Salvador da Bahia, the iconic city of Brazil's northwest, is most famous for its old quarter, Pelourinho, and its Afro-Brazilian culture. But visitors here should also not miss a chance to mix with the locals in one of their favorite going-out neighborhoods, Rio Vermelho, known for its nightlife and Bohemian atmosphere and full of live music, people and places to experience the city’s culinary delights.
If Pelourinho is full of churches, the coastal district of Rio Vermelho is teeming with bars of all shapes and sizes, and, in recent years, it has become the great Bohemian bastion of Salvador da Bahia and a very important point in terms of the city’s nightlife: there are nightclubs, restaurants, pizzerias, sushi bars and a number of bars which open onto the street. It is located on the coastline of Salvador, past Ondina and before Pituba, and the sea in this coastal area is full of stones but is always present; in the Largo da Santana and its surrounding areas, the vibrant activity on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons is notable, as the small square fills with outdoor tables from the many restaurants, bars and night spots gathered in the surrounding zones. This part of Rio Vermelho is also called Largo da Dinha in homage to the Bahian acarajé cook Dinha who died in 2008 and whose acarajé was, and remains – as her stand is still there, along with a restaurant called Casa da Dinha, run by her family – one of the most famous in Bahia.
Rio Vermelho beach is also renowned for its spectacular Yemanjá festival which is celebrated on February 2 each year. You have to dress in white to be in tune with tradition and feel like a Bahian for a day.
The nightlife of Salvador in general and the district of Rio Vermelho in particular offers something for everyone: open-air dances, clubs with DJs playing until sunrise, live music, bars serving haute cuisine and simple little bars that seem as if they have been there forever. You can experience this magic without great preparation; all you need to do is go with the flow of the vibrant local energy.
Don't miss: a visit to the JequitiBar, one of the most charming spots in Rio Vermelho, located outdoors, on the Balcony of the Sesi theater. It has an excellent menu, a peaceful atmosphere to chat and listen to live music, topped off with a spectacular sea view. It is located at Rua Borges dos Reis 9.
from our blog Passport To...
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