Sunset
A west-facing beach.
Vangelis Medina — CC BY 3.0 · Turismo Bahia — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Paulo SP/ Wikimedia — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Paul R. Burley — CC BY-SA 4.0
Porto da Barra is a short beach, about 300 metres, in Salvador's Barra district at the mouth of the Bay of All Saints, and unlike the open ocean its water is calm, good for swimming and for families. It faces west, which is rare in Brazil, so people gather on the sand to watch the sun set over the bay. The city's history surrounds it: at the southern end stands the Santo Antônio da Barra fort and its famous lighthouse, the Santa Maria fort is nearby, and the São Diogo fort closes the northern end, all from Portuguese colonial times. The first European settlement in Bahia stood on this beach, and at its northern end a marble column with a panel of azulejo tiles marks the 400th anniversary of the Portuguese arrival. In the 1960s it was a hangout of Tropicália musicians such as Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. The beach is free, with kiosks and chair and umbrella hire. It has suffered pollution linked to the city's sewage system in the past, so ask about water quality, especially after heavy rain.
A west-facing beach.
Colonial defences.
Azulejo tiles.
Barra district, at the entrance to the Bay of All Saints, Salvador
Yes, the water is calm because it sits inside the bay entrance; but ask about water quality after heavy rain.
