Salvador in 2 days
Two days by level — Pelourinho above, the port, Bonfim and the coast below — and a plan that works around a church shut until 2029.
- How long
- 2 days
- Getting around
- On foot in the upper city
- Rhythm
- Churches and museums in the morning
Two days in Salvador run by level: day one stays upstairs in Pelourinho, day two goes down to the lower city and out along the coast. The church of São Francisco, first line of every older plan, has been closed since February 2025, when part of its ceiling fell, and does not reopen before 2029. If your trip catches a Tuesday, put day one on it: mass at Rosário dos Pretos is at six, and afterwards the quarter stays out on the square.
Pelourinho, from morning to mass
The Terreiro de Jesus square and the cathedral; everything starts here. The streets are cobbles on a slope — footwear is a real consideration here, not a detail.
The church of São Francisco is seen from outside only: it has been closed since 5 February 2025, when part of the nave ceiling fell on visitors, and by IPHAN's schedule it does not reopen before 2029. In its place goes Rosário dos Pretos on the Largo, the blue church built in the 18th century by a brotherhood of enslaved and free Black men — the same one that holds the Tuesday mass.
Lunch: moqueca in a clay pot. A portion is for two, so you order one between two.
The Largo do Pelourinho and the lanes around it; the Jorge Amado foundation on the square itself, workshops, and the house where Michael Jackson filmed a video with Olodum in 1996.
If it is Tuesday: mass at Rosário dos Pretos, with atabaque drums in the liturgy, held since 1983; bread is shared at the end and the quarter stays out on the square. From January to Carnival the Olodum rehearsals follow the same evening on Praça Mestre Neguinho do Samba. If it is not Tuesday: stay in the lit squares.
The lower city, Bonfim and Rio Vermelho
The Lacerda lift — seventy metres in half a minute, €0.17 a ride; from 6.30 on weekdays, from 7 at weekends. It has been running again since February 2025, after the 2024 works.
The Mercado Modelo and the port. Behind the building is the Nautical Terminal, where the catamaran to Morro de São Paulo and the launches to Mar Grande leave from — look at it now if a third day is on the cards.
Bonfim, by ride app. The ribbons are bought from the sellers on the steps and tied to the railings; inside is the Sala dos Milagres, a room of wax arms, legs and heads left by people whose prayers were answered.
Rio Vermelho for lunch and acarajé from a baiana's stand: a fried bean-dough ball split and filled with vatapá, caruru and prawns. „Quente“ means with the hot sauce, and you are asked before it goes on.
Sunset from the Farol da Barra, the lighthouse at the mouth of the bay, facing west across the bay's entrance — so the sun goes down into the water here.
Three things to know
- The lift stops at 9.30 pm, 9 on Sundays. After that you do not walk between the levels; you take a ride app, even when it looks close.
- Pelourinho at night means the lit squares. The lanes behind them are not walked after dark.
- The cobbles are serious. The whole upper city is stone and on a slope; a decent pair of shoes beats any other advice here.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How many days does Salvador need?
Two cover Pelourinho, Bonfim and the coast. A third earns its place only for the islands in the Bay of All Saints or Praia do Forte. If your trip catches a Tuesday, plan the upper city for that day.
What is Terça da Bênção?
Tuesday evening in Pelourinho: mass at six in the church of Rosário dos Pretos, with atabaque drums and agogô bells in the liturgy, held since 1983. Bread is shared afterwards and the quarter stays outside; from January to Carnival, Olodum rehearses on the square the same evening. It is a local custom rather than a festival.
Is Pelourinho safe at night?
In the lit squares, yes, and there is a police presence. The lanes behind them are not walked after dark, and you go back to your room by ride app.
Ready for Salvador?
Where to next
Day trips from Salvador
→Four trips from Salvador — two islands, one village with turtles, and one town on a river.
Rio de Janeiro · 1210 km
→A city whose two great viewpoints look at each other — and you go up whichever one is clear that day
How well does Salvador suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
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