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Brazilian Beauty and the Bay

In the coastal town of Salvador da Bahia, the splendor of Brazil shines through, in its culture and scenery.

By Julie Skurdenis

Travelers choose destinations for many reasons. They want lots of activities, or new foods to try and wonderful places to dine. Maybe it’s shopping that’s important, or beaches. Salvador da Bahia, located midway along Brazil’s long coastline on the Atlantic, offers all these plus one fabulous bonus, the Convento do Carmo Hotel. For those also wanting history, beauty and comfort, it’s all here wrapped up in one hotel.
The Convento, originally a monastery with roots going back to 1592, oozes history. Its church, cloisters, refectory and dormitories once sheltered Carmelite friars. Now a beautiful hotel with leafy courtyards, cool arcades and many walls decorated with lovely blue and white azulejos (tiles) reminiscent of those found in Portugal. Some guest rooms still have the original wooden prayer niches where friars once knelt at their devotions. Yet only steps away is a spa with a menu of massages and a bar serving exotic Brazilian drinks, amenities the friars of long ago were never offered.
The Convento, however, is only the beginning, and serves as the key to the rest of Salvador da Bahia.
The hotel is located in Pelourinho, the district that is the vibrant heart of Salvador da Bahia. Guests can walk out the front door of the hotel into the busy plazas and cobblestone streets lined with the pastel-colored buildings that make Pelourinho the most exciting and charming part of Salvador.
Not to be missed in Pelourinho are a handful of ancient churches, each unique and each only minutes away from the next, making it easy to pop in for a look. The 17th century cathedral is close to São Francisco, a baroque church that gives new meaning to the word gilded. It literally glitters, especially when the lights are on during religious services. Right next door is the Church of the Third Order of São Francisco with an elaborately carved facade and gorgeous blue and white azulejos inside. Steps away, on steep Ladeira do Pelourinho is Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos (Our Lady of the Rosary of the Blacks), built by and for black slaves in the 18th century. The oddly shaped square on which it’s located was where the slave market once stood.
Even visitors to Salvador da Bahia who are not religiously inclined shouldn’t miss its most famous church, Nosso Senhor do Bonfim (Our Lord of the Good Ending/Death), with azulejos tilework depicting scenes from the New Testament and a room full of miniature wax, plastic and wood body parts. The wax icons are used as an offering to the church as part of prayer for healing. If a visitor has a heart problem, a plastic heart is donated to Bonfim; if a head problem, then a wax head, and so on. There were lots and lots of legs and feet, perhaps donated by tourists with aching feet. Outside the church children try to get visitors to buy fitas, colorful ribbons to wrap around one’s wrist for good luck. Most people give in and buy a few.
For history buffs, there are the forts the Portuguese built in the 16th and 17th centuries ringing the Bay of All Saints on which Salvador is situated. One of the most important of these is Santo Antônio da Barra, captured briefly by the Dutch in 1624 and now housing a nautical museum.
A few more do-not-miss sights include The Museu Afro-Brasileiro (Afro-Brazilian Museum), which explains the candomblé religion brought by slaves from West Africa, a religion centered on gods and goddesses called orixas (orishas); the fabulous Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art) with religious art housed in an old monastery; and Solar do Unhão, an 18th century sugar mill that also offers a nightly folklore show plus buffet.
For souvenirs, there’s no better place than Mercado Modela with its small stalls selling Bahian and Brazilian handicrafts and jewelry. Colorful, clunky bracelets of semi-precious stones are a bargain at between $5 to $10 each after a bit of friendly haggling. But there are also T-shirts, ceramics and dolls for sale.
For a change after all the churches, museums and shopping, head for an afternoon at one of Salvador’s many beaches. The problem is selecting which one. There are many of them strung out along the Estrada do Coco (Coconut Road) north of Salvador, and most are reachable by bus.
A totally unique experience in Salvador da Bahia is attending a candomblé ceremony held in a place of worship called a terreiro. Some terreiros do not allow visitors, but hotel staff can almost certainly find one that does. The Convento do Carmo can arrange a visit, plus the taxi to take you there and back. It’s an experience not to be missed to watch devotees go into a trance and dance around the room.
One of the many joys of Salvador is Bahian food. In Pelourinho, one of the best places to sample the local cuisine is Escola Senac, where dozens of Bahian and Brazilian dishes are served buffet style. Two other favorites are Solar do Unhão, serving up great food buffet-style in combination with a show, and Boi Preto, a churrascaria so good that repeat visits are the norm. Finally, there’s the restaurant in the Convento do Carmo for al fresco dining under the arches of the cloister beside a fountain. Those 16th century friars never had it so good.

Travel Tips

TAM Airlines offers flights from Miami to Salvador da Bahia, from New York to Salvador da Bahia via São Paulo, and from Los Angeles to Salvador da Bahia via Chicago.
888-235-9826
United Airlines also offers flights from Miami to Salvador da Bahia, and from Houston to Salvador da Bahia via Washington, D.C.
www.united.com