Salvador (in full, São Salvador da Baía de Todos os Santos, or in literal translation: "Holy Savior of All Saints' Bay") is a city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is located on a small, roughly triangular peninsula that separates Todos os Santos Bay from the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The bay, which gets its name from having been discovered on All Saints' Day forms a superb natural harbor. The city was for a long time also known as Bahia. and appears under that name on many maps and books from before the mid 20th century, including Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719) .

Salvador was the first capital of Brazil and remained so until 1763, when it was succeeded by Rio de Janeiro, the new economic power center of that era. The city became a base for the Brazilian independence movement and was attacked by Portuguese troops in 1812, before being officially liberated on July 2, 1823. It settled into graceful decline over the next 150 years, out of the mainstream of Brazilian industrialization. It remains, however, a national cultural and tourist center.

By 1991 the population was 2.08 million.

The coastline is equally diverse, featuring sandy beaches, sea cliffs, mangrove swamps, and a number of islands, the largest of which, Itaparica, includes a famous resort area.
Salvador has a typical tropical climate, with warm to hot temperatures and high relative humidity all throughout the year.

Capoeira, a unique form of martial arts, combining agile dance moves with unarmed combat techniques, is also very popular in the area (85% of the population) and largely of African origin. Salvador is the home to several major branches of capoeira practice. The city contains many fine colonial buildings, its Historic Center having been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. There are found many magnificent old houses, the nation's first medical school, and, even more important, Brazil's oldest cathedral (1572) and additional churches, many featuring significant works of art. The great number of Catholic houses of worship in the city has earned it the nickname of "Black Rome."

Salvador is noted for its large Carnival celebrations, which include a strong Afro-Brazilian musical and spiritual component.

Salvador is an important tourist destination and is the second most popular destination in Brazil. Chief among the points of interest are its famous Pelourinho (named after the colonial pillories that once stood there) district, its magnificent historic churches, and its beaches.