14 Best Things to Do and See in Salvador
Exploring Salvador on foot is one of the best ways to feel the city’s atmosphere, connect its landmark places and discover its neighbourhoods at a more natural pace.
In this guide, you will find the attractions not to miss when planning a walking route in Salvador, with simple reference points.
To go further, you can also enjoy a private guided tour in Salvador. It is a smoother way to connect places, understand details you might miss on your own and enjoy a more human, personal discovery adapted to your trip.
1. Museu Náutico da Bahia – Farol da Barra
Museu Náutico da Bahia, set inside Farol da Barra, offers both a museum visit and panoramic views. Explore Bahia’s maritime world through exhibits on navigation and coastal signaling in one of Salvador’s most iconic lighthouses. Enjoy views over the sea, All Saints Bay and Barra’s coastline, where heritage and city scenery meet.
2. Lacerda Elevator
Lacerda Elevator is one of Salvador, Brazil’s most iconic landmarks and a must-see for discovering the city from a new angle. This urban elevator connects the lower city to the upper city, offering a practical ride with beautiful views over the bay and waterfront. It links two very different neighborhoods, with lively streets, open panoramas and the authentic atmosphere of Salvador. Part transport, part local landmark and part visitor attraction, it is a favorite stop on any city visit.
3. Chapada Diamantina National Park
Chapada Diamantina National Park reveals a vast landscape of plateaus, deep valleys and rocky cliffs in the heart of Bahia. Explore hiking trails, canyons, waterfalls and changing vegetation shaped by altitude and exposure. Its rugged relief creates a strong identity, from sweeping viewpoints to narrow passes. A key place to understand the natural diversity of inland Brazil and the link between geology, water and the region’s early settlement.
4. House and Chapel of the Former Quinta do Unhão
The House and Chapel of the Former Quinta do Unhão in Salvador is a heritage complex set on the bayfront, where visitors can discover an old mansion and a chapel linked to a historic site restored for cultural use. Today, the place attracts visitors for its traditional architecture, its open views over the landscape, and its museum role connected to modern art. Between historic buildings, an inner courtyard, and views of the water, the visit offers a fine overview of Bahia’s heritage in a peaceful, carefully preserved setting.
5. Ponta do Humaitá
Ponta do Humaitá is an iconic headland in Salvador, on the Bay of All Saints, known for its open views over the water and the surrounding cityscape. This peaceful spot draws visitors for a walk, a sunset view and its maritime atmosphere. You’ll also find a pleasant setting with places to stop, look out to sea and enjoy the charm of Bahia’s coastline. It’s a simple but highly photogenic stop, ideal during a visit to Salvador.
6. Foundation Casa de Jorge Amado
The Foundation Casa de Jorge Amado offers a cultural space dedicated to one of the great names in Brazilian literature, in the heart of Salvador’s historic center. Visitors can explore content linked to the author, his world and the way his work remains connected to the city. The site brings together literary memory, exhibitions and cultural life in a setting shaped by the old architecture of Pelourinho. It offers a clear view of the dialogue between artistic creation and urban heritage.
7. A Casa do Rio Vermelho
Casa do Rio Vermelho is a must-see cultural visit in Salvador, Brazil, offering a chance to discover the world of a former home turned museum. The site lets visitors explore carefully preserved rooms, a pleasant garden, and exhibition spaces that evoke everyday life, memory, and the atmosphere of the house. It offers an intimate itinerary, combining objects, photos, and immersive settings, helping visitors better understand the importance of this landmark in the local heritage. It is an interesting stop for travelers curious about history, culture, and literature.
8. Palace of Arts
The Palace of Arts of Salvador is a cultural venue dedicated to the visual arts, where visitors can discover temporary exhibitions and works of art in an elegant, welcoming setting. Located in a lively district of the city, it appeals to travelers who want to complement their discovery of Salvador with an artistic visit, featuring contemporary creations, photography, and other visual forms of expression. It is a popular stop for its peaceful atmosphere, cultural programming, and role in the local art scene.
9. Bahia Museum of Art
Bahia Museum of Art is an art museum in Salvador that appeals to culture lovers and visitors keen to discover the local art scene. Located on Av. Sete de Setembro in Corredor da Vitória, it sits in a central area of the city with several cultural landmarks. Depending on the exhibitions and collections on view, visitors can discover works and objects that reveal the diversity of artistic creation in Bahia and Brazil, while enjoying an interesting glimpse into Salvador’s cultural life.
10. Casa do Carnaval of Bahia
The Casa do Carnaval da Bahia in Salvador is a museum dedicated to one of Brazil’s most iconic festivals. Visitors can discover the history and world of Bahian Carnival through exhibits on music, costumes, masks, dances, and popular traditions that give it its vibrant spirit. The museum also highlights the different cultural influences that have shaped this celebration, as well as its importance in the life of the city. It is an ideal visit to better understand Bahia’s festive energy.
11. Sister Dulce Memorial
The Memorial Irmã Dulce in Salvador is a museum dedicated to the life and work of Irmã Dulce, a major figure of solidarity in Brazil. Visitors can explore exhibition spaces featuring personal belongings, documents, photographs, and items linked to her social and religious work. The site offers a deeper understanding of her commitment to the most vulnerable and of the importance of her legacy in the city. The visit provides a historical, human, and cultural perspective on a highly admired figure in Salvador.
12. Pierre Verger Space of Bahia Photography – Santa Maria Fort
Located in Fort Santa Maria in Salvador, the Pierre Verger Space of Bahia Photography offers a visit that is both cultural and heritage-focused. This site highlights photography linked to Bahia and the perspective of Pierre Verger, while also being set within the historic setting of a seaside fortress. Visitors will find exhibitions, images, and a memorial space that shed light on the region’s visual identity. The visit also allows you to appreciate the fort’s military architecture and its atmosphere overlooking the bay.
13. Bahia Music City
Located in Salvador, the Cidade da Música da Bahia is a museum dedicated to the richness and diversity of the music of the state of Bahia. Through exhibition spaces and interactive installations, visitors can discover the history of the rhythms, instruments, traditions, and influences that have shaped the local music scene. It also explores the connection between popular music, Afro-Brazilian culture, and contemporary creation, in a lively and educational way that appeals to both curious visitors and music lovers.
14. Museum of Mercy
The Museum of Mercy in Salvador is a museum that lets visitors discover the heritage linked to the tradition of mercy and the city’s social history. It features collections and exhibition spaces that shed light on the evolution of charitable institutions, along with objects and documents evoking the site’s religious, medical, and community life. The visit offers an insightful look at Salvador’s past, in a heritage setting that appeals to history enthusiasts as well as lovers of cultural museums.
Antony M
During my travels, I looked for guides who spoke my language. This search turned out to be long and tedious. That is why I created MYTOGU (My Tourist Guide): a matching site between tourists and professional tourist guides.
