2 Days in Salvador, Brazil: The Perfect First-Time Itinerary

Salvador was one of our favorite cities in Brazil. It feels completely different from Rio. Instead of skyscrapers and modern neighborhoods, you'll find colorful colonial buildings, live music around every corner, and one of the richest cultural histories in the country. Two full days are enough to experience the city's highlights, although you could easily spend longer if you enjoy museums, beaches, or simply soaking up the atmosphere. This itinerary focuses on the places we enjoyed the most while keeping transportation simple and affordable.

Day 1 - Explore Pelourinho and Salvador's Historic Center.

We recommend starting your trip in Pelourinho, the historic heart of Salvador and our favorite part of the city. The colorful streets, colonial architecture, churches, musicians, and lively squares make this one of the most unique places we visited in Brazil. While Pelourinho is one of Salvador's biggest tourist attractions, it still feels authentic, especially if you wander a few streets away from the main square. Spend the morning exploring without a strict plan. Some of our favorite moments came from simply walking through the narrow cobblestone streets and discovering small plazas filled with musicians and local artists.

One stop you shouldn't miss is the Igreja e Convento de São Francisco. From the outside it looks beautiful, but the interior is even more impressive, with walls covered in intricate gold decoration. It was one of the most memorable churches we visited in Brazil. Continue toward Praça da Sé, where you'll get one of the best views over the Bay of All Saints. This area also connects to the famous Elevador Lacerda, an elevator that links the Upper City with the Lower City. It has become one of Salvador's iconic landmarks, and for just a small fare, it's worth taking the ride down.

Once you're in the Lower City, spend some time walking through Mercado Modelo. It's a good place to browse local handicrafts, souvenirs, paintings, and regional products. Even if you don't plan to buy anything, it's worth visiting for the atmosphere. For lunch, we'd recommend trying traditional Bahian cuisine. Salvador is famous for dishes like moqueca and acarajé, and this is a great opportunity to try one if you haven't already.

In the afternoon, head back to Pelourinho and continue exploring. The neighborhood changes throughout the day, and live music often starts filling the squares later in the afternoon. If your visit falls on a Tuesday evening, you're in luck. Tuesday nights in Pelourinho are famous for live music and cultural events, making the area even more vibrant than usual.

End your day watching the sunset over Baía de Todos os Santos. Whether you watch it near Praça da Sé or from the Lower City waterfront, it's a beautiful way to finish your first day.

Day 2 - Second day in Salvador - Bonfim, Ribeira, and Barra

Start your second day in Salvador by taking an Uber to Igreja do Bonfim, one of Salvador's most famous churches. Even if you're not particularly interested in religious sites, the church is worth visiting because of its cultural importance. Outside, you'll find the colorful Bonfim ribbons tied to the gates, one of the city's most recognizable symbols. From there, spend a little time exploring the surrounding streets before heading to Ribeira.

Ribeira has a much more local feel than Pelourinho. It's a pleasant neighborhood to walk around, especially along the waterfront, and offers a glimpse into everyday life in Salvador away from the main tourist areas. While you're here, stop at Sorveteria da Ribeira. It's one of the city's classic ice cream shops and offers dozens of tropical fruit flavors that are difficult to find elsewhere.

In the afternoon, head to Porto da Barra Beach. Unlike the beaches near the historic center, Porto da Barra is one of the best places in Salvador to relax for a few hours. The water is usually calm, the beach is lively, and it's a great place to take a break after two days of sightseeing. From the beach, it's an easy walk along the waterfront to Farol da Barra. The lighthouse is another of Salvador's iconic landmarks and offers beautiful views over the Atlantic Ocean. If you're lucky enough to have good weather, it's another fantastic place to watch the sunset.

For dinner, Barra has plenty of casual restaurants and bars, making it a nice place to finish your time in Salvador.

Our Thoughts

Salvador isn't the kind of city where you'll spend two days checking off a long list of famous attractions. Instead, it's a place to slow down, wander through colorful streets, listen to live music, and experience one of Brazil's richest cultural destinations.

Pelourinho was easily our favorite part of the city. We found ourselves returning to the same streets more than once because there was always something happening, whether it was musicians performing in a square or locals gathering outside a café.

At the same time, Salvador requires a bit more awareness than some other destinations in Brazil. We never felt unsafe, but we were careful with our belongings, avoided walking through quiet areas after dark, and used Uber whenever we needed to travel between neighborhoods. Following those simple precautions, we had a fantastic visit.

If you only have two days in Salvador, we think this itinerary offers a great balance of history, culture, and time to enjoy the atmosphere that makes the city so unique simply.

Know before you go

Is Salvador safe?

Pelourinho is generally busy during the day, and we felt comfortable walking around while taking normal precautions. Like in many large cities, avoid displaying expensive jewelry or walking around with your phone in your hand. After dark, we recommend taking an Uber back to your accommodation instead of walking long distances. Ubers are inexpensive in Salvador and are the easiest way to get around between neighborhoods. 

We recommend using Uber between Bonfim, Ribeira, and Barra. While walking within each neighborhood is enjoyable during the day, the distances between them are too long, and Uber is both inexpensive and much more convenient. Barra is one of the areas where we felt most comfortable, especially around the waterfront, but we still followed the same precautions we used throughout Brazil.

Getting Around Salvador

For the two-day itinerary in Salvador, we recommend combining walking with Uber. The historic center is best explored on foot, but Salvador is spread across several neighborhoods, and walking between them usually isn't practical. Uber is affordable, easy to find, and saves a significant amount of time. We used it frequently and found it to be the simplest way to move around the city.

Places to stay

Salvador

Viver Bahia Pousada. The hotel is clean and well designed, with helpful staff. The location is perfect: an easy walk to the beach, shopping, restaurants, and transportation, in a quiet, walkable neighborhood in the heart of the city. We had one of the best breakfasts ever. 

Pousada e Hostel Chez Marianne. Private rooms with fantastic sea views. The airport shuttle bus has a stop within a few hundred metres of the hotel. 

Places to eat

Salvador

Recôncavo Culinária. We had the best experience in this restaurant.  The moqueca is amazing. If you’re in Barra, try this place.

Margarida bar e restaurante. With a simple décor,  the seafood feijoada and the moqueca are amazing. The juices are natural and delicious too.