2014 World cup host cities - Salvador, Brazil

About:

Founded in 1549, Salvador is the first capital of Brazil. With its population of about 3 million people, Salvador is Brazil’s third largest city after Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The city is one of the oldest in the Americas and is also the capital of the Northeastern state of Bahia. Salvador is known as the world’s biggest African city outside of Africa, because more than 80% of its population is made up of afro-descendants. The historic center of the city is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Before start to travel to Brazil check my post - 6 things to know, before you travel to Brazil .

Salvador, Brazil

Location

Salvador is situated on the Atlantic Ocean at the entrance to the Bay Todos os Santos.
The city is divided into the Cidade Alta ("Upper Town") and the Cidade Baixa ("Lower Town" – in the northwest), by escarpment.

Climate

Salvador has a  tropical rainforest climate and relatively constant temperatures throughout the year. From June to August the temperatures are between 15 °C / 59 °F and 30 °C / 86 °F. During the rest of the time - between 12 °C / 54 °F and 26 °C / 79 °F.
Travel tips that you’ll find useful when you visit this place:

How to get there

• by air

To reach Salvador by air, you will land at International Airport Salvador / SSA, which is 28 km/17 mi away from the city center.
Airport is served by bus transportation and of course you could take a taxi or rent a car.
Here are the bus lines from and to airport:

• 7 de Abril/N. Cidade/Canabrava – Airport (Line L302-00)
• Airport – Campo Grande (Line 1002-00)
• Airport – Lapa (Line 1003-00)
• Airport – Praça da Sé (Line S002-00)
• Airport – S. Joaquim (Line 1021-00)
• Est. Piraja/Est. Mussurunga – Airport (Line 1332-02)
• Est. Piraja/Est. Mussurunga – Airport (Line 1332-03)
• Itapuã – Castelo Branco (Line L607-01)
• Paripe – Airport (Line 1653-00)
• Paripe – Airport (Line 1653-01)
• Siero – Airport (Line 0410-00)
• Siero – Airport (Line 0410-01)
• Siero – Airport (Line 0410-03)
• Vila Canária – Airport (Line L307-01)
• by bus 

Salvador's long-distance bus station is in the middle of the new city, 14km from downtown. There are regular buses from all around the country and from Paraguay
I will not recommend you to use Bus for travelling to and from Salvador, because an average speed of buses is  50-60 kph / 30-37 mph, so it can take a lot time to travel.

• by sea 

There is a new passenger terminal at the port of Salvador, which will serve international cruise ships, so it’s another (romantic) option to get to Salvador.

How to Get Around

The main transport option to get around Salvador is to travel by bus. The approximate bus fares are about R$3,00 (USD 1,3). The taxi is expensive for long distances.
It is a good news, that by the 2014 World Cup, a metro line is expected to be in operation in Salvador.
To walk around the old city center you don’t need any transport, but to get between the upper and lower town sections, take the Elevador Lacerda or the cable car – the fare is only R$0,15.

World cup 2014 Stadium location 

The venue for 2014 world cup is Fonte Nova Arena. With its capacity is of 55 000 people the stadium will be the stage of six matches:
Group stage:
Match 3
13.06.14 – Spain : Netherlands
Match 13
15.06.14 – Germany : Portugal
Match 25
20.06.14 – Switzerland : France
Match 44
25.06.14 – Bosnia and Herzegovina : Iran
Round of sixteen:
Match 56
01.07.14 – 1H : 2G
Quarter-final:
Match 59
05.07.14 – W51 : W52

Located in the Old Center (Centro Antigo) of the city, it’ll take you less than 10 minutes walking from Castro Alves square to the stadium.

Where to Stay

Nice places to stay are in Rio Vermelho, Graca or Barra. There are good accommodation options in Pelourinho and Sao Francisco also, but you should be careful at night and beware of Pick-pocketing. So I recommend you to take a taxi and not walking alone. Check also hotels In and around Salvador Historic Centre.
If you want to stay closer to Fonte Nova Arena, check the hotels below:

Closest Hotels to the Arena de Sao Paulo / Arena Corinthians

• Hotel Dom Passos
• A Casa das Portas Velhas
• Hotel Villa Bahia
• Pousada Solar dos Deuses
• Hotel Pousada da Mangueira

Where to Eat

It is considered that Bahian restaurants are among the best in Brazil. In Salvador, you will discover the South American cuisine. You will find also most of the world popular fast-food restaurants.
Here are some of the good paces to eat&drink:

• Buffet & Self Serve - Restaurante do SENAC
• International cusine  - Bar Zulu
• Cafe Cafélier
• Brazilian cusine  - Maria Mata Mouro
• Seafood - Caranguejo de Sergipe

A must try:

• Abara - a wrap with bean paste, dende oil and onions all cooked in a banana leaf
• acarajé - small fritters made from black-eyed peas and onions fried in palm oil slathered with spicy vatapá (shrimp paste)
• drink caipirinha
• drink local beer
• drink non-alcoholic fruit juices with local fruits such as seriguela or umbu

Bars and Nightclubs

Here is a selection of bars and clubs for the nightlife lovers:
Beco dos Artistas, Bohemia Music Bar , Zauber Multicultura, Fashion Club

What to see

Salvador is known with its numerous popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival, so you will never be bored.
Here are several popular places worth visiting during your stay in Salvador:
The historical centre; Mercado Modelo (City market); Praça Municipal (City Square); Elevador Lacerda – an elevator, which was first installed in 1610; Museu Afro-Brasileiro; Museu Náutico da Bahia (Nautical Museum of Bahia); Abaeté Park.
Good sightseeing option is Day tour of Salvador by "Salvador Bus" .