Salvador - Lower City Tour
Breakfast and half-day Lower City tour.
The tour starts at the Tororo Lagoon with the imposing statues of the candomblé orixas in mid-lake, and the towering Arena Fonte Nova football stadium built for the World Cup. From here we drive to the quiet waters of the Itapagipe Peninsula, where life moves at a slower pace than the bustling upper city. Fishermen fish from dug-out canoes, locals collect shellfish at low tide, schooners lie at anchor, all protected by the famous Bonfim church, one of the most important churches of pilgrimage in Brazil and deeply syncretized with the Candomblé. We stop en route at the iconic Sorveteria da Ribeira ice cream parlor offering a myriad of tropical fruit sorbets since 1931. We continue to the Monserrat district with its panoramic view of the bay and city beyond and on to the Mercado Modelo, a thriving market for local artifacts and souvenirs.
Return to the hotel and rest of day at leisure. In the evening, enjoy a folklore show followed by dinner.
Departure to the Pelourinho area, where the intimate Miguel Santana Theater is located. The Balé Folclórico da Bahia Company performs a seamless presentation of the multiple African traditions that underpin Bahian culture. To contextualize the ensuing performance a detailed description is provided by your guide before the show, which features the following attractions:
- Dances of the Candomblé orixás (or deities)
- Puxada de rede, a song by fishermen in honor of Yemanjá, the goddess of the sea
- Maculelê, an acrobatic stick and sword dance with its origins in the cane fields
- Capoeira, the spectacular and exhilarating martial art/dance
- Samba de Roda, the grand finale, the spinning, swirling version of this exuberant national dance.
Note: The show is not available on Tuesdays, Sundays, or holidays.
After the show, enjoy a typical dinner at Uaua restaurant (local food menu).
What's included?
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Breakfast
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Accommodation
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Tour