Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Salvador sprawls across a peninsula surrounded by the Baía de Todos os Santos on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The city has about 50 km (31 miles) of coastline. The original city, referred to as the Centro Histórica (Historical Center), is divided into the Cidade Alta (Upper City), also called Pelourinho, and Cidade Baixa (Lower City).
The Cidade Baixa is a commercial area—known as Comércio—that runs along the port and is the site of Salvador’s indoor market, Mercado Modelo. You can move between the Upper and Lower Cities on foot, via the landmark Elevador Lacerda, behind the market, or on the Plano Inclinado, a funicular lift, which connects Rua Guindaste dos Padres on Comércio with the alley behind Cathedral Basílica.
From the Centro Histórica you can travel north along the bay to the hilltop Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. You can also head south to the point, guarded by the Forte Santo Antônio da Barra, where the bay waters meet those of the Atlantic. This area on Salvador’s southern tip is home to the trendy neighborhoods of Barra, Ondina, and Rio Vermelho, with many museums, theaters, shops, and restaurants. Beaches along the Atlantic coast and north of Forte Santo Antônio da Barra are among the city’s cleanest. Many are illuminated at night and have bars and restaurants that stay open late.
One of the nicest beaches along Avenida Oceánica is Praia Corsário, a long stretch packed on weekends with a younger crowd. Strong waves make it popular with surfers and bodyboarders, while swimmers should proceed with caution. There are kiosks where you can sit in the shade and enjoy seafood and ice-cold beer. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets. Best for: partiers; surfing.
Clean sand, simple kiosks, and a beautiful view make this long stretch of golden sand a favorite among good-looking locals and surfers drawn to the strong waves. Buses, which run regularly from Barra and the City Center, take just over an hour; the journey is well worth it if you are looking for a serious beach day. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.
This popular beach in Barra draws a wide variety of sunseekers from across the city and is a convenient option if you're staying in the hotel districts of Ondina and Rio Vermelho, where rock outcroppings make swimming dangerous and pollution is often a problem. Chairs and umbrellas are available for rent, and you can purchase food from one of the many restaurants lining the promenade. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets. Best for: partiers; surfing; sunset.
Frequented by the artists who live in the neighborhood, the Itapuã Beach has an eclectic atmosphere. There are food kiosks—including Acarajé da Cira, one of the best places to get acarajé (a spicy fried-bean snack). Although the coconut palms and white sands remain idyllic, it is advisable to be watchful of your belongings. Inland from Itapuã, a mystical freshwater lagoon, the Lagoa de Abaeté, and surrounding sand dunes are now a municipal park. Itapuã's dark waters are a startling contrast to the fine white sand of its shores, but it's not suitable for swimming. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; parking. Best for: walking.
One of the northernmost beaches in the Salvador municipality, Praia Stella Maris's long stretch of sand is ever-popular with families in spite of the strong waves. The myriad of food-and-drink kiosks, serving delicious salty snacks and água de côco (coconut water), get busy on the weekends. The airport is located just 10 minutes away. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets; parking (fee). Best for: surfing; walking.
Double-decker tour buses run by Salvador Bus travel around the Upper and Lower Cities and to the beaches. There are two different routes: one that traverses the center of Salvador, and one that connects the beaches of Stella Maris and Itapuã. A R$50 wristband lets you hop off and on as many times as you like.
