Universidade Federal da Bahia

Salvador City

The magic of this city that charms so many people is as mysterious as the love affair between the moon and the ocean, and as beautiful as the sunset at Humaitá. Observed from the top of Elevador Lacerda the city displays a multitude of worlds. Some are colorful like Pelourinho, some are strong like the faith shared by the population, some are frenetic like the dancing of the people parading to the sound of the Trios Elétricos during carnival. There are also precious worlds, like the city’s architecture. Delicious worlds, like the city’s cuisine. Salvador never stops, like the traffic of people and cars going up and down its hills. The way by which people interact with this diversity is what makes the culture of Salvador something so unique and special.

The syncretistic religion of Candomblé, a blend of Catholicism and African rites brought over by slaves, is still widely practised in the area. Capoeira, a martial art that has been transformed into a ritualized dance, has its roots in Salvador but has since spread the world over. Other customs, from the fiery local cuisine to the many churches and architectural landmarks such as its historic center, the Pelourinho, are celebrated throughout Brazil, not to mention the beautiful costumes which flood the streets during the biggest carnival the world has ever seen!

One of the principal characteristics of the city is the outgoingness of the people. People talk to strangers here, are friendly to them. People are not divided by that initial suspicion of strangers that marks so many other places, at least as far as where sociability is concerned. It's easy to meet people. Due to the country's ethnic diversity, racial discrimination in Brazil is kept to a minimum. Most everybody shares in common Portuguese, African and Indian roots. Waves of immigrant from Europe and Asia also contributed with different accents and customs.