Mercado Modelo

Salvador


In Salvador's unpleasant past the Mercado Modelo was the site where slaves coming into the city were detained. Now the building houses dozens of tourist-oriented stalls selling local handicrafts, as well as food stalls and restaurants.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Salvador attractions

1. Mercado Modelo

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…

2. Elevador Lacerda

0.12 MILES

The beautifully restored, art deco Elevador Lacerda connects the Cidade Alta with Comércio via four elevators traveling 72m in 30 seconds. The Jesuits…

3. Praça da Sé

0.21 MILES

The history of Praça da Sé reveals intriguing details about Salvador's development. From 1552 to 1933, the square was the site of the grand Sé Primacial…

4. Casa do Carnaval da Bahia

0.23 MILES

The story of Salvador's world-famous Carnaval is told through wonderfully evocative archival video and photographs at this museum which opened in 2018…

5. Plano Inclinado Gonçalves

0.23 MILES

After sitting, unused, for almost three years, the 1874 funicular railway Plano Inclinado Gonçalves reopened in 2014. The restored line connects Comércio…

6. Catedral Basílica

0.25 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…

7. Pelourinho

0.27 MILES

The centerpiece of the Cidade Alta is the Pelourinho, a Unesco-declared World Heritage site of colorful colonial buildings and magnificent churches. As…

8. Museu Afro-Brasileiro

0.27 MILES

Holding one of Bahia’s most important collections, the Museu Afro-Brasileiro exhibits wood carvings, baskets, pottery and other artwork and crafts linking…