It’s time to present
for you the first Capital of the country, where Portuguese Empire was settled
until 1763, also known as Cultural
Capital nowadays, because it was the place where renowned artists as Jorge
Amado (writer) and Castro Alves (poet), developed their ideas and had their
names marked in Brazilian literature and history. Located in Northeast Region, Salvador
is Bahia state’s Capital and it’s the 3rd biggest city in Brazil.
Although it is a huge
city, mostly tourist attractions are around Historical Center in downtown,
between Cidade Alta (Upper Town) and Cidade Baixa (Lower Town); that is World
Heritage Site of United Nations.
It’s quite hot
during the whole year, if you are not used to high temperatures, get ready! In
this city the average is around 25-30°C. Sun screen all the time during the day
is highly recommended.
Salvador is the
blackest city out of Africa. Nowadays, around 80% of the local population
descends from Africans; they were from different tribes in their continent and
came to Brazil to work as slaves. Their culture mixed with native and
European since that epoch, provided a big diversity in music, food, religion
and festivals in the capital that attract a lot of tourists.
Baianos (people born in Bahia) are very outgoing, hospitable and positive. Oh yes, they love to
party! This is one of the reasons why Carnival in Salvador was considered, by
Guinness Book (2004), the biggest popular party in the word.
About GLS community, founded
in 1980, Grupo Gay da Bahia is the oldest gay rights and human organization,
fighting against homophobe and for HIV prevention among GLS community and general
population. They also promote Bahia’s Gay Parade ever year that in 2011 brought
1.000.000 people.
Beaches
Salvador has over 50 Km of beaches, most of them with coconut trees along. Remember! Most urban beaches are polluted, so don’t swim. Porto da Barra is the closest beach to downtown where you are going to be able to swim, because of clean water and calm waves. It can be a good choice if you are a windsurfer or kitesurfer.
By the end of the day you can walk until Farol da Barra Beach (beside Porto da Barra Beach) to see the sun set over there. It’s gorgeous!
If you are looking for peace and relaxation, Itapuã Beach can be a good choice; it has clean water, natural pools and less people around. Located in the northeast of Salvador, is considered as one of the city’s post card.
Also, this beach was a song theme of one of the greatest Popular Brazilian Music (MPB) singer and poet of Brazil, Vinicius de Moraes – internationally known by Garota de Ipanema song (Ipanema’s Girl in english) – that compose the music Tarde em Itapoã (Itapoã’s Afternoon in english).
Praia dos Artistas (Artists Beach in English), near the Sport Clube Bahia at Boca do Rio, is considered the biggest gay meeting point beach in whole Northeast Region of Brazil. As soon as you arrive, you will see huge rainbow flags waving over a wonderful coast view.
Crossing the dunes you will have the difficult task of choosing one of the 07 tends/bars to enjoy your day. What to listen? It’s up to you! Most of them play MPB during the day and electronic at evening.
On weekends, some of them have live shows to entertain their clients. After sunset and few drinks, dancing and flirting take place generally. If you are coming by bus from downtown you must jump off just after you pass by Sport Clube Bahia headquarters. Extra street caution is advised if leaving after 9 pm.
Sightseeing
Located in Cidade
Alta, Pelourinho is probably the
most famous Salvador’s tourist attraction, because it takes you back to Brazilian colonial era, with more than 800 colorful typical buildings from XVII
and XVIII centuries, where you can find arts, music, restaurants, souvenir
shops and accommodation a long this fabulous historical environment. It’s also
considered the World Cultural Center by United Nations. On Tuesdays, the
visitors can watch a mass composed with percussion sounds in Nossa Senhora do
Rosário dos Pretos Church.
Furthermore, during summer season Olodum (the most
famous Afro-Brazilian percussion group) makes public presentations. It’s really
cool!
However, there are
some recommendations we would like to give to you: Be ready for street-sellers and homeless people approach while you're visiting places; if you want to buy souvenirs go straight to the stores, because if you stop to look some hand- made handy crafts in street, for
sure they will make you buy something. Try to dress casual with nothing very shining, because
once they (street-sellers) find out you are a tourist they will immediately
approach, especially the ones that sell Bonfin bracelets (typical from there); they will try to give it to you. Just remember, nothing comes for free!
If you want to take a picture and you are alone, ask
another tourist to do it for you; there are lots of artists dressed in typical
clothes (baianas and capoeristas) they will charge for pictures taken with
them. Whenever you take a taxi, ask before how much the ride
is going to cost and, if you feel comfortable, try to negotiate.
In the same
neighborhood, you can visit Jorge Amado Foundation and understand a piece of
Bahia’s history though the lines of his literature; considered as one of the
greatest writers of Brazil, he was elected to join Brazilian Academy of
Literature.
Moreover, his books were
translated to 49 languages and his work received international awards, like:
Stalin da Paz (Sovietic Union, 1951), Latinidade (France, 1971), Nonino (Italy,
1982), Dimitrov (Bulgary, 1989), Pablo Neruda (Russia, 1989), Etruria de
Literatura (Italy, 1989), Cino Del Duca (France, 1990), Mediterrâneo (Italy,
1990) and Vitaliano Brancatti (Italy, 1995).
If you like gold you are
going to be amazed inside São Francisco Church, it is probably the richest
Brazilian church and it’s considered a wonderful monument in baroque style; indoor
the church shines, almost everything is covered with gold. Nice, isn’t it? Daily open from 9 am to 5 pm.
Once you've seen everything in Upper Town it is time to get the first Brazilian lift to go to
Lower Town. Lacerda Lift was opened in 1872 and it has 72 meters high; visual
of bay Baia de Todos os Santos from there is priceless! The ticket cost around U$
0,25 nowadays.
Getting out of the
lift you will be a few meters from Mercado Modelo (Model Market) –
opened 1861 - which is one of the oldest commercial and traditional places in
town. Even after twice burned (1969 and 1984) it kept the original neo-classic
architecture. It is one of National Historical and Artistic Heritage. Opens:
Monday – Saturday, from 9 am to 7 pm; Sundays and holydays, from 9 am to 2 pm.
There you will find
over 260 souvenir shops. If you know how to negotiate, good for you! If you don’t
know, pay attention! First thing you will notice is the absence of price tags
under the handy crafts, so sellers can charge according to each client. I know it
is awful, but here comes the tip: ask for discounts and buy souvenirs with
lower bills, so then they won’t have chance of pushing you to buy something
extra, instead of getting your change back.
Besides souvenirs, there is also
capoeira presentations very often in the bottom of the building. This is considered
a traditional dance expression and a way of fighting.
Still in Lower Town,
you can take a bus or taxi and go take a look in Bonfim Church; probably the
most famous church in town, which fame came from what locals call the
traditional Lavagem do Bonfim (Bonfin Wash in english). This represents one of
the settings for Senhor do Bonfim Fest (January), which is a big religious
celebration in Salvador, with percussion and African chants. Outdoor of the
church is in rococo style covered with Portuguese mosaics from XIX century, and
indoor it has neo-classic decoration. Daily open from 7 am to 6 pm.
Food
As far as Bahia is
represented by a mixture of races, all of them have influence in local
gastronomy. The particular taste you will feel it’s caused by dendê (fruit
brought from Africa in XVII century) which oil is used as
a base of the main Baiano’s dishes: bobó, moqueca, vatapá (cream of fish
and peanut), caruru (mince okra whit shrimps), and acarajé (fried crushed
cowpea stuffed with shrimps and vatapá).
Also, different kinds of peppers are also used a lot in local cuisine because
of Africans.
Brazilian natives had
their part developing Baianos habit of eating manioc, while Portuguese kept the
focus in sweets like Ambrosia (a variation of tradional fruit salad – mixture
of yogurt, pineapple, mandarin, oranges and sweetened whipped cream on the
top), and Quindim (eggs, sugar and
greeted coconut).
If you want to try traditional restaurants you
must go to Pelourinho. Over there, you will find good choices like Sorriso da
Dadá (Dadá Smile), where you can ask 6 Mini Acarajés portion as an
appetizer while you enjoy the environment.
Don’t expect formal structure or any
luxury; it is a typical Baiano establishment, hot like sauna and with beer
served in plastic glasses. How to handle it? Like everywhere else in Salvador,
have one, two, three cold beers and the things are going to be much better!
Enjoy it!
Yes, you can find
Acarajé everywhere is the city, but it worths to try this delicacy from Baianas
Dinha and Regina at Largo Santana (Santana Square) in Rio Vermelho
(Red River) neighborhood. They are one of the most famous in town.
This neighborhood also has an interesting nightlife for those whom like
simplicity and good food; there are a range of casual bars and restaurants to
chose which one fits better to you.
We advise you to take it
easy with Baiano’s food in first days, especially if you are daily diet is not
based in heavy food. Bahia’s cuisine uses lot’s of Dendê oil and as consequence
you can feel bad if you eat too much.
Festivals and
Celebrations
Most festivals in
Salvador are somehow connected with religion. In
1st of January happens Senhor Bom Jesus dos Navegantes Procession,
where several ships sail in a faith parade, from Bom Jesus da igreja da
Conceição da Praia untill Capela de Boa Viagem, in Baia de Todos os Santos.
Also in this month happens Senhor do Bonfim Fest; it is a mixture of catholic and camdomblé religions, that brings more than 700.000
people dressing white in respect to Oxalá (the most respectful divinity in
Candomblé religion).
Party starts after Lavagem do Bonfim (Bonfin Wash in
english), with food and beverage tends spread all around Bonfim neighborhood,
plus Pagode (Brazilian popular kind of music) and Reggae music.
In February, before Carnival, Salvador has another beautiful
event from Candoblé believers; it is the ceremony to Iemanjá (consider as the Queen
of the Sea for this religion), where people set gifts in ships to her, as
flowers and perfums, that are taken and dropped in the ocean. This huge faith
celebration couldn’t end different, but in street party, otherwise you wouldn’t
be in Salvador.
As you probably already heard about it,
Salvador has the best street Carnival in Brazil. Basically, this big party is
divided in 3 names or groups: The 1st one is Osmar that gather the
most known Axé (Brazilian popular kind of music) bands and parade happens in
Campo Grande Square. The best days are Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
The 2nd one
is Dodô, which happens between Barra Beach and Ondina Beach, with alternative bands.
Batatinha is the 3rd and most traditional one, because it has percussion
bands parade, afoxé (candoblé street parade), afro bands parade and people
dressed with fantasies. It happens in Pelourinho, in Upper Town.
If you care about your personal space and facilities we recommend you buy an abadá - specific t-shit that
indentifies which group you are going to be, allowing you to dance in a
protected zone, with facilities like toilets, bar, and medical station that are
settled in trucks that go along in the group’s route. However, if you don’t
want to pay you can also be a “pipoca” (popcorn) – how is called
everyone that stay dancing on the streets independently. Just be careful, it’s really crowded!
Although not
oficialized as LGBT carnival bands, the most preferred for gays are Mascarados
and Crocodilos; or the ones which have popular Brazilian singers like Aline Rosa,
Claudia Leite, Daniela Mercury and Ivete Sangalo,
who can shake up anybody!
In 2011, LGBT had their first official carnival
band, Liberty. Over 2.000 gays, mostly from Brazil, came to Salvador to have a
good time, and we are sure they had it!
Nightlife
Why Salvador is
considered gay-friendly? Because it has at least 14 bars, 8 saunas and 5
nightclubs for you to enjoy, plus 09 restaurants and 07 beaches tends welcoming
gay tourists from all over the world.
At night, get dressed
and head straight to the most famous gay meeting point in the city is Beco dos
Artistas - Cerqueira Lima Avenue in Garcia neighborhood, Low Town; where people
can flirt and drink in various bars, like Personas Bar.
If you want to dance, Off Club (in Farol da Barra) can be a good choice depending only of your music
taste. It's opened from Thursday to Sunday. On Friday the DJs play eclectic flashback
hits, while Saturday is house and techno night; the other nights you can enjoy
a mix of musics being entertained by performers. It opens since 11 pm untill 6 am.
You are already
drinking in Bumerangue Bar at Praia Santana (Santana Beach) in Rio
Vermelho (Red River) neighborhood and decide to dance? Don’t worry,
you won’t need to go far. There is a place in front of the sea that you must
know, San Sebastian night club. Nice structure – bars, vip areas and two
independently dance floors – and electronic music. What else do you need?
Just in case if you
want to relax, you can go to Planetário 11 in Tororó neighborhood, Low Town. This
establishment has 3 floors, with bars, sauna, rooms, suits, massage service,
performers, etc. Have fun!
About GLS community, founded
in 1980, Grupo Gay da Bahia is the oldest gay rights and human organization,
fighting against homophobe and for HIV prevention among GLS community and general
population. They also promote Bahia’s Gay Parade ever year that in 2011 brought
1.000.000 people.
.jpg/800px-Saida_do_Olodum_(Carnaval_de_2010).jpg "Olodum")
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