I visited this site in July 2018.

The historic centre of Salvador has a very peculiar topography. The city is full of ups and downs, and there's a cliff separating the old area in the upper city and the lower city. Probably the most famous building of Salvador is the one that connects these two parts, the Lacerda elevator. The current building is in art déco style, built in 1930. Use it costs only a few cents, but expect a queue. It isn't a great touristic experience, it's just an elevator, but it's very practical to explore the area.   

The lower city is small compared to the upper city. There's really no much space, with the ocean on one side and the cliff on the other side. The most interestings buildings in this area are the Basilica of Conceição da Praia and the Modelo market. Another interesting place there is the Solar do Unhão, a former sugar cane farm complex that is now a museum, but unfortunately I didn't go there.

The upper city has a lot more to see. Usually people call this part of the historic centre of Pelourinho, but this is the name of only one of the districts of old area. The core zone of the WHS also embraces other districts, like Santo Antônio, Saúde and Barroquinha, but the taxi driver that taked me to there advised me to walk around only in Pelourinho area, for safety reasons. Pelourinho is the most touristic area, with shops and restaurants, and with the best preserved buildings. It's very pleasant to walk there, as taxis are the only kind of cars allowed in this area.

 The Pelourinho Square (Largo do Pelourinho) has the most beautiful views of this UNESCO site, with the colorful row of houses and towers of the 4 nearby churches. I remember to sit on the stairs in front of Casa de Jorge Amado Foundation (dedicated to a brazilian writer) and just enjoy the view with no worry about time.

But for me the most remarkable place of this site is the Convent of St. Francis. The cloister has beautiful white and blue painted tiles, and the interior of the baroque church is stunning, with its gold decorations literally all over the space. Right in the left side of the convent is the church of the Third Order of St. Francis, that stands out among the many churches of Salvador for its very adorned facade, unnusual for brazilian standards. The most interesting in the interior of this building is the Saint's Room, with its human sized statues of saints with real clothes and human hair, beautiful and creepy at the same time. Unfortunately the cathedral was closed for restoration during my trip, but now it's open again. I can't talk much about this main attraction, but the Terreiro de Jesus square, where it is located, has an interesting scenery, with 2 other nice churches.  

Salvador is a big city, with the fourth biggest population in Brazil, and it's a popular destination for those interested in beaches. If you don't like beaches, you can appreciate the 5 old forts that are on the Tentative List. The city is also memorable for the typical food, with a big african influence. I had a great time in Salvador, specially for the feeling of greatness of this former capital of the country, that you can see in the streets of the historic centre, not perfectly conservated, but bold and vibrant. I can say it is my favorite WHS in Brazil so far.