Salvador cruise port

Where the ship docks

• Terminal Marítimo de Passageiros (Contermas), Comércio · 1 km to the centre

  Run by Contermas under the federal port authority Codeba. Bags pass through metal detectors and X-ray on the way back in. About 500 m to Mercado Modelo and the foot of the Elevador Lacerda. Taxis wait outside and ride-hailing apps work.

Can you walk? Partly, about 15 min. Flat walk of about 500 m to Mercado Modelo and the Elevador Lacerda, then the lift up the cliff to Praça Tomé de Sousa; the Pelourinho is a further short walk on cobbles. Do not walk the steep streets between the lower and upper city: guides describe them as unsafe even by day. Barra and Bonfim need a car.

Getting to town

When to head back

Be on board 60 minutes before all-aboard. Leave the Pelourinho 90 minutes before; leave Barra, Bonfim or Rio Vermelho at least 2 hours before.

The Elevador Lacerda can have a queue, and the terminal screens bags on re-entry, so allow more than the walking time. Road trips back to the Comércio cross the city and afternoon traffic is unpredictable.

If you are running late: If the lift queue is long, take a taxi or app ride from the upper city down to the terminal rather than walking the steep streets. If you will miss all-aboard, call the port agent number on your daily programme at once.

Where people go wrong: Walking the steep streets between the lower and upper city instead of using the Elevador Lacerda or a car.

A day in Salvador

Assumes the ship docks at 08:00, a weekday call and all-aboard at 17:30.

1. 08:30Walk from the terminal along Avenida da França to Mercado Modelo and the lower station of the Elevador Lacerda.
2. 08:50Ride the lift up (R$1). Look over the bay from Praça Tomé de Sousa, then walk to Terreiro de Jesus.
3. 09:15Catedral Basílica, which opens early, then MAFRO, the Afro-Brazilian museum on Terreiro de Jesus (weekdays 09:00–17:00).
4. 10:45Walk down Rua Alfredo de Brito to Largo do Pelourinho and the blue Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos; see the Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado.
5. 12:00Acarajé from a baiana's stall on Terreiro de Jesus, or a lemon-and-coconut juice from Milton's cart.
6. 13:00Option A: app ride to Bonfim church and back. Option B: stay in the old town and browse the galleries.
7. 15:00Back down on the Elevador Lacerda. Browse Mercado Modelo.
8. 16:00Walk to the terminal; leave the Pelourinho no later than this.
9. 16:30Back on board, 60 minutes before all-aboard.

What to see

Beaches

What to eat

• Acarajé (black-eyed-pea fritter with prawns) · Baianas' stalls on Largo Terreiro de Jesus, Pelourinho
• Acarajé from the best-known baianas · Acarajé da Dinha or Acarajé da Cira, Rio Vermelho
• Bahian lunch with a bay view · Upper-floor restaurants at Mercado Modelo
• Lemon-and-coconut juice · Milton's cart, usually by Teatro Miguel Santana or the Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado

On your own or a ship excursion?

The Pelourinho is easy to do on your own: walk, take the lift and explore. A ship's tour or a vetted private guide is worth it if you want Bonfim, Barra and the old town in one day without managing taxis, or if you are uneasy about street safety; a guide also explains a city whose history is not well signed. Skip Morro de São Paulo and Praia do Forte except on a ship's tour, because the travel time is too long to manage alone.

Common mistakes

• Planning a visit to the gold interior of the Igreja de São Francisco.

  It has been closed since part of the ceiling fell on 5 February 2025; the order is aiming to reopen in 2029. See the Catedral Basílica instead.

• Walking the steep streets between the lower and upper city.

  Use the Elevador Lacerda, or a taxi or app ride.

• Carrying a phone in your hand or a back pocket in crowds, on the lift or at the beach.

  Keep it zipped away. UK advice notes phone thefts, especially between 16:00 and 21:00, and thefts on beaches.

• Going to Morro de São Paulo or Praia do Forte independently.

  They are 2 hours or more each way. Stay in the city or book the ship's tour.

• Expecting museums to be open on a Monday or MAFRO at the weekend.

  Many museums close on Mondays and MAFRO opens on weekdays only. Check the day of your call.

• Leaving the old town at the last minute.

  Allow for the lift queue and bag screening at the terminal; leave the Pelourinho 90 minutes before all-aboard.

Safety, access and bad weather

Safety

Stick to the busy tourist areas of the Pelourinho, Comércio and the Barra waterfront by day, leave jewellery on board and keep your phone out of sight. UK travel advice warns that phone thefts are common, robberies happen on buses, and groups of thieves sometimes sweep busy beaches. Do not go on city beaches after dark and avoid favelas, including favela tours. Card cloning is common: keep your card in view and check the amount before you pay. Buy your own drinks and keep them in sight. Use a taxi or app ride rather than walking between districts. Emergency number: 190 (police).

Scams to know

• Bonfim ribbons: street sellers tie a 'free' Senhor do Bonfim ribbon on your wrist, then press you to pay. Decline politely and keep walking.
• Card cloning at ATMs and shops: keep your card in sight and check the amount on the terminal before you pay.
• Beach vendor overcharging: vendors and card machines in busy tourist areas have overcharged visitors. Confirm the price first.
• Prices set by appearance: items without price tags, and food or drink from places with no menu, may be priced by how wealthy you look. Ask before you order.

Accessibility

The terminal and the walk to Mercado Modelo are flat. The Elevador Lacerda is the step-free way up the cliff. The Pelourinho itself is steep, with rough cobbles and stepped church entrances, so wheelchair users will find much of it hard. A taxi to Praça Tomé de Sousa or Terreiro de Jesus avoids the worst slopes. Barra's seafront promenade is the most level outing.

If it rains

Showers are possible at any time, though the cruise season is the drier half of the year. On a wet day, go up the Elevador Lacerda and spend the time indoors at the Catedral Basílica, MAFRO, the Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado and the old-town galleries, then shop under cover at Mercado Modelo. Cobbles are slippery when wet.

Crowds

Several ships can call on the same day in high season, and the Elevador Lacerda is the bottleneck. Ride up first thing and come down by mid-afternoon to avoid the return rush. The Pelourinho is busiest late morning when tour groups arrive; the museums are quieter at lunchtime. Weekday calls give you MAFRO and more shops; Monday calls lose many museums.

Salvador cruise port FAQ

Sources

Checked November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@porttrip.com.

1. Salvador da Bahia (city tourism portal) – Urban mobility and access to tourist spots
2. Salvador da Bahia (city tourism portal) – Pelourinho and its surprises
3. Agência Gov – Iphan funds restoration of Igreja de São Francisco (February 2026)
4. GOV.UK – Brazil travel advice: safety and security
5. Bahia Notícias – Franciscans project 2029 reopening of São Francisco (July 2026)
6. Bahia Notícias – Elevador Lacerda fare rises to R$1 (January 2025)
7. Bahia Notícias – Elevador Lacerda reopened after 10 months of works (February 2025)
8. Bahia Notícias – Elevador Lacerda: 30 days after reopening, hours and fare (March 2025)
9. A Tarde – Elevador Lacerda fare becomes R$1 (January 2025)
10. A Tarde – 2026/27 cruise season starts in Salvador (October 2026)
11. Correio – 2024/25 cruise season opens in Salvador
12. Bahia Notícias – Salvador museums: prices and hours (January 2024)
13. Esse Mundo É Nosso – A cruise stop in Salvador (updated October 2024)
14. Viaje na Viagem – Guia de Salvador: o que fazer
15. CruiseSheet – Salvador port guide
16. What's in Port – Salvador de Bahia
17. Celebrity Cruises – Salvador de Bahia port guide