Private City Tour in Salvador: Barra Fortress & Pelourinho

See Salvador's layers in one afternoon without planning the route yourself.

A private city tour in Salvador covers the Barra Fortress, Pelourinho and the colonial neighborhoods of Cidade Alta over four hours, with hotel pickup and an air-conditioned vehicle included. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or another language you choose at booking. You walk the cobbled streets of the old city, visit the São Francisco Church and its Portuguese tile collection, ride the Lacerda Elevator between the upper and lower city, and stop at Mercado Modelo for shopping. The tour is private, so the pace and stops are yours to shape.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Cidade Alta1h
2. Sao Francisco Church and Convent25m
3. Lacerda Elevator10m · entry included
4. Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra15m
5. Carlos Costa Pinto Museumpassing by
6. Mercado Modelo30m

Explore Salvador's historic and cultural sites

• Start at Santo Antonio da Barra Fortress and lighthouse
• Visit Barra Lighthouse and Nautical Museum (optional)
• Relax at Porto da Barra beach
• Walk to Tomé de Sousa Square
• Tour Cidade Alta historic area on cobbled streets
• Visit Sao Francisco Church and Convent
• Explore Jesuit ecclesiastic art church
• Ride Lacerda Elevator connecting upper and lower city
• Walk principal square with Jesuit evangelization sites
• Photo stop at main esquire of principal catholic church
• Stop at Mercado Modelo handcraft market for shopping

The experience

You get picked up from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle and driven to Cidade Alta, the heart of colonial Salvador. The guide walks you through five interconnected squares lined with baroque buildings, explaining the history of the cobbled streets and the role this neighborhood played in Brazil's past. The São Francisco Church and Convent comes next: the guide points out the Portuguese tile work and gold-leafed interior, which the operator calls the most imposing baroque style in Brazil.

The Lacerda Elevator is the first one built in the country, and you ride it to experience the connection between the upper and lower city. From there, the tour moves to the Barra Fortress and Barra Lighthouse, where the guide talks about the transatlantic trade and the arrival of Europeans, and you get a view across the Bay of All Saints. The fortress sits at a strategic point. This was where the first capital of Brazil was chosen. If you want to visit the Nautical Museum inside the lighthouse, that ticket costs extra and is not included. You also pass Porto da Barra beach and walk through Tomé de Sousa Square, where the City Hall and other government buildings frame the bay view. The Carlos Costa Pinto Museum, a colonial building housing silver art, and Mercado Modelo, the handcraft market, are stops where you can browse or photograph. The guide shapes the time spent at each place based on your interests.

Because the tour is private, you are not waiting for other groups or following a fixed schedule that does not match your pace. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you do not arrange transport to the starting point. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and the guide is fluent in the language you choose: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or another option. Lunch and drinks are not included, so you can eat where and when you prefer during the four hours.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private air-conditioned vehicle.
• a guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or another language.
• entry to the São Francisco Church and Convent and the Carlos Costa Pinto Museum.
• a ride on the Lacerda Elevator.
• walking tours of Cidade Alta, Pelourinho and the colonial squares.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private city tourGuide in 5 languages · 08:00 and 13:00A private city tour that includes pickup.

Cruise terminalGuide in 5 languages · 08:00 and 13:00Pickup and drop-off at the cruise terminal can be arranged at the time the client needs. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 13:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 10.03

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Your Tour Brazil

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you arrive with a free afternoon and want to see Salvador's main sites without renting a car or figuring out which neighborhoods to visit. The private format means the guide can linger where you are most interested and skip what does not appeal to you.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What is the Lacerda Elevator and why does the tour stop there?

The Lacerda Elevator is the first one built in Brazil and connects the upper city (Cidade Alta) with the lower city. You ride it as part of the tour to experience this historic link and see how the city is divided between the two levels.

Can I visit the museums and churches, or do we just see them from outside?

You go inside the São Francisco Church and Convent to see the Portuguese tiles and gold-leafed interior. The Carlos Costa Pinto Museum is also included. The Nautical Museum at the Barra Lighthouse requires a separate ticket (not included) if you want to enter. Some churches have irregular opening hours, so the guide will work around what is accessible on the day.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Lunch and drinks are not included. You can eat at a restaurant or café during the four hours, and the guide can suggest places based on where you are in the tour.

How does the private tour work differently from a group tour?

Because it is private, the guide adjusts the pace and time at each stop to match your interests. You are not waiting for other groups or following a fixed schedule, so if you want to spend more time at one site or skip another, the itinerary can shift.

Does the tour include pickup from my hotel?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included. The driver will collect you from your hotel and return you there at the end of the four-hour tour.