Things to do in

Salvador, Brazil

Choose from 5 different itineraries to best fit your time in Salvador and your preferences. Explore the city's highlights on a private tour with an expert guide and learn about the historical background of the city. • 4-Hour Cidade Baixa - Salvador Outskirts Tour Visit the lower city of Salvador and get to know the coastal area of Baía de Todos os Santos. Go to Dique do Tororó and enjoy a panoramic view of the Arena Fonte Nova football stadium. Next, see the beaches of Ribeira and the Itapagipe Peninsula and visit a tile-painting workshop. Taste a tropical ice cream at the traditional Sorveteria da Ribeira and head to the famous Senhor do Bonfim Church. Get a beautiful view of Montserrat Fortress and end your tour visiting Mercado Modelo, a major landmark of colonial Brazil where you can find a wide variety of vendors selling art and handicrafts. • 4-Hour Old Salvador with Pelourinho Tour Learn about the rich history of Salvador by starting your tour at Santo Antonio da Barra Fortress and Lighthouse. Then, visit the monument to Brazilian Independence, and walk the UNESCO-inscribed Historic Center of San Salvador de Bahia, also known as "Pelourinho.” Visit the Jesuit Basilica Cathedral and the Church of St. Francis of Assis, two of the most extraordinary religious buildings in Brazil. • 6-Hour Salvador Essentials Tour with Local Snack Make the most of your time and see the main sights in the city in this combo tour of the Cidade Baixa – Salvador Outskirts and Old Salvador with Pelourinho tours. Have a quick stop to try a crepioca (included) and taste a unique flavor of Bahian gastronomy. • 7-Hour Old Salvador with Pelourinho Tour & Salvador Beaches Live Salvador at its best and combine history with beach relaxation. This tour combines the Old Salvador with Pelourinho tour with some time to enjoy Praia do Flamengo and Stella Maris, two of the best beaches in Salvador. Lunch is not included. • 8-Hour Salvador Essentials Tour with Regional Lunch  Take the complete tour of Salvador combining the Cidade Baixa – Salvador Outskirts and Old Salvador with Pelourinho tours at a more relaxed pace with a stop for a traditional Bahian lunch (included).

Salvador is a city that holds that largest black population outside the African continent and hence, it is known as the Black Rome. It has preserved as part of its historical legacy an intense African-Amerindian religiosity.  The city safeguards charms and mysteries, hidden in magnificent places that you will have the opportunity to visit through this itinerary, carefully prepared in order to demystify erroneous notions and impressions disseminated over several centuries about religions of African origin in the world. The route begins in the Afro-Brazilian Museum which, through its collection, narrates the history of enslaved Africans and the transatlantic trade, and the ebb and flow of enslaved peoples and their identities. The artifacts come from several regions of the African continent, allowing you to understand the countless intellectual, artistic, cultural and religious manifestations of these peoples in Brazil. You will visit the Pierre Verger Foundation, the French anthropologist responsible for developing literary and photographic records of the history of slavery, and extensive audio visual documentation. You will get to know a maroon community, places that served as a haven for black people and their African gods during the colonial and post-abolition periods in Brazil. Soon after, you will get to know a Candomblé terreiro from the ewe-fon a nation of daomeniana origin and have the opportunity to consult the sacred oracle (optional activity - extra cost). As you walk through the streets, you will see the urban and cultural development of a slum originated from a maroon community, in the company of guide from the community, who is initiated in these traditions and knowledgeable of these historical processes.

Salvador, the first capital of Brazil, has maintained the evidence of its African heritage, introduced by the transatlantic slave trade from Africa to Brazil. During the Portuguese colonization, the Bay of All Saints was of fundamental importance as the main export site in the Southern Hemisphere, from which products such as Brazilian sugar and Bolivian silver were shipped to Europe. On this 4-hour tour you’ll learn about the transatlantic slave trade and its legacy by visiting key historical sites in the city of Salvador. The tour begins at the Fort and Barra Lighthouse at the port of arrival for enslaved Africans. Continue to the Tororó dike and see the monument dedicated to the legacy of African religious heritage and the worship of Orixas. The next sites you’ll visit are located in the Cidade Baixa (lower city), where you’ll take in important historic locations marking the presence of Africans in Bahia and Brazil. In the historic downtown area, you’ll visit the Afro Museum of Benin, where the collection highlights the African perspective in the formation of Brazilian identify and culture. You’ll also stop at the Church of the Rosary of the Blacks, the first Black Christian religious brotherhood in the New World. The tour concludes with a visit to the Casa do Benin Museum, one of the main African cultural centers in the state of Bahia.

Make the most of your trip to Morro de São Paulo Island and avoid the stress of planning your travel to or from Salvador. With your pre-booked transfer service, enjoy pickup from your Salvador hotel or the airport, then sit back and relax as your driver does all the work. After pickup from Salvador before 1:15PM, enjoy a ride in a comfortable and air-conditioned vehicle to the maritime terminal. From here, board a shared boat that takes you over to Itaparica Island. Once there, relax during the 2-hour car drive to Valença city followed by a 15-minute shared speedboat ride to Morro de São Paulo Island. The return journey takes the same route back.

Depart Salvador and journey by ferry to Itaparica Island. Then take a short drive to the city of Valencia, and continue by speedboat to what is affectionately known as "The Hill" by Bahian locals. On arrival at Morro de São Paulo, discover beaches of white sand, crystal-clear waters, coconut trees and dense Atlantic forest. Relax in the off-beat location, characterized by beaches with numbers instead of names. Experience the friendly village atmosphere, where cars are forbidden and the hospitable people hang out in the bars and restaurants. Take part in optional activities such as horseback rides and zipline adventures, or just wander among the many enchanting sights. Suitable for all ages and tastes, Morro de São Paulo is home to cheerful dancing and cocktails on the beach. Join the locals and drink caipirinhas, or dip your toes in the calm waters of the ocean. Alternatively, you can take the 2-hour catamaran direct from Salvador to Morro de São Paulo if you want more time on the island. There is also the option to spend the night at Morro de São Paulo should you wish to linger a little longer at the end of the day. Return to Salvador in the late afternoon if you don't want to take advantage of this option.

This tour itinerary is tailored so you can contemplate the historic places and night-time ambiance of Salvador. What's more, meet the Bahian people and become acquainted with their heritage. This tour includes dinner in a traditional restaurant that offers typical cuisine - a mixture of remarkable and unforgettable delicacies and flavors. The celebrations and festivities in the streets are unique spectacles, but during this evening experience you will also attend a spectacular show of Bahian culture, which will allow you to gain a better understanding of what Bahia is all about! The music and the sound of drums, will enable you to feel the magic of the sacred dances of the African gods. Witness the legacy of a resistance struggle through Capoeira and Maculele, ancestral dances that symbolize the freedom of black people in Brazil, and the beautiful Roda de Samba, a trademark of Brazilian musicality.

Enjoy a hassle-free arrival in Salvador with this private transfer service from the airport in a 2019 vehicle. Relax on the journey to your hotel or private residence in the city of Salvador. Start your trip off with this safe and efficient transfer service.   Your driver will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign that will have your name on it. Vehicle transfers are available daily from the Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport in Salvador da Bahia to all hotels in the city of Salvador. The transfers are safe, punctual and comfortable. You will need to provide the details of your flight and your city hotel or address. Your transfer will be confirmed promptly and you will be provided with a travel voucher to present to the driver. Enjoy your vacation and get off to a great start. 

Discover the largest bay in Brazil at Baía de Todos os Santos, known by the indigenous Kirimurê as Tupinambás. Following pickup from your hotel, see the sights of the bay as you cruise across the water aboard a typical schooner. Take in the magnificent views of Salvador and listen to samba music as you sip refreshing drinks, such as local caipirinhas, purchased on board.  Disembark at one of the 56 islands in the bay, such as pretty Ilha dos Frades, where the beaches, mountains, and native trees will take your breath away. Sample local snacks and drinks, and then head for the island of Itaparica to admire the historic architecture and learn about the religious groups of African origin. Break for lunch (not included) at a restaurant that specializes in the local cuisine, and spend the afternoon enjoying the beauty of the area before returning to Salvador.

Your full-day tour of the north coast of Bahia begins with a visit to the urban beaches of Salvador. Continue along the picturesque Coconut Road to the Forte Beach, located at the edge of the Sapiranga sustainable rainforest conservation site. In addition to admiring beautiful beaches, natural pools and a charming fishing village by the sea, you’ll visit the turtle sanctuary and learn about marine conservation projects. See artwork and handicrafts produced in the region as well. Enjoy a break for lunch by the beach at Guarajuba, known for its coconut palms and inviting crystal-clear waters.

The Bahian Recôncavo is a region renowned for its history of struggles for the independence of Brazil. The architecture of its cities, especially of the city of Cachoeira, reflects the Portuguese colonial heritage, along with the African legacy which is present in the faces of its inhabitants, its intellectual, religious and cultural traditions in the daily life of its inhabitants.  The tour begins in Santo Amaro, a city whose economy was mainly driven by the sugar cane plantations and enslaved labor until 1888. This town is of great historical significance, particularly in the context of resistance against Portuguese colonization. You will stroll around the local public market and its ancient colonial houses, as well as visit the Samba Museum and the Parish Church. You will then drive by sugar cane, cassava and tobacco farms towards Cachoeira, the main city in the Recôncavo region. The city was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, located alongside the Paraguaçu River. It's a singular scenario in terms of architectural and cultural preservation. You will visit the churches of Carmo and Rosário, the City Hall and the former jail from the colonial era. You will also visit the House of the Religious Sisterhood of Our Lady of the Good Death. This Catholic sisterhood of African Matrix is a living legacy of matriarchal religious syncretism, which fills Recôncavo's people with pride, preserving the rich history of black resistance in Bahia and Brazil. The culmination of their religious and cultural festivities takes place during the month of August. Local businesses also reflect this cultural wealth, where customers can purchase beautiful carvings, embroidery and paintings produced in the region. You will cross the Paraguassu river using the bridge built by the British in 1830, giving access to the town of São Felix towards a farm strategically located in the hills surrounding the city, which will allow you an exquisite panoramic view of the region.  On this farm, lunch with typical local dishes will be served. Then, you will visit the renowned Danneman cigar factory, founded in the nineteenth century, where the tradition of producing handcrafted cigars is maintained. You will then return to the hotel.