Visit the free Museu da Gastronomia Baiana first

Staying in Pelourinho puts the sights on foot, but several guides note that streets outside the main tourist circuit need care at night and that hostels in the historic center can be noisy. Choose a place on or close to the main squares, ask the host which route to take after dark, and arrive with your luggage by car…

If beaches matter more than museums, base yourself in Stella Maris or Itapuã on the far side of the city. Flamengo and Stella Maris are often called among Salvador's best beaches, the seafront has been renovated, and the setting is calm and suits families and resort stays. The trade-off is distance from the old town…

Every July 2, Salvador celebrates Bahia's independence with a civic parade that starts at the Lapinha, where the liberating army is said to have entered, and ends at the Monumento ao Dois de Julho in Campo Grande. The Caboclo and Cabocla floats lead the march, and the mood is closer to a street party than a formal…

The Balé Folclórico da Bahia, a professional folk-dance company based in the Pelourinho, has performed at its home, the Teatro Miguel Santana, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, mostly for visitors from abroad and other states. It is an easy way to see Afro-Bahian dance in a proper theater, without needing a…

Every December 4, Pelourinho fills with devotees in red and white for Santa Bárbara. After dawn fireworks and an open-air mass at the Rosário dos Pretos church, a procession winds through the historic center to the city markets and the fire brigade headquarters, where she is patron. Around noon the firefighters hand…

Tuesday is the big music night in the Pelourinho, when Olodum plays the Terça da Bênção at the Praça das Artes. It is a ticketed show that starts in the evening, with tickets sold online and at the box office. Earlier, a free street parade has wound through the historic center while other squares host samba and free…

Mercado Modelo, in the old customs house facing the Lacerda Elevator in the Lower City, is the easiest place to compare Bahian crafts, from ceramics and basketry to wood carvings and local sweets. Walk the whole market once before buying, compare prices between stalls and bargain politely, since haggling is expected…

Ponta de Humaitá, on the Itapagipe peninsula in the Lower City, is a quiet point with the Monte Serrat church and open views over the Bay of All Saints. Come before the light turns orange, walk to the balustrade and watch the sky change. It is calmer than the Barra crowd. A marina for the point is only at the early…