Sign in with Facebook"Salvador da Bahia" Salvador da Bahia by NedHopkins
Salvador da Bahia Travel Guide: 629 reviews and 1,337 photos
Salvador da Bahia -- or Salvador, State of Bahia -- bills itself as 'the most African city in the Americas.'
That's true if you exclude the Caribbean: Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for one, looks and feels a great deal more like a West African town.
Still, Salvador's claim has merit:
+ Four out of five Salvadoreans claim some 'African blood.'
+ The superb local cuisine, featuring a generous use of dende oil, is derived from Africa.
+ Many customs, including religious practices akin to vaudon ('voodoo'), are derived from Africa.
None of that is surprising. Salvador was Brazil's first national capital (1549-1763) and was the entry-port for most of the slaves brought to Brazil for over three centuries.
Located on a bay as beautiful as Rio de Janeiro's, with some of the country's most beautiful colonial architecture, Salvador also has year-round sun, friendly people, great music, and a well-developed tourist infrastructure.
All the same, see my 'Warnings and Dangers.' In 50 years of foreign travel -- on five continents -- Salvador is the only place I've been assaulted.
INTERESTING TRIVIA
Visitors are always enchanted by the colorful buildings in the old city, the Pelourinho. They generally assume the many hues reflect an artistic sensitivity.
The reason for the colors is prosaic.
In colonial and early imperial times, buildings did not have numbers. Government officials -- notably tax collectors -- identified their targets as 'the red house on the north side of such-and-such street.'
It was therefore illegal to have any two buildings on the same block painted the same color.
Artful tax-dodgers did sometimes arrange to have their homes painted a different color the night before the tax collector was due to visit.
- Pros:Setting; sun and beaches; colonial architecture; tourist facilities
- Cons:Poverty; safety concerns
- In a nutshell:Go to Salvador! It's a jewel.
Reviews (11)
Two 'Folclórico' Shows
Nightlife
(1)
¶ Solar do Unhäo Located in a one-time slave market, the Solar offers a nice buffet dinner of typical Bahian food and a... more travel advice
Interesting, but Not for the Food
Restaurants
(3)
SENAC is a training school for cooks, waiters, and other restaurant employees. It's located on the 2d floor (3d, US... more travel advice
Haute Cuisine Bahia Style
Restaurants
(3)
Maria Mata Mouro edges Uaua for the finest Bahia-style meals I've had in Salvador. It's also twice as expensive. Four... more travel advice
Projeto Tamar (Sea Turtle Project)
Off The Beaten Path
(2)
You're unlikely to see turtles on the beach, unless you're in Praia do Forte during the breeding season. But the... more travel advice
Travelogues (2)
- 1
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- Posted in Travel Rio de Janeiro Forum "Re: Should I take US dollars or..."
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Comments (4)
Nice page! Greetings from Serbia.
Salvador... Oh My!! You sure like Brazil! I just missed not have traveled as much when I lived there. Excelente paginas!!!
Oh my!! Those marinated lime rinds sound heavenly. I'll try them in October (I'm staying at the Hotel Marazul too!). Great page, thanks.
the Lacerda looks still great, fine page on Bahia