Pelourinho, State of Bahia, Brazil

4Edward D. 5:00 PM Nov 6, 2022

You really must visit Pelourinho!
Pelourinho is the old neighborhood of the city of Salvador—it's where Salvador began. Many of the buildings in this area date back to the 16th Century. Any visit to Salvador would be incomplete without a trip to Pelourinho. This nighborhood was th seat of Imperial Portuguese powr in Brazil starting in 1549. While at times, this neighborhood may seem a bit like Disneyland Brazil (with the many women dressed as Bahianas bugging you to take a photo with them & then trying to charge you R$20 for the pic), I still recommend you come. There are the many churches to visit (Church of Sao Francisco, aka “the golden church” and the Cathedral of Santissimo Salvador); there is much beautiful architecture to admire; there is a wonderful hotel right in the heart of Pelourinho (Hotel Villa Bahia—I highly recommend it); you can visit the Elevador Lacerda; there are lots of souvenir shops. If you have more time and the interest, you could take a capoeira lesson. If you are short on time, you can get a guided tour in golf cart that lasts about 2 hours and costs somewhere between R$150 to R$250, depending on how much bargaining you feel like doing. There are ice cream shops, bars and restaurants you can visit (although I think some of the best restaurants are located just outside, but not far from Pelourinho). The reason I do not give this neighborhood 5 stars is because of the beggars and the potential risk of crime—use common sense and don’t wander into deserted side streets late at night and you will be fine.

4nickiBH 5:00 PM Sep 27, 2022

Enjoy with caution
Pretty, historical, UNESCO, African/Brazilian martial arts workshops, etc etc , and yet very unique, in a strange way. We have seen all seven new wonders of the world so have been to quite a few places but this is the first neighbourhood that our boutique hotel Villa Bahia actually takes high precautions as to lock even their wooden doors in addition to the glass doors, starting at around 5pm when it gets dark!! So much to say about safety in this neighbourhood. We tried to eat our early dinner outside the hotel next to the Sao Francisco Church so we can quickly get back without an incident! During the day it should be ok to sit in outdoor cafe, walk and shop around the square, go to the terrace, (and even the elevator), down the slope to see Michael Jackson’s MV shooting place etc. Just use your common sense as our guide keep telling us, you can use your phone but as soon as you finish, put it back somewhere so it is not easily seen and snatched! Mobile phones are the number one favorite item (even big cameras are more expensive, but difficult to snatch and re-sell, unlike a smaller mobile phone! So in short, enjoy, with extra caution!!! (Especially if you don’t speak the language!)