Elevador Lacerda (Lacerda Lift), Salvador

Salvador’s famous public elevator, the Lacerda, links the historic Upper City to the commerical Lower City in a breezy 20 seconds. Born in the 1870s as a cutting-edge hydraulic marvel, today’s version runs four elevators that can whisk about two dozen passengers each. Anchored firmly to the rock, it handles an impressive daily flow of roughly 50,000 people.

From the upper platform, the view is a feast for the eyes: the lively Modelo Market, the busy port, and the vast, shimmering expanse of the Bay of All Saints—a perfect perch for photo ops and taking in the scenery.

Whether you’re bound for the Modelo Market, hopping a bus to Bonfim, or catching a boat to Itaparica, the elevator is your fast-track connection. And for those looking to linger, A Cubana Sorvetes—a 1930s favorite—is right there, ready to serve up a fizzy coco espumante, the retro coconut ice cream soda you didn’t know you needed.