Salvador

Thoroughly restored in 1996, the 17th-century basilica that dominates Terreiro de Jesus square now looks as good as it did when it was first erected by the Jesuits in 1672. — Frommer's

The façade of this church, illuminated by white light bulbs in the evening, can be seen from afar, perched on the Colina Sagrada (Sacred Hill). — Michelin Guide

One of Brazil’s most magnificent churches, the baroque Igreja e Convento São Francisco is filled with displays of wealth and splendor. — Lonely Planet

It wasn’t seen until a workman installing wiring in the 1930s serendipitously discovered the beautiful, baroque sandstone facade (the only one of its kind in Brazil). — Lonely Planet

The Largo do Pelourinho is located in a street in Old Salvador. — Michelin Guide

The Terreiro de Jesus, also called Praça XV de Novembro, is extended by the Largo do Cruzeiro. — Michelin Guide

The Afro-Brazilian Museum is dedicated to African culture in Brazil, which is particularly profuse in the State of Bahia. — Michelin Guide

Displays highlight gold, crystal, porcelain and silver pieces, as well as beautifully carved coral jewelry and tortoiseshell fans. — Lonely Planet

The Museu da Misericórdia is housed in a marvelous 17th-century edifice, this one serving as Brazil’s first hospital. — Lonely Planet

Bahian food is as fun to pronounce as it is to eat. — Afar Magazine

Forte São Marcelo is a small, circular fort that was erected on a sandbank in 1650, opposite the Cidade Baixa (Lower Town). — Michelin Guide

Housed in a tranquil 17th-century cloister, the Museu de Arte Sacra da Bahia has high stone walls, a shady courtyard and bay views. — Lonely Planet

The die-hard market fan will enjoy Mercado São Joaquim, a small city of sketchy waterfront stalls about 2km north of the Elevador Lacerda. — Lonely Planet

The original church, founded in 1636, burnt to the ground; the present neoclassical structure dates from 1828. — Lonely Planet

This small but splendid museum displays one of Brazil's best collections of Catholic art. — Frommer's

When Italian-Brazilian modernist architect Lina do Bardi set about transforming this 17th-century private fazenda overlooking the sea, she created one of the world's most picturesque modern art museums. — Fodor's

Rather like the city itself, Museu da Cidade contains an eclectic assortment of the old and the modern, the sacred and the profane. — Lonely Planet

Praia Porto da Barra beach is rather like the Pelourinho: small, picturesque, usually crowded, loaded with vendors selling everything imaginable, and roughly half those present are foreigners. — Lonely Planet

Literary types shouldn't miss a quick visit to the Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado, offering an overview of the life of one of Brazil’s best-known writers. — Lonely Planet

This gorgeously restored Art Deco outdoor elevator is a symbol of Salvador and connects the city's cidade alta (upper city) with the cidade baixa (lower city). — Afar Magazine