If Rio is the heart of Brazil, then Salvador is its soul; most definitely its African soul. Hot-blooded people, tropical sweat, smells of acarajés, and ocean mingle… During the day, the sun lights up Salvador, the capital of the State of Bahia, and its perfect mixture of modern and authentic culture.
During the night, the city vibrates to the sound of drums.
From the alleyways of the old quarter or Pelourinho come the powerful rhythms of capoeira, maculélé, macumba or candomblé, and thus begins the whirling of bodies the color of ebony.

This is where the Portuguese in 1540 founded the first capital city of their colony. During the following centuries, Salvador became, without a doubt, the most important city in the country. Mainly sugar but also tobacco, cattle breeding and diamonds assured the prosperity of this city, which decorated magnificent churches and superb colonial buildings that delight today’s tourist. The city remained the office of the colonial government until the decline of the sugar industry and was dispossessed of its status as the Capital city by Rio in 1763. Despite losing her economic and political importance, Salvador has nevertheless gained great fame as the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture. The musicians Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, the writer Jorge Amado and the sculptor Carybé, Bahian brothers from an exceptional generation of artists, are the most famous sons of this city.

Meeting at the hotel / the pousada at 09:00 14:00 with our English-speaking guide who takes us to the discovery of the neighborhood representing best the heart and soul of Salvador.
In the morning, a visit to the lower part of town, starting with its monuments and its markets.
The Mercado Modelo (touristy) then São Joaquim market (authentic Bahianese market). We cross town towards the North to reach the Church of Bonfim, a pilgrimage site where we can admire, in the "miracle room", an impressive collection of votive offerings, testifying to the local popular devotion for Senhor do Bonfim.
We follow with a visit to the Museum of Sacred Art (open afternoons only, visit after lunch). Located at the heart of the antique Santa-Teresa convent, it exhibits a collection of unique pieces dating from the 16th to the 20th century: azulejos (ceramic tile-work) panes, sculptures, silver and furniture.
In the afternoon, we visit the high part of town, dominated by the historical quarter of Pelourinho. Its prestigious architectural ensemble, renovated with its original bright colors, is constituted by magnificent colonial mansions and baroque churches one of them being the Church of São Francisco and its stunning azulejos fresco. By drawing from its African roots, the city created for itself a unique identity in Latin America, animating its daily life by the frenetic rhythms of Capoeira and religious ceremonies of Candomblé. Return to the pousada at the end of the day.
Entrance fees included. Meals not included. Night in a pousada.
Option: mix the un-avoidable and an initiation to candomblé (we recommend, after this day, that you go to a ceremony).

The town’s visit is organized differently from a classical city-tour, to include an initiation to Candomblé before attending a ceremony in the evening.
The candomblé, an African religion perpetuated in Brazil by the slaves, has remained very present on the bahianais soil.
This cult is based on the belief of the existence of numerous deities, the Orixás, symbolizing the elements of nature and endowed with gifts of precisely defined powers. These deities act as links between the living and the dead, that cohabitate in the same and only world.
Along with our English-speaking guide and a guide specialized in Afro-Brazilian culture, we leave the hotel at 09:00 in the direction of Pelourinho.
Its prestigious architectural ensemble, renovated with its original bright colors, is constituted by magnificent colonial mansions and baroque churches. By drawing from its African roots, the city created for itself an identity unique in Latin America.
In the program:
- Visit to the São Francisco church and its stunning azulejos fresco.
- Visit of the Afro-Brazilian museum, where large murals depict the past of the slaves and their different African origins. Representations of musical instruments used during Candomblé ceremonies are exhibited In the same room.
In the room dedicated to the Orixás, the 14 principal divinities fit with their arms and along with their liturgical animals are sculpted in large wood blocks by Carybé.
- Visit of Pierre Verger’s photograph exhibition, one of the most famous French people living in Salvador during the last century. Globe trotter, he spent the last few years of his life in Salvador, where he dedicated the essential of its energy to the study of Brazilian Candomblé, and to bringing to life the cultural similarities between Brazil and West Africa.
- We change neighborhood to visit the "terreiro" of Casa Branca, location of the cult and of the candomblé ceremonies. There we can see: O poço de Oxum (the well of Oxum), a sculpture of bel Borba in homage to Xangô, diverse "casa" were the Orixás like Oxum, Omolu, Oxossi and Ogum are veneered and the “casa de candomblé”, where the ceremonies take place.
- Visit of the foundation Pierre Verger, located in the house where he lived until his disappearance in 1995.
- Visit of terreiro de Gantois, famous cult location. We enter the house of famous Menininha de Gantois, one of the most known mãe de Santos (mother of the Saints) of Candomblé. Mae Minininha initiated political personalities, or artists like Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, or Maria Bethânia, to only mention the most famous ones, here...
- An option once on location: meet a mãe de Santos who may make some predictions using a "jogo dos Búzios", by interpreting the signs presented by seashells.
Return to the pousada at the end of the day.

At 08:15 we leave our hotel to head for the pier in the company of our English-speaking guide. By boat (escuna or saveiro / shared by other travelers), (no guide other than the boat captain), we start our excursion in the superb Bay of Todos Os Santos. We cross to the island of Frade, for our first swimming break.
Lunch on the island (buffet included). We then continue on, still by boat, towards Ponte de Arreia and the island of Itaparica. Panoramic view over Salvador and its surroundings.
Return to Salvador late afternoon.
Lunch included. Dinner open. Night in a pousada.
Option: private service, ask us.

* Evening Solar do Unhão
We are to attend a dinner-show during which are presented the music and dances of the afro-Brazilian culture: dance of the Orixas, fire dance and demonstrations of Maculélé and of Capoeira (with "mestres" of national caliber).
A high level performance in the superb decor of an ancient colonial warehouse completely renovated.
Our guide takes us back to the hotel before 01:00.
Included: entrance / buffet / round-trip transportation to and from hotel
Not included: English-speaking guide / drinks.

* Evening Candomblé
The candomblé, an African religion perpetuated in Brazil by the slaves, has remained very present on the bahianais soil. This cult is based on the belief of the existence of numerous deities, the Orixás, symbolizing the elements of nature and endowed with gifts of precise powers.
These deities act as links between the living and the dead, that cohabitate in the same and only world.
During a Candomblé ceremony, the fourteen Orixás will be called upon in their turn, and venerated through chants, dances and a codified body motion ritual.
We can distinguish in the group participating in the ritual: the master of ceremony, the hostess, the adepts and the percussionists.
During the ceremony, some of the deities take possession of the adepts’ bodies, persons initiated to the ritual of Candomblé.  They then enter in a trance.
Included: English-speaking guide / round-trip transportation / evening from 19:00 to 22:30.

Note 1: Before the evening starts, we strongly advise you do the special half-day Candomblé city tour. It is specially elaborated to allow an initiation and a better understanding of this secular practice.
Note 2: The Candomblé ceremonies are not celebrated every day.