Salvador cruise port guide
High above the enormous bay of Todos os Santos (All Saints), where your MSC cruise ship awaits your return, Salvador de Bahia has an electric feel from the moment you arrive. This is the great cultural and historical centre of Brazil, where Afro-Brazilian heritage is strongest and where capoeira, candomblé and samba de roda were created. MSC South America cruises offer excursions to the centro histórico of this magical place, a melange of narrow cobbled streets, peeling purple walls, grand Baroque churches, kids kicking footballs, rastas, locals sipping bottled beer on plastic chairs, the wafting aroma of herbs and the almost constant beating of drums, especially as the sun sets. Beyond the old town Salvador is a vast, sprawling city, with a vibrant beach life, modern skyscrapers and plenty of favelas. The centro histórico is the traditional heart of Salvador; it’s built around the craggy, 70m-high bluff that dominates the eastern side of the bay, and is split into upper and lower sections. Cidade Alta (or simply “Centro”) is strung along its top, linked to the less interesting Cidade Baixa (the old commercial centre, aka “Comércio”) by precipitous streets and the towering Art Deco lift-shaft of the Elevador Lacerda. Cidade Alta is the cultural centre of the city, and the section known as the Pelourinho is the groovy old district with colourful and hilly winding streets, its most vibrant and beguiling neighbourhood. The best spot to begin a walking tour of the city is at the Praça Municipal, the square dominated by the impressive Palácio do Rio Branco, the old governor’s palace which was in use until 1979. The fine interior is a blend of Rococo plasterwork, polished wooden floors and painted walls and ceilings.
About Salvador
Salvador is the vibrant capital of Bahia state on Brazil's northeastern coast, and was the first colonial capital of Brazil. The Pelourinho historic district — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — showcases magnificent Baroque colonial architecture, Afro-Brazilian culture, capoeira, and some of the country's most exciting cuisine.
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Labrador Coast, Caribbean, South America & Scotia Arc
Seabourn Venture · Antarctica · 60 nights
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Wild Labrador Coast, Caribbean & South America
Seabourn Venture · Polar Regions · 39 nights
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Caribbean, South America & Scotia Arc Expedition
Seabourn Venture · Antarctica · 45 nights
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24-Day Southern Caribbean Yacht Harbors & Coast of Brazil
Seabourn Venture · Brazil · 24 nights
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16-Day Trinidad to Rio: South American Expedition
Seabourn Venture · Brazil · 16 nights
from $9,623
$601 / night
From The Caribbean To The Antarctic
Seabourn Venture · Caribbean · 37 nights
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