Day trips from Salvador: the old town, the coast, or both

Salvador was Brazil's first capital, and it is built on two levels: the lower city by the bay and the upper city on the cliff. The old town and the ocean coast make two half days or one full one, and Praia do Forte is a day of its own to the north. Here is what each of our five involves.

One day: Salvador in a day, with Bonfim, the Pelourinho and the lighthouse at Barra. A second day: Praia do Forte, for the beach and the sea turtles of Projeto Tamar.

The five, side by side

Trip	Length	Leaves	Price
Salvador in a Day: Private Tour of the Old Town, Bonfim and the Coast	8h	07:00	Price on request
Salvador Private Tour: The Pelourinho, the Elevador Lacerda and Bonfim	5h	07:00	Price on request
Salvador Coast Private Tour: Barra Lighthouse, Rio Vermelho and Itapuã	5h	07:00	Price on request
Salvador's Afro-Brazilian Heritage Private Tour	5h	07:00	Price on request
Praia do Forte and Guarajuba Private Day Trip from Salvador	9h	07:00	Price on request

Prices on request: send us your date and group size and we reply with the price.

How to choose

You have one day, and want the whole city

Salvador in a day. Eight hours from 07:00: the Bonfim church and its ribbons, the Mercado Modelo, the Elevador Lacerda up the cliff, a long morning in the Pelourinho, lunch, then Barra lighthouse and Rio Vermelho in the afternoon. The old town comes first, while it is cool.

You want the old town in half a day

The Pelourinho half day. Five hours, at 07:00 or 13:00: Bonfim, the Mercado Modelo, the public lift between the lower and the upper town, the painted squares of the UNESCO-listed Pelourinho, and the carved and gilded interior of São Francisco church.

You want the ocean side

The coast half day. Five hours along twenty-odd kilometres of coast road: the lighthouse in the fort at Barra, the calm water at Porto da Barra, the Casa de Iemanjá in Rio Vermelho, the striped lighthouse at Itapuã and the dark lagoon among the dunes at Abaeté. On the 13:00 start you can finish at Barra around sunset.

You want the African roots of the city

The Afro-Brazilian heritage half day. Five hours: the orixás standing in the water of the Dique do Tororó, the blue Rosário dos Pretos church built by a brotherhood of Black Bahians, Carybé's carved panels at the Afro-Brazilian Museum, and the MUNCAB. On Mondays and at weekends one of the museums is closed, and we adjust the day.

You want a beach day out of the city

Praia do Forte and Guarajuba. Nine hours on the Coconut Coast, about 80 km north: a first swim at Guarajuba, the sea turtles of Projeto Tamar, the village and its beach, and the ruins of the Garcia d'Ávila castle, begun in 1551. Popular with families.

Four things worth knowing before you book

Entrances are paid on the day

The price covers the private vehicle, driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Church and museum entrances, the Elevador Lacerda fare, Projeto Tamar and the castle at Praia do Forte are paid on the day.

Check the calendar

The castle at Praia do Forte and the MUNCAB are closed on Mondays. On 2 February the festival of Iemanjá fills Rio Vermelho, with heavy crowds and traffic. We can also collect you from the cruise terminal.

Private costs less than you think for a group

A coach seat is cheap for one person and stops being cheap at four. Our prices are by group size, not per seat: up to four of you share one car at one price, and the price only steps up when you need a van. And you are not waiting for forty strangers at every stop.

You can change your mind

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up, refunded in full. If the date stops working, message us and we will do our best to move you to another day.