Beginning by the lighthouse in the modern Barra region, the tour escorts you to the old historical Pelourinho colonial part of the city, which holds the largest collection of colonial architecture in Latin America. Excursions of the streets are given with the accompaniment of snips of history about the buildings, important landmarks and the context in which this part of town was built. The church of S. Francisco is also visited, which is a clear example of Baroque extravagance. The tour provides an introduction to the roots of the city with a contrast to the new and modern built areas.

The lower part of the city doesn't hold the majority of the neighborhoods that make Salvador such an active city. Down here amidst the quiet waters of the Itapagipe Peninsula fishermen do the job they love, while children collect seashells on the shore. It is here that the Bonfim Church is located and where yearly thousands of people come to celebrate their Candomble and Catholic faith in the Lavagem do Bonfim festival. The tour ends at the Mercado Modelo market in the Monserrat district where you can see and buy and rich assortment of local art and craft.

As the historic area became restored, it was infused with a new breath of life and now holds many of Salvador's finest restaurants and thriving bars. Dinner is followed by a tour of the busy streets and stopovers in several bars. Tuesdays and the weekends are the busiest nights.

A conglomeration of a show features the dance of the caboclo, an Amerindian hunting dance and capoeira. Also you'll see the samba de roda, a dance from the cane fields, and a martial art dance of Angolan origin. This all takes place within the 18th century colonial Solar do Uniao, which in its time had its own church, manor house and slaves quarters.

Outside of the rich and busy city of Salvador lays the wide and beautiful expanses of the oldest farmlands in Brazil. Contained within the rolling hills are sugar cane and tobacco plantations, colonial towns and country markets. Lunch is served in Cachoeira, one of the colonial towns situated on the banks of the Paraguassu River. Here you'll find remarkable preservations of cultural and artistic landmarks. Afterwards, a tour of the town is given, which encompasses the bustling market that is held every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday along with a visit to the Sisterhood of the Good Death which has its roots back in the times of slavery.

Visit the top museums within Salvador, together forming a comprehensive history of the Bahia region. Museums include the Costa Pinto Museum, the Afro Brazilian Museum, which shows through its collection the history of Capoeira, and a visit to the Sacred Art museum, holding one of the best collections of religious art from the 17th to 18th century.

From your hotel you are taken to the All Saints Bay, where you will board a schooner and be carried to two islands that are part of the 36 islands of the bay, passing the famous Loreto, Tobar, da Viracao, Costa de Fora e Ponta de Nossa Senhora and Paramana beaches. You will experience the beauty of the Frade Island that is surrounded by palm trees and warm, clear waters. Then you will dock on the Itaparica Island where lunch is served, and then a walking tour of the colonial town of the island is given. Itaparica means "around the rocks," in relation to the barrier of coral reefs that surround the island and form a basin of warm and crystal clear waters.

A tour that weaves you through important historic African landmarks: the tour starts in Pelourinho, and is followed with a visit to the Afro-Brazilian Museum, the Society for the Destitute that was formed to help slaves before the abolition (which is still alive in the black community), the Church of our lady of Rosary which dates back to when blacks and whites could not worship under the same roof, and finally to the Casa do Benin that holds many Afro-Brazilian culture artifacts.

Salvador Overview

   City Tours
   Architecture
   Museums

   Beaches:
   Beaches in Salvador
   South of Salvador
   North of Salvador

   Lodging
   Shopping
   Entertainment
   Dining
       Restaurants

   Celebrations:
   Carnaval
   Festivals

   Neighborhoods:
   Pelourinho

   Safety

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