Full-Day Salvador City Tour: Historic Sites & Lunch Included

Eight hours through Salvador's colonial heart, from the Lacerda Elevator to the São Francisco Church's Portuguese tiles.

A full-day private tour of Salvador covers the city's most significant colonial and cultural sites with a professional guide, lunch, and hotel or port pickup included. The itinerary moves through Cidade Alta's UNESCO-protected old town, stops at religious landmarks like the Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim and the São Francisco Church, and includes time at Mercado Modelo for local crafts. A minimum of two people per booking. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra20m
2. Carlos Costa Pinto Museumpass by
3. Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim30m
4. Tororo Dike20m
5. Mercado Modelo45m
6. Cidade Alta2h
7. Lacerda Elevator15m · entry included
8. Our Lady of Mount Serrat Fort15m
9. Sao Francisco Church and Convent30m · entry included

Full-day historic city tour with lunch

• Visit first city beach
• Photo stop at Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra
• Pass by Carlos Costa Pinto Museum
• Pass by wood and painting museum
• Photo stop at independence monument
• Visit Atelier Casa de Prentice
• Explore Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim
• See African orixas images at Tororo Dike
• Shop at Mercado Modelo
• Walking tour of Cidade Alta old city
• Optional visit to state governors memorial
• See Afro Bahian diaspora photography
• Ice-cream tasting stop
• Visit Jesuit art church
• Ride Lacerda Elevator
• Photo walk around Our Lady of Mount Serrat Fort
• Visit Sao Francisco Church and Convent

The experience

You start from your hotel or port and spend the morning in Cidade Alta, the historic upper city built on cobblestone streets where colonial buildings cluster around five main squares. The guide walks you through the neighborhood and explains the architecture and history as you move between sites. You'll see the São Francisco Church and Convent, which holds one of South America's most extensive Portuguese tile collections and gold-leafed interiors, and you'll visit the Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, where the guide explains the blend of Catholic and African religious traditions that shapes local belief. Both churches are entered as part of the tour.

The afternoon includes stops that break up the walking with views and local flavor. You'll ride the Lacerda Elevator, a 72-meter lift connecting the upper and lower city, and stop at the Forte de Nossa Senhora de Monte Serrat for photographs and views across the bay (coconut water is available for purchase). Mercado Modelo gives you time to browse local crafts and souvenirs, and you'll pass the Tororó Dike, where African orixá images line the water. A stop at a local tile painter's studio shows traditional craft work, and you'll see the Carlos Costa Pinto Museum, a colonial building housing silver and art collections. Lunch is included and happens during the day, though the exact timing depends on the guide's route through the sites.

The tour runs eight hours total and moves by air-conditioned vehicle between neighborhoods, with walking sections in Cidade Alta and around individual sites. The Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra, the city's first beach from the Portuguese arrival, is a twenty-minute photo stop. Entry to the fort itself costs extra if you choose it. Some stops are brief photo opportunities from the car, while others like Cidade Alta and the churches involve real exploration on foot. The guide is a live professional who can answer questions about what you're seeing, and the tour is private to your group.

What’s included

• Professional guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian.
• lunch during the day.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full route.
• hotel or port pickup and drop-off.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Your Tour Brazil

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guide steering the route and pacing through Salvador's colonial sites in one full day, rather than piecing together your own itinerary.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 10 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What's inside the São Francisco Church that makes it worth the stop?

The São Francisco Church holds one of South America's most extensive collections of Portuguese tiles and gold-leafed interiors, and you enter it as part of the tour.

How much walking is involved in a full day, and which parts are the most strenuous?

The main walking happens in Cidade Alta, where you explore the old town's cobblestone streets and colonial squares with your guide. Other stops involve shorter walks around individual sites or brief photo pauses from the vehicle. The tour suits all physical fitness levels.

Does the tour include entry to the Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra?

Entry to the Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra is not included. It costs R$12 per person if you want to go inside. The tour stops there for about twenty minutes to explore the area and take photos.

Can I visit Mercado Modelo, and is there time to shop for souvenirs?

Yes, Mercado Modelo is a scheduled stop where you can browse local crafts and buy souvenirs. It's a special stop to see local artisan work.