The Gamboa neighbourhood is characterised by the coastal community, secularly inhabited by fishermen, located at the south-western entrance of the Bay of All Saints near the centre of Salvador.
Gamboa – which is home to the communities of Solar do Unhão and Gamboa de Cima e de Baixo – is bordered by the Avenida Contorno and is embraced by Todos os Santos Bay (Baía de Todos os Santos). No, this is not an exaggeration.
The residents of these localities have as their permanent view the calm of the sea. For the post office and Google, these places are part of the Dois de Julho neighbourhood, but for the residents and regulars, this piece of land is a city in itself.
The tour has to start at Solar do Unhão, which is part of the Museum of Modern Art.
In addition to the MAM beach (practically inside the MAM Sculpture Park), the area around the museum hosts the Jam no MAM project in the summer, which promotes jazz concerts at sunset.
There, you can also see graffiti from MUSAS, Salvador’s Street Art Museum, colouring the walls and facades of the community.
Inside the community of Solar do Unhão is the beloved restaurant of Dona Suzana, with its classic stingray moqueca (and affection to give and sell).
In Gamboa, there is Bar de Mônica, which in addition to delicious food, has a pier with an infinite view of the Bay of All Saints. There are two ways to get to Gamboa: by boat or on foot through Rua dos Ingleses.
This whole area is an invitation to practice water sports such as stand-up paddle (SUP), especially leaving the “praia das pedrinhas”, as Solar beach is known.
Gamboa was part of Salvador’s first habitable space due to its proximity to the old port in the Comércio region.
In 1962, the construction of Avenida Lafayete Coutinho, or Contorno, defined the boundaries of the neighbourhood between Gamboa de Baixo and Gamboa de Cima. Both are glued to the also traditional Dois de Julho neighbourhood.
The remnants of Fort São Paulo make up the Gamboa de Baixo landscape. It emerged as part of the city’s defence plan and was inaugurated in 1722. The fortress, now in ruins, is the place chosen by the community to hold some meetings and community activities. Learn more about Gamboa: one of the best walks in Salvador.
Avenida Contorno em Salvador BA03:20
Comunidade do Solar do Unhão em Salvador25:49
Museu de Arte Moderna da Bahia - MAM02:55
Praia do MAM em Salvador BA01:55
Culture
Near Avenida Carlos Gomes, next to Largo dos Aflitos, is one of the most important cultural spaces in Salvador: the Gamboa Theatre. Although small in size – it has only 80 seats – it hosts important shows and exhibitions in the city.
.
On its border is located the Passeio Público de Salvador, where we find the traditional Vila Velha Theatre and the sumptuous Palácio da Acclamação do Governo.
The Passeio Público overlooks the Gamboa neighbourhood and the Baia de Todos os Santos.
The little beach of Gamboa de Baixo or Solar do Unhão, as it has come to be called by the local community, is a must for anyone visiting Salvador. The beach – which offers a quiet swim – is great for taking souvenir photos of the tour.
Right next door, practically inside the MAM Sculpture Park, is the MAM Beach. This strip of sand, which lies between the Museum of Modern Art of Bahia and the Bahia Marina, has a small cove with calm, crystal-clear waters.
A sensation of the moment, the place is frequented by locals, tourists and especially young hipsters, which has turned it into one of the most buzzed-about spots of recent times. Things in Salvador! Where else would you find a beach inside a museum?
Culinary
Gamboa has gastronomic gems from Bahia for all tastes and moods. At the top of the neighbourhood, Chez Bernard Restaurant, located on Rua Gamboa de Cima, is the first French restaurant in the city. Opened by Frenchman Monsieur Bernard Goethals in 1963, it is a reference in international cuisine.
The regional food, however, is the most famous in the region. Two places stand out: Bar de Mônica and Restaurante Dona Suzana. Both specialise in seafood, especially moquecas. Dona Suzana was even a character in the Netflix series Street Food, talking about her passion for food that attracts tourists and Bahians.
The A Novidade bar is also worth a visit. Opened in the summer of 2019, it became known for its colourful buoys, fried fish, slab with chairs facing the sea and for being owned by two members of MUSAS, Salvador’s Street Art Museum.
Ivete Sangalo, Anitta and Netflix have surrendered to the charms of the neighbourhood
.
The region is the favourite of the famous to record audiovisual productions. Recently, Gamboa beach was the setting for the recording of the single Bola Rebola, by singer Anitta, and also for scenes from the soap opera Segundo Sol, on TV Globo. Netflix also recorded an episode of the series Street Food there, showing the local gastronomic delights.
Neighbour of the community, the singer Ivete Sangalo does not give up, from time to time, trying the gastronomic delights of Gamboa and also practicing SUP with her husband Daniel Cady. The two even started dating after meeting in the sea of Gamboa.
Gamboa de Baixo and the community of Solar do Unhão have a profusion of cultural and commercial activities. Look for the neighbourhood association and find out more.
MAM Beach, Solar do Unhão and Gamboa: what they look like, how to get there
MAM Beach
It’s a small strip of sand squeezed between the stone containment of Bahia Marina and the Museum of Modern Art of Bahia itself, with it also in the background. Access to the beach is via the museum.
On the beach, it is possible to rent a chair and umbrella and there is an option to sell beer and curd cheese, popsicles.
You can also get to MAM beach by boat, you have to go to Solar do Unhão beach and take a boat, which is also called Areinha.
Praia do Solar do Unhão
It is the famous beach of stones and it is already extremely unusual because of that.
The strip of sand, or rather stones, is a little larger than that of MAM. The stones are round and you can walk with sandals.
If you go to the sea barefoot, it will be impossible to maintain elegance at the entrance and exit, haha. Amazing little beach to catch the sunset. From there you can see any excitement that happens in the Solar do Unhão area.
To access it, just go a little further into the community, following down Av. Contorno, before the Association, there is a staircase on the direct side.
.On the beach, you can take a boat to Praia do MAM, to Gamboa, Corredor da Vitória, Baía, Barra, etc.
Gamboa Beach
This is practically the entire strip of water of the Bay of All Saints that bathes the place.
There will not always be sand. There is a part that has a little sand and a lot of stones, between the old Forte São Paulo da Gamboa and Bar da Mônica.
Tourist attractions of the Gamboa neighbourhood in Salvador BA
