Largo do Campo Grande (Campo Grande Square), Salvador

Largo do Campo Grande, or as it's sometimes known, 2nd of July Square (“Praça 2 de Julho”), has been around since the early 1800s and has seen its fair share of urban makeovers. Today, it's a gorgeous park and a perfect hangout spot, surrounded by historic monuments and buildings. It's at the heart of a bustling cultural scene, with landmarks like the Teatro Castro Alves (TCA), Teatro Vila Velha, Palácio da Aclamação, and iconic institutions such as the “Casa d'Itália” and Women's Institute of Bahia (“Instituto Feminino da Bahia”) all within arm’s reach.

By the 20th century, luxury residential buildings, clubs, and the Hotel da Bahia (opened in 1949) joined the area, and Campo Grande became the starting point of Salvador’s most legendary Carnival circuit: Osmar. To this day, it also remains a hotspot for the city’s biggest public gatherings, not to mention events like A Feira, Coreto Hype, Festival Hype, and the Antiques Fair.

Once known as Saint Peter’s Field (“Campo de São Pedro”), this was the site of intense battles during the events leading up to Bahia’s fight for independence. Now richly adorned with monumental sculptures imported from France, it honors the heroes of that very fight. At its heart stands the Monument to the Caboclo, also known as the Monument to the 2nd of July-a tribute to Bahia’s independence, which includes references to the São Francisco River, the Paulo Afonso Waterfalls, and the Paraguaçu River. Talk about a square with a lot to say!