{"id":294413,"date":"2023-11-11T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-11T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mp-2702.milesopedia.dev\/?p=294413"},"modified":"2026-05-08T15:52:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T15:52:47","slug":"brazil-salvador-de-bahia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mp-2702.milesopedia.dev\/en\/guide\/destination\/brazil-salvador-de-bahia\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazil: Salvador de Bahia, the land of happiness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Salvador de Bahia – Historical background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Now the capital of the state of Bahia, Salvador, located in northeastern Brazil, was founded by the Portuguese in 1549 and was Brazil’s first capital until 1763. It is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the cradle of the country, Salvador has been a meeting point for European, African and indigenous peoples. However, this merger did not take place harmoniously, as the city became a hub for slaves to develop sugar cane, tobacco, cocoa, coffee and cotton plantations, or for various jobs (mining, construction, farming, residences, churches), according to the needs of the metropolis and its proximity to Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nicknamed “Black Rome”, Salvador has become Brazil’s black capital, with the largest population of African origin in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although slavery is part of its history, the city has preserved a fine heritage, part of which is represented by its historic center, built during the Renaissance period and now protected by UNESCO. This is a great heritage of civil, military and religious architecture, dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salvador is made up of the upper and lower town. The lower town is the port area, which was an asset of the Portuguese empire during the colonial period, thanks to the trade links established with Portugal and the Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia. Upper Town was the core of the colony and was also where many churches, residences and businesses were located. Goods were transported there by enslaved people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Salvador de Bahia – Cultural and culinary heritage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cultural heritage<\/strong> is one of the richest in the country, making Salvador and the state of Bahia unique places. Bahia’s musicians and writers are among the most important in Brazil, and many are internationally renowned, such as Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Maria Beth\u00e2nia, Carlinhos Brown, Ivete Sangalo and Jo\u00e3o Gilberto, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bahia’s cuisine<\/strong> has its roots in Portugal and Africa. Often spicy, the typical dishes are a delight for fish and shellfish lovers. The best known are :<\/p>\n\n\n\n