro is exotic. Long beaches, exuberant diverse flora, forests with many different bird species, small monkeys, mangrove with navigable channels, natural sea pools, coral reefs and hills with spectacular views. The beaches are numbered from the village onward: the First is good for surfing, the Second for partying and the Third has some nice natural pools. At Fourth Beach and Praia do Encanto (Enchantment Beach) you can enjoy the peace and quiet.
Attractions
Village Morro de Sao Paulo is actually the name of the village in the extreme north of Tinharé island, however it's fame made the name popular to the entire island, and the archipelago also. It's where the historical monuments and the commerce are concentrated.
Fort One of the largest in Brazil, the wall runs from the Portaló to the mount, where the Lighthouse is located. The construction initiated in 1630, and it was enlarged several times, some parts were reconstructed when damaged by rain and time. During Brazil’s colonial period it had 51 cannons, while 183 men lived in the village garrison.
Portaló For those arriving by sea, it's the first monument seen in Morro de Sao Paulo. Nothing more than a gate, with a welcome message to the visitor, dated from the 17th century and standing untill today.
Lighthouse It is the most outstanding construction in Morro de Sao Paulo. A friendly arm for those at the sea as well as for those on land, it is a perfect spot to admire a calm night, full of stars. You can reach the Lighthouse through a trail that begins in front of the Church. There are two belvederes close to it, the northward one is where you can see the port - "Ponta do Curral", and a bit of the Gamboa beach. The other facing south, is where you can see the main post card of Morro: the first three beaches. It is also the starting point of Brazil’s highest "tiroleza". You must go there to take photos and admire the landscape!
Nossa Senhora da Luz Church This building was constructed 1845, but its statues date of previous centuries. Before its actual location, the church was next to the lighthouse. Besides having escaped pillaging several times, it is probably the last church in Bahia to keep the tradition of burying illustrious people in its interior.
Fonte Grande - "Great Fountain" Dated from then 17th century it was build to supply water for the town, its shape is workmanship of a French architect, who commanded the construction in 1746. It was the most advanced system of water treatment of the Brazilian colonial period, with galleries for underground water capture, and watering hole for decantation and flow regularization.
First Beach It is the closest one to the village and is the best one for swimming. It is good for diving and surfing. It is around 300 meters long.
Second Beach This is the most crowded one. During the day you will find countless umbrellas, beach chairs, and people playing volleyball, soccer and beach tennis. At night, the parties at this beach ususally last till sunrise. It is around 400 meters long, and, at its far end is the Ilha da Saudade, which is one of the Morro´s postcards.
Third Beach It has many inns, some bars and restaurants. Boats to other islands leave from there. In front of this beach is the Caitá reef, a rock islet with a little sand and a single coconut tree. This beach is about 800 meters in length.
Fourth Beach It has natural swimming pools, all usually shallow, throughout its four kilometers of extension. Except for the part next to the Third Beach, it is very calm. It concentrates the largest hotels and resorts.
Encanto Beach It is separated from the Fourth Beach by a small mangrove that can be easily crossed during low tide. It's two kilometers of almost desert beach. It has deeper ocean pools, which are good for bathing in the low tide. It's the most preserved beach, and the ideal place for those looking for peace and being in touch with Nature.
Garapuá A gorgeous beach, almost isolated between mangroves. With nothing but a small fisherman´s village and some restaurants along its two kilometers of beach, deep and warm waters. The best way to visit is to take a day trip by hiking or horseback trough a trail through the Atlantic Forest.
Pratigi or Pontal Beach It's the longest beach at Tinharé Island, with 10 kilometers, and also the most isolated. It is difficult to approach even by boat. The best way to know it is to make a three-day expedition by trekking through the wildest beaches of the archipelago.
Gamboa This beach is located at the northwest side of the island, facing the main land. Beyond the clay hillside, the mud is famous for its skin treatment properties, it has small a town, where great part of the population of the island lives. The best way to know Gamboa Beach is by taking a day trip that leaves from the village and returns by boat.
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