Salvador · Backpacking

Barra has beach, a promenade and hostels that stay busy; Santo Antônio Além do Carmo sits above Pelourinho, quieter and full of colonial guesthouses.

Dorm R$50–100, acarajé and prato feito R$40–80, buses and the lift R$15. Reckon R$110–200 a day, roughly $20–40.

Two metro lines reach the airport, city buses cover the rest, and the Elevador Lacerda drops you from the upper city to the port for small change.

Pelourinho's squares and the Tuesday-night drumming, the Farol da Barra sunset, and the ribbon-tied railings at the Igreja do Bonfim.

A sheltered bay facing west, packed from late afternoon until the sun goes down behind the fort — the easiest place to fall in with people.