Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina
Lençóis
Spanning over 1520 sq km and containing within it innumerable species of plants and animals, deafening waterfalls and vast, rugged plains, Parque Nacional…
Must-see attractions in Bahia
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Salvador
This famous 18th-century church, located a few kilometers north of Comércio on the Itapagipe Peninsula, is the source of the fitas (colored ribbons) you…
Salvador
The centerpiece of the Cidade Alta is the Pelourinho, a Unesco-declared World Heritage site of colorful colonial buildings and magnificent churches. As…
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Salvador
This excellent nautical museum in Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra contains relics and displays from the days of Portuguese seafaring, plus exhibits on the…
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Salvador
Picture-perfect Largo do Pelourinho is a sloping, triangle-shaped square, once the site of the pelourinho (whipping post) – one of several nearby…
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Parque Nacional Marinho de Abrolhos
Bahia
Charter a trip to this 913 sq km park, located about 65km from mainland Brazil, to experience the natural splendors of the Atlantic ocean. Flocks of busy…
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Parque Nacional de Monte Pascoal
Bahia
Experience wild flora and fauna and the culture of the Paxato, one of the largest indiginous communities in Brazil, at this stunning park. It's free to…
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Bahia
Located about 1.5km outside of the village, Praia da Cueira has a nice stretch of palm-tree-lined beach facing the Atlantic that you'll likely find less…
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Salvador
Holding one of Bahia’s most important collections, the Museu Afro-Brasileiro exhibits wood carvings, baskets, pottery and other artwork and crafts linking…
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Bahia
Take a break from the beach and head into the forest to Vila Rosa, a beautifully restored cocoa farm. Guided tours take visitors around the plantation to…
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Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra
Salvador
Built in 1698, Bahia’s oldest fort is more commonly called the Farol da Barra for the lighthouse (South America’s oldest) within its walls. In addition to…
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Bahia
The extremely worthwhile Tamar Project station, designed to protect endangered sea turtles, is located on the beach next to the church and lighthouse.
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Salvador
The original 1861 Customs House, where slaves were housed when they arrived in Salvador, was partly destroyed in a fire in 1986. After reconstruction, it…
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Bahia
Karl Heinz Hansen (1915–76) was a German artist who emigrated to Brazil in 1949. He felt such an affinity with his new home that he had his surname…
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Salvador
Literary types shouldn't miss a quick visit to the Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado, offering an overview of the life of one of Brazil’s best-known writers. A…
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Bahia
In its boom times the area was known for tobacco production, the history of which is memorialized at this interpretive center where you can even buy a few…
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Salvador
The story of Salvador's world-famous Carnaval is told through wonderfully evocative archival video and photographs at this museum which opened in 2018…
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Bahia
Dating from 1552, the Castelo was the first great Portuguese edifice in Brazil. Desperate to colonize, the king of Portugal granted lands to merchants,…
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Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia
Salvador
Below the Museu Afro-Brasileiro (one admission ticket gets you into both), the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia exhibits indigenous Brazilian pottery,…
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Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo
Salvador
The original church, founded in 1636, burnt to the ground; the present neoclassical structure dates from 1828. The nave has a French organ and a baroque…
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Salvador
This lovely two-story mansion houses some of Salvador’s finest decorative art, from the collection of the patrician couple Carlos de Aguiar Costa Pinto…
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Igreja e Convento São Francisco
Salvador
One of Brazil’s most magnificent churches, the baroque Igreja e Convento São Francisco is filled with displays of wealth and splendor. An 80kg silver…
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Memorial da Epopéia do Descobrimento
Porto Seguro
Down by the beach, just north of town, the Memorial da Epopéia do Descobrimento is a worthwhile stop. The park features a replica of the Portuguese ship…
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Bahia
The Casa de Jorge Amado, where the eponymous writer lived with his parents while working on his first novel, has been restored and turned into a lovely…
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Bahia
Just outside of town you'll find the dramatic entrance for this charming coastal park – a long wooden bridge over a buzzing lagoon. Inside the park is a 3…
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Bahia
The Catedral de São Sebastião is the city’s towering icon – construction began in 1931 – and is a unique, eclectic mix of architectural styles. For an…
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Porto Seguro
Motivation is required to climb the stairs to Porto Seguro's old town. Rewards include colorful historic buildings and sweeping views over the coastline…
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Salvador
Stop into the headquarters of Olodum for information on percussion workshops and tours (only for small groups, not individual travelers), which include a…
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Igreja NS do Rosário dos Pretos
Salvador
The king of Portugal gave the Irmanidade dos Homens Pretos (Brotherhood of Black Men) the land for the periwinkle-blue Igreja NS do Rosário dos Pretos in…
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Bahia
Cachoeira has maintained a tradition of wood carving with a heavy African flavor. Stop in on the atelier (studio) of one of the best sculptors in town,…
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Salvador
It's worth the uphill hike to this 17th-century fort: from here, the views of the bay are fantastic.
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Salvador
The beautifully restored, art deco Elevador Lacerda connects the Cidade Alta with Comércio via four elevators traveling 72m in 30 seconds. The Jesuits…
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Salvador
This well-preserved, 18th-century complex served as a transfer point for sugar shipments: legend says it's haunted by the ghosts of murdered slaves. Today…
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Salvador
Museu de Arte Moderna has a changing display of avant-garde exhibits (and erratic opening times). The hillside sculpture garden is a pleasant place to…
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Salvador
The history of Praça da Sé reveals intriguing details about Salvador's development. From 1552 to 1933, the square was the site of the grand Sé Primacial…
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Salvador
A colorful intersection of vendors, tourists, capoeiristas and colorful locals, the Terreiro de Jesus is a historic site of religious celebrations, and is…
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Salvador
Leading away from the Pelourinho, the steep Ladeira do Carmo provides access to the Escadas do Carmo, a wide set of steps that were the setting of O…
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Porto Seguro
Housed in the former Câmara Municipal (Town Council), the Museu de Porto Seguro contains exhibits on Brazil’s early settlement, with rooms dedicated to…
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Bahia
This church dates to between 1693 and 1754. It has beautiful azulejos (handmade tiles imported from Portugal) and a ceiling painted by Teófilo de Jesus…
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Lençóis
For handicrafts made of local wood and stone, clay soaps, and semiprecious jewelry, stop by the beautiful old Mercado Cultural. Perched above the river on…
