Stop into the headquarters of Olodum for information on percussion workshops and tours (only for small groups, not individual travelers), which include a performance by the famed percussion troupe.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
 - 0.14 MILES - The centerpiece of the Cidade Alta is the Pelourinho, a Unesco-declared World Heritage site of colorful colonial buildings and magnificent churches. As… 
 - 3.35 MILES - This famous 18th-century church, located a few kilometers north of Comércio on the Itapagipe Peninsula, is the source of the fitas (colored ribbons) you… 
 - 2.99 MILES - This excellent nautical museum in Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra contains relics and displays from the days of Portuguese seafaring, plus exhibits on the… 
 - 0.16 MILES - Holding one of Bahia’s most important collections, the Museu Afro-Brasileiro exhibits wood carvings, baskets, pottery and other artwork and crafts linking… 
 - Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra - 2.99 MILES - Built in 1698, Bahia’s oldest fort is more commonly called the Farol da Barra for the lighthouse (South America’s oldest) within its walls. In addition to… 
 - 0.3 MILES - The beautifully restored, art deco Elevador Lacerda connects the Cidade Alta with Comércio via four elevators traveling 72m in 30 seconds. The Jesuits… 
 - 1.01 MILES - This well-preserved, 18th-century complex served as a transfer point for sugar shipments: legend says it's haunted by the ghosts of murdered slaves. Today… 
 - 0.41 MILES - The original 1861 Customs House, where slaves were housed when they arrived in Salvador, was partly destroyed in a fire in 1986. After reconstruction, it… 
Nearby Salvador attractions
1. Igreja e Convento São Francisco
0.07 MILES
One of Brazil’s most magnificent churches, the baroque Igreja e Convento São Francisco is filled with displays of wealth and splendor. An 80kg silver…
0.12 MILES
A colorful intersection of vendors, tourists, capoeiristas and colorful locals, the Terreiro de Jesus is a historic site of religious celebrations, and is…
0.14 MILES
The centerpiece of the Cidade Alta is the Pelourinho, a Unesco-declared World Heritage site of colorful colonial buildings and magnificent churches. As…
4. Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia
0.16 MILES
Below the Museu Afro-Brasileiro (one admission ticket gets you into both), the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia exhibits indigenous Brazilian pottery,…
0.16 MILES
Holding one of Bahia’s most important collections, the Museu Afro-Brasileiro exhibits wood carvings, baskets, pottery and other artwork and crafts linking…
6. Faculdade de Medicina Building
0.16 MILES
A Portuguese prince, upon arrival in Salvador in 1808, founded a school of surgery here that was later named the Bahia School of Medicine.
0.17 MILES
The Catedral Basílica dates from 1672 and is a marvelous example of Jesuit architecture. The interior is elegant and simple, with marble-covered walls and…
8. Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado
0.17 MILES
Literary types shouldn't miss a quick visit to the Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado, offering an overview of the life of one of Brazil’s best-known writers. A…