Igreja e Convento de São Francisco

One of Brazil’s (heck, one of the world’s!) most magnificent churches, Salvador’s church and convent of São Francisco was built between 1708 and 1723 and stands as one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World. The first step inside its nave is astonishing: The interior—walls, pillars, vaults and ceilings—is awash in sculpted gilt woodwork and Baroque paintings. Guides and historians disagree on exactly how much gold is here, but suffice it to say it’s enough to elicit a stunned, mouth-agape travel moment in all who wander in.