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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Salvador
Give Salvador 3–4 nights: base in Barra or Pelourinho, walk the old town, and add one beach day. Fly in; the city is 28 km from the airport.
Salvador was Brazil's first capital and the heart of the Afro-Brazilian northeast. The colonial core, Pelourinho, is a UNESCO site on a 100 m cliff above the bay, with the Cidade Baixa commercial district below. Music, capoeira and Carnaval run through the city; the beaches stretch northeast along the Atlantic. Most trips need 3–4 nights, split between the old town and Barra.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- Sep–Mar (dry, sunny)
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (rainy season)
- Stay
- 3–4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BRL
- Money
- Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$). About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.
- Daily spend
- Budget R$150–250 excl. bed · Mid R$250–450 excl. bed · High R$450+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
- Emergency
- Police 190 · Ambulance 192 · Fire 193
- Plugs
- Types N, C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast) · Check the voltage on the socket; most chargers are dual-voltage.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.; Beach kiosk / bar: Often included; round up.; Taxi / Uber: Not expected; round up.; Guide: US$5–15 per person per day.; Hotel staff: Small tip for porters.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.
- Toilets
- Put toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | R$5–12 |
| Plate of moqueca | R$40–80 |
| Beer: draught / can | R$8–15 / R$4–8 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | R$20–35 |
| Metro or city bus ride | R$3.70 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | R$40–80 |
| Museum entry | R$5–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SSA · Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport
- 28 km from the centre; metro station reached by free shuttle from the terminal17 mi from the centre; metro station reached by free shuttle from the terminal
Typical fares
- Airport → centre, metro
- R$3.70 including bus transfer, about 40 min (check)
- Taxi airport → Barra
- R$80–120 (check)
- Elevador Lacerda
- R$0.15
Get around
The old town is walkable. Use the Elevador Lacerda or the cable car between Cidade Alta and Cidade Baixa. City buses cost R$3.70 and run until about midnight; executive air-conditioned buses cost R$5. The metro links the airport, the bus terminal and the centre; the fare is R$3.70 including two bus transfers with the integration card. Taxis and Uber are common; agree the fare before you get in if the meter is not used.
See and do
Known for
- Pelourinho colonial core
- Afro-Brazilian music and capoeira
- Carnaval
- Igreja de São Francisco
- Farol da Barra
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Praia do Forte | Metro to Mussurunga or Rodoviária, then bus | About 2 h |
| Cachoeira | Bus from the Rodoviária | About 2 h |
| Itaparica | Ferry-boat from the terminal (metro to Acesso Norte, then bus) | 1.5–2 h |
| Santo Antônio de Jesus | Bus from the Rodoviária | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Pelourinho
- The historic core: colonial streets, museums, bars and hostels. Noisy at night; walk with care after dark.
- Barra
- At the tip of the peninsula, near the lighthouse and beach. Good base for the beach and the Carnaval circuit.
- Rio Vermelho
- Local nightlife and restaurants, less geared to foreign tourism; 10–15 min by bus from Barra.
- Ondina / Amaralina
- Beachfront hotels and the coastal bus route; quieter than Barra.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Oláoh-LAH |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigadaoh-bree-GAH-doo / dah |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAHN-too KOOS-tah |
| Where is the toilet? | Onde fica o banheiro?OHN-jee FEE-kah oo bah-NYAY-roo |
| I don't understand | Não entendonowng en-TEN-doo |
| Help | Socorrosoh-KOH-hoo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, hug or cheek kiss (one in São Paulo, two in Rio); avoid: Being stiff with new acquaintances
- Gestures: Use thumbs-up freely; avoid: The OK hand sign (it is rude)
- Language: Try Portuguese; say obrigado/obrigada; avoid: Defaulting to Spanish
- Time: Expect relaxed social punctuality; avoid: Being late for tours and flights
- Beach: Bring only a towel, cash and a copy of your ID; avoid: Leaving things unattended
Scams and watch-outs
- The streets between Cidade Alta and Cidade Baixa are considered risky even in daylight; take the lift or cable car.
- The docks area near the port can be dangerous.
- Buses stop around midnight; a few lines run 00:00–04:00.
- Traffic is aggressive and pedestrians cross unpredictably; avoid driving at night outside the city.
- Salvador has sharp social inequality; keep valuables out of sight and use a hotel safe.
Salvador is safe in the main tourist areas by day if you stay aware. The real risks are the cliff streets between the upper and lower town, the docks area, and walking Pelourinho or Barra alone late at night. Use the lift or cable car, keep valuables hidden, and take taxis or Uber after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Salvador yet. Suggested stay: 3–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Pelourinho colonial core
- Afro-Brazilian music and capoeira
- Carnaval
- Igreja de São Francisco
- Farol da Barra
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Salvador city government: www.salvador.ba.gov.br/
- Wikivoyage: Salvador, revision 5317403 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5317403
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/salvador). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.