Visit Salvador de Bahia

Perched on a cliff, Pelourinho holds most of the colonial heritage: sloping cobbled squares, pastel seventeenth and eighteenth-century houses and a church on almost every corner. Allow a full day on foot, starting early before the heat. The district is patrolled by tourist police in daytime and lively at night, especially on Tuesdays. Beyond its main streets, do not wander into empty alleys, particularly after dark. It is the historic showcase of colonial Brazil.

The lower city, the old merchant quarter, is reached from Pelourinho by the Lacerda Elevator, opened in 1873, which climbs around 70 metres in under a minute. At its foot stand the Mercado Modelo, a crafts hall in the former customs house, and the ferry terminal for boats and catamarans to the islands. The Comércio district empties once offices close: stay there in daytime and head back up by elevator or ride-hailing before nightfall.

A ten-minute walk north of Pelourinho, this residential district extends the historic centre in a calmer, more local atmosphere. Its restored colonial houses hold boutique pousadas, restaurants and bars overlooking the bay. It is arguably the best place to stay if you want to be in the heart of history without the crowds. In the evening, Santo Antônio square and its viewpoint fill with locals: set aside one evening to dine there at sunset.

South of the centre, Barra is the most convenient seafront district: reef-sheltered beaches, a promenade, hotels and restaurants, 15 minutes by ride-hailing from Pelourinho. The lighthouse and Santo Antônio da Barra fort mark the entrance to the bay: locals gather there at sunset, one of the few sunsets over the sea visible from a major city on Brazil's Atlantic coast. Barra is also the starting point of the Barra-Ondina Carnival circuit, making it noisy and expensive in February.

A former fishing village turned bohemian quarter, Rio Vermelho is the centre of Salvador's nightlife, with bars, live music venues and baianas selling acarajé on the squares. On 2 February, the Iemanjá festival draws tens of thousands of people dressed in white carrying offerings to the sea goddess. The writer Jorge Amado's house, now a museum, can be visited. Allow 20 minutes by ride-hailing from the historic centre.

North of the lower city, the Itapagipe peninsula is home to the Senhor do Bonfim church, the most revered in Bahia. Its railings are covered in colourful ribbons tied while making three wishes. In January, the Lavagem do Bonfim sees baianas wash the church steps with scented water after a procession of about 8 km. Half a day is enough to combine the church, Monte Serrat fort and an ice cream at Sorveteria da Ribeira, a local institution.

With more than 50 islands, the Bay of All Saints can be explored on a day trip by schooner to Ilha dos Frades and Itaparica, leaving from the ferry terminal. Further away, Morro de São Paulo, a car-free village on Tinharé island, is a little over 2 hours by catamaran, an often rough crossing: skip it if you suffer from seasickness and plan two nights there. To the north, Praia do Forte and its sea turtle conservation centre are about 1 hour 30 away by road.