Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 276

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Dep. Luís Eduardo Magalhães International
Airport ( T 71 3204 1010) is 23km northeast of the city,
connected to the centre by a shuttle express bus service
every 15min between 6am & 9pm (5-6am and 9-10pm
plus weekends 5-9am, every 30min) to Praça da Sé
(45min-1hr 30min depending on tra c, last bus at 10pm;
R$6.50) via the beach districts and Campo Grande. A taxi
to the centre will cost around R$80.
Destinations Daily flights to Miami, Buenos Aires, Lima,
Madrid and Lisbon. Rio (8 daily; 3hr), São Paulo (10 daily;
4hr); other principal Brazilian cities 2-6 flights daily.
By bus The interstate Terminal Rodoviária Armando Viana
de Castro, Av ACM 4362, Pituba ( T 71 3616 8300), is 8km
east of the centre. To get to/from the Cidade Alta an
executivo bus runs between the Iguatemi shopping centre
(across the busy road from the rodoviária ) and Praça da Sé.
The bus costs R$3.20 and makes stately progress via the
beach districts of Pituba and Rio Vermelho. Alternatively,
take a taxi (about R$25). Useful bus companies are Águia
Branca ( T 71 4004 1010); Linha Verde ( T 71 3450 0321);
Real Expresso ( T 71 3450 9310).
Destinations Rio (3 daily; 27hr); São Paulo (2 daily; 33hr);
Recife (3 daily; 12hr); Belo Horizonte (2 daily; 24hr);
Fortaleza (2 daily; 21hr).
By boat Numerous launch services depart from the Terminal
Turístico Maritimo, the blue building at the water's edge
behind the Mercado Modelo. Popular destinations include
the island of Itaparica, visible directly across the bay from
Salvador, and Morro de São Paulo (see p.285) on Tinharé.

views and the room of 25 ships-in-bottles
by Manecha Brandão are worth the
entrance fee alone, but you'll also find
fascinating recovered archeological
treasures from coastal shipwrecks.

Igreja do Bonfim
he Igreja do Bonfim (Tues-Sun
7am-6pm; free), located at the top of
the peninsula of Itapagipe, is worshipped
at by Candomblistas (followers of the
Afro-Brazilian religion, candomblé ) and
Catholics alike, an intriguing hotchpotch
of city dwellers from favelados to wealthy
matriarchs and rural mestizos to naval
officers. The annual Lavagem do Bonfim
procession ends here, when priestesses
wash the church's steps. he church
houses the Museu dos Ex-Votos do Senhor
do Bonfim (Tues-Sat 8am-noon &
1-5pm; R$2), lined with heart-
wrenching photos of supplicants, written
pleas for divine aid and thanks for wishes
fulfilled. Hanging from the ceiling are a
hundred body parts made of plastic and
wood, offerings from the hopeful and the
thankful. The church is a thirty-minute
bus ride from the centre (take any
marked “Bonfim” from the bottom of the
Lacerda elevator in Praça da Sé).

3

CRIME AND SAFETY
Salvador is a gritty city that leaves most visitors buzzing with excitement but others feeling
that they're perennially being observed by shady characters. Though the latter sentiment
can be distinctly counterproductive, as with most large Brazilian cities Salvador does have
significant problems with robberies and muggings . Nonetheless, taking a few precautions
such as not wandering down poorly lit side streets, leaving valuables in hostel safes, keeping
cameras hidden from view or avoiding carrying bags altogether, all certainly help to limit the
risks. If you are unlucky enough to be held up, give the assailant exactly what they're asking for.
Don't hesitate to take taxis at night, for example getting back to Barra from the Pelourinho if
you're unsure about bus times/routes.
The buildings of the tourist-heavy Pelourinho have video cameras perched on them and
the area is heavily policed (see p.284) until late at night. That said, stick to the main streets
between the squares and on the way up to Santo Antônio Fort - certain parts of the district
attract petty thieves and drug addicts for the rich pickings on offer should a less-streetwise
visitor stray off the beaten track. The most you're likely to encounter is an attempt by a
pickpocket , especially on Tuesday evenings when Terça do Benção celebrations bring
everyone into the district. Remember also that Sunday is the day for the beach; save for the
most visited sights the Pelourinho is deserted - as are city buses (the executivo bus is a safer
Sunday option).
Moving between the Cidade Alta and Cidade Baixa can also be a problem after dark: don't
use the Lacerda elevator and avoid walking up and down the winding connecting roads. Give
the Avenida do Contorno - the seafront road that runs north from the harbour - a miss too;
it can be dangerous even in daylight, so if you want to come to a restaurant here, take a taxi.