Salvador Private Tour: Colonial Sites, Markets & Lacerda Elevator
Walk the cobbled streets of Brazil's first capital, then ride the historic elevator between two worlds
A private 6-hour tour of Salvador starting with hotel pickup, moving through the colonial heart of Cidade Alta on foot, then descending via the Lacerda Elevator to the port area and Cidade Baixa. The guide explains the religious and historical layers woven through the city, from the São Francisco Church's Portuguese tile work and gold leaf to the African orixas honored at Tororo Dike and the Nosso Senhor do Bonfim Church. Stops include Mercado Modelo for local crafts and a taste of Bahian street food.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Explore Salvador's historic and cultural sites
- Visit first city beach
- Photo stop at Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra
- Photo stop at independence monument
- Visit Atelier Casa de Prentice
- Explore Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim
- See African orixas and Tororo Dike
- Shop at Mercado Modelo
- Walking tour of Cidade Alta historic area
- Optional visit to state governors memorial
- Taste traditional ice cream
- Ride Lacerda Elevator
- Visit Sao Francisco Church and Convent
- Explore Jesuit ecclesiastic art
- Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra 20m
- Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim 30m
- Tororo Dike 20m
- Mercado Modelo 45m
- Cidade Alta 2h
- Lacerda Elevator Entry included 15m
- Sao Francisco Church and Convent Entry included 30m
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off.
- private vehicle and driver.
- professional guide in your chosen language.
- entry to the São Francisco Church with its Portuguese tiles and gold leaf interiors.
- ride on the Lacerda Elevator.
- stops at Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra, Atelier Casa de Prentice, Nosso Senhor do Bonfim Church, Tororo Dike, Mercado Modelo, and Cidade Alta's colonial squares.
- a snack of Bahian street food to taste local flavors.
Times
- Every day 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00
Before you book
Operated by Your Tour Brazil
Prices and times updated today
Traveler reviews
The experience
How much of Salvador can you actually see in a morning and afternoon? This tour compresses the essentials into six hours: the colonial squares of Cidade Alta, the port views from Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra, and the religious sites that hold the city's layered history. You'll walk the cobbled streets with a guide who explains what you're standing in front of, not just the buildings, but the African and Catholic beliefs that shaped them. A stop at Atelier Casa de Prentice lets you watch a local tile painter at work in his studio.
The afternoon shifts focus to the lower city. You ride the Lacerda Elevator down to Cidade Baixa, where the port opens up and the energy changes. Mercado Modelo is a working market, not a museum. You'll see local artisans and have time to pick up souvenirs. The Tororo Dike stop gives you a view of the orixas statues and the football stadium beyond. A snack of Bahian street food sits somewhere in the rhythm of the day, letting you taste what the city actually eats.
Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or another language depending on the option you choose. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, and the driver navigates the traffic: the six hours accounts for moving through the city, though exact timing shifts with congestion. The São Francisco Church's interior, with its Portuguese tiles and gold leaf work, is the standout interior space. Entry is included. Some stops like the Catedral Basílica depend on which option you book.
Is this one for you?Book this if you have one morning and afternoon to see Salvador's colonial center and port views. The private format lets your guide pace stops to your interests, while hotel pickup means you start from your accommodation rather than meeting downtown.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
In English, Spanish and Portuguese, with 5 departure times. In French and Italian, at 09:00.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What is inside the São Francisco Church that makes it worth the stop?
The São Francisco Church and Convent holds the most extensive Portuguese tile collection in South America, paired with gold leaf work throughout the interior. It's the architectural anchor of the tour's colonial section.
Can you actually go inside Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra, or is it just a photo stop?
Forte de Santo Antonio da Barra is primarily a photo stop where you'll spend around twenty minutes exploring the exterior and taking in views of the first beach where Portuguese colonizers arrived. Entry to the fort interior is optional and costs R$12 per person, paid separately on the day.
What happens at Mercado Modelo? Is it a quick stop or do you have time to browse?
Mercado Modelo is a working market where you stop to see local artisans and have time for shopping souvenirs. It's not a rushed pass-through. The guide builds in space for you to move around and pick things up.
Does the tour include lunch, or just the street food snack?
The tour includes a snack of typical Bahian street food to experience local flavors, but lunch is not included. You'll have time to eat the snack during the day, and you can arrange a meal separately if you want a full lunch break.
How does the Lacerda Elevator work? Do you just ride it, or is there something to see?
You ride the Lacerda Elevator down from Cidade Alta to Cidade Baixa, experiencing the transition between the upper and lower city that the elevator has connected since the 1800s. It's both transportation and a landmark moment in the tour's flow.
Salvador Private Tour: Colonial Sites, Markets & Lacerda Elevator
6h · EN · ES · FR · IT · PT · at your hotel
from US$ 150 per person
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