Bahia Slow Travel

DAY 1: WELCOME TO SALVADOR

Arrival in Salvador. Meet and greet your guide at the airport. Transfer and check in at Hotel Catharina Paraguaçu (Standard room), located in Rio Vermelho. This is the neighbourhood where locals gather in the squares of the “Baianas do Acarajé” – women in traditional dress who prepare acarajé, a true symbol of Afro-Brazilian cuisine.

Services:

• Accommodation at Hotel Catharina Paraguaçu
• Transfer with an Italian-speaking guide

DAY 2: SALVADOR – LA ROMA NEGRA

Morning visit with a driver-guide to the “cradle” of Brazil, the former capital of the Portuguese colony. Cultural and religious syncretism still permeates this city, which holds the largest Afro-Brazilian population in the country. The historic centre is divided into the Upper City (Cidade Alta) and Lower City (Cidade Baixa). Highlights include Pelourinho – the most important colonial architectural complex in the Americas and a UNESCO World Heritage site – and the Lower City, featuring the symbolic Bonfim Church (Igreja do Bonfim) and Brazil’s oldest market, Feira de São Joaquim.

Services:

• Accommodation at Hotel Catharina Paraguaçu
• 6-hour city tour with an Italian-speaking guide

DAY 3: EXPERIENCING SALVADOR

Day at leisure with our suggestions on how to experience at most the “Black Rome.” On Tuesday evenings in Pelourinho, you can experience the Terça da Benção (Blessing Tuesday), a festival where the sacred and profane meet. We suggest attending a historic Mass in the first church in Brazil built for enslaved people, a unique ritual that blends Catholic rites with traditional African cultural elements. After Mass, enjoy a walk through the alleys of Pelourinho, brought to life by percussion bands.

Services:

• Accommodation at Hotel Catharina Paraguaçu

DAY 4-6: LENÇÓIS AND THE CHAPADA DIAMANTINA NATIONAL PARK

Transfer to Salvador Airport for your flight to Lençóis, a UNESCO-listed colonial town. Meet and greet our guide at the airport. Check-in at Pousada Vila Serrano. Briefing with our local representative to customise your tour program for your stay in Chapada (tours not included). Days at leisure to explore the park’s natural wonders. On the evening of Day 6, transfer to the terminal for the overnight bus to Salvadir (22:50 – 05:50).

Services:

• Accommodation at Pousada Vila Serrano
• Transfer with an Italian-speaking driver-guide / Transfer with a Portuguese-speaking driver

DAY 7-9: ILHA DE BOIPEBA AND THE TINHARÉ PENINSULA

Arrival in Salvador (05:50). Transfer to the port to board the ferry to Itaparica (1 hour). Meet your driver and transfer to the port of Valença (1.5 hours). Board a public boat to Boipeda (1 hour). The island is part of the Tinharé Archipelago, south of Salvador. Everything on the island remains untouched and authentic, from wild beaches and the Atlantic Forest ecosystem to the welcoming and genuine native fishing community.

Accommodation at Pousada Santa Clara (Standard room).

Services:

Accommodation at Hotel Pousada Santa Clara

Port transfer with an Italian-speaking driver-guide + ferry (1h) + Valença transfer (1.5h) with a Portuguese-speaking driver + public boat to Boipeda (1h)

DAY 10: MORRO DE SÃO PAULO

Off-road transfer-tour to reach the island of Morro de São Paulo. The route passes the beautiful Praia de Garapua, following a sandy road through typical Brazilian “Caatinga” vegetation rich in wild orchids. Check-in at Hotel Porto do Zimbo (Standard room). The beaches of Morro de São Paulo are numbered: the first three are more lively, while the last two are more isolated and wild.

Services:

• Accommodation at Hotel Porto do Zimbo
• Off-road transfer-tour to Morro São Paulo with a Portuguese-speaking driver

DAY 11: MORRO DE SÃO PAULO

Day at leisure to walk along the island’s enchanting wild beaches or organise the island’s circumnavigation tour and visit the natural pools of Moreré and Castelhnos for snorkelling among the coral reefs. The tour also includes a visit to the village of Cova da Onça, where you can have lunch at a local restaurant serving fresh fish (tour not included).

Services:

• Accommodation at Hotel Porto do Zimbo

DAY 12: PRAIA DO FORTE

Board a catamaran headed to the port of Salvador. Meet your driver and transfer by road to Praia do Forte (1 hour), an old fishing village that has become one of Bahia’s most renowned seaside resorts. It is named after the ruins of Brazil’s oldest military residence, the Garcia D’Avila Castle. Check-in at Pousada Porto da Lua with direct beach access. Enjoy a day at leisure to relax on the beach, famous for its beautiful natural pools with sandy bottoms and calm, crystal-clear waters, or engage in ecotourism activities to discover the lush nature of the Costa dos Coqueiros. Praia do Forte is also home to the Tamar Project. A sea turtle conservation centre open for visits. The charming village centre offers a variety of bars, restaurants, craft shops, and boutiques. Every year, Praia do Forte hosts a prominent gastronomic festival. From July to October, weather permitting, you may join a whale-watching tour to spot Humpback whales, which migrate from Antarctica to the Brazilian coast during this 

season to breed.

Services:

• Accommodation at Hotel Porto da Lua
• Public boat to Salvador (3h) + Road transfer to Praia do Forte (1h) with a Portuguese-speaking driver

DAY 13-14: MANGUE SECO – OFF THE BEATEN PATH BEACHES

Private road transfer to Mangue Seco (2 hours) along the “Linha Verde” (Brazil’s first ecological road), where you can admire the lush vegetation of the Costa dos Coqueiros (Bahia’s northern coast). Mangue Seco is a small, timeless village nestled between the mouth of the Rio Real, the ocean, and a vast expanse of white sand dunes. Known as the “Pearl of the Coconut Coast,” it was chosen by Jorge Amado as the setting for his famous novel “Tieta do Agreste.” Upon arrival, check-in at Pousada O Forte (Superior room). We recommend renting a buggy to explore the immense ocean beach. In the afternoon, as the sun sets, a buggy tour can take you across the dunes to witness a breathtaking sunset over the Rio Real (not included)

Services:

• Accommodation at Pousada O Forte
• Private road transfer to Mangue Seco (2h) with a Portuguese-speaking driver + private boat transfer with a Portuguese-speaking sailor (30min)

DAY 15: BACK TO ITALY WITH SAUDADE

Transfer to the airport for your scheduled flight. The journey includes a boat transfer from Mangue Seco to Pontal, followed by a private road transfer to Salvador Airport for your return flight.

Services:

• Private boat transfer from Mangue Seco to Pontal with a Portuguese-speaking sailor (30min)
• Private road transfer to Salvador with a Portuguese-speaking driver, 4 hours before departure flight