Silversea Luxury Cruises À SALVADOR DE BAHIA

Discover the secrets behind preparing Bahian cuisine during this informative, half-day cooking excursion with lunch. The history of the cuisine begins with the landing of slaves from Africa that the Portuguese brought to work and exploit the land. While the Indians used foods such as cassava, maize, African slaves brought in the addition of spices, bananas, peanuts, and the famous oil dendê or Palm oil.

Ceasa Market

Depart the pier for the scenic, approximately 30-minute drive to the Ceasa Market. Your chef greets your arrival, and escorts you on a tour of the market. Along the way, learn about the unique blend of Brazilian, Mediterranean, Asian and African ingredients, seasonings and flavours that comprise the distinctive Bahian cuisine. Leaving the market, re-board your coach and proceed to the cooking class venue.

Cooking Class

During your cooking class, learn to prepare 'moqueca'. The signature dish of Bahian cuisine, 'moqueca' is a seafood dish prepared in an earthenware, wok-like dish and brought to the table directly from the stove.

Following your cooking class, relax with a lunch consisting of the 'moqueca' your chef has prepared. Dessert is also served, and prepared with imported seasonings such as clove and cinnamon from Asia.

After lunch, re-board your vehicle and commence the approximately 30-minute drive back to the pier.

Take an excursion to see the incredible birdlife waiting for you in the Vale Encantado, one of these few remaining pockets of Atlantic Forest located in a residential suburb of Salvador. This enchanted place lives up to its name, with an area of more than 2,000,000 square meters that is home to dozens of different endemic bird species.

Vale Encandado is part of the Atlantic coastal region, which is home to the magnificent Atlantic Forest. Along 17 states in Brazil, only 8.5% of Atlantic Forest are covered by significant stretches of forest. This section of the great forest contains a towering forest as well as the shrubby, low growth, more open, restinga vegetation growing on sandy soil, providing two ecosystems under the one canopy.

The Vale Encantado is a favored spot for local birding enthusiasts in Salvador. Access to the birding area is granted via a residential gated community. In the park alone, there have been identified 130 different species from a total of 228 in all ecological areas of Salvador.

Depart the pier and drive 30 minutes to the gated area of the reserve. Enjoy two hours of free time along the trail for birdwatching, where you may see endemic species such as the Rufous-tailed jacamar (Galbula ruficauda), Saíra beija-flor (Cyanerpes cyaneus), Saíra-pérola (Tangara Cyanomelas), Rabo-branco-rubro (Phaethornis ruber), Brazilian Tanager ( Ramphocelus bresilius), Violet Capped Woodnymph (Thalurania glaucopis), Sooretama Slaty Antshrike (Thamnophilus ambiguus) and a species threatened with extinction, the elusive Speckled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata).

Departing the trail, enjoy a well-earned snack. Drive to Rio Vermelho, home to a local popular square for a tasting of the acarajé, a fritter-based sandwich made with shrimp and other delicious fillings.

Return back to the pier with a full heart and stomach (20-minute drive).

Explore the historic city centre of Salvador through the eyes of a photographer during this scenic and informative, half-day excursion.

Salvador, Lacerda Elevator, Municipal Square, Colonial Architecture, All Saints Bay

Your tour begins with a short walk with your local photographer/guide to the towering Lacerda Elevator. From here, the elevator up to the Municipal Square. The first administrative square in Brazil and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, Municipal Square is gateway to the largest complex of Colonial architecture in Latin America. Upon arrival at Municipal Square, a photo stop is made for splendid views of the lower-city and All Saints Bay. Throughout this tour, your photographer guide advises you on composition, exposure and other aspects of photography.

Terreiro de Jesus Square, Old Town, Colonial District, São Francisco Church

Leaving Municipal Square, walk to Terreiro de Jesus Square. After a photo stop here, stroll to the heart of the Old Town, passing through lovely plazas adorned with Colonial-style architecture. Paved sidewalks border the cobblestone streets of the Colonial District, which are flanked by houses in pastel shades. A visit is made to the exuberantly-gilded São Francisco Church, home of the finest Baroque church interior in Brazil and one of the city´s treasures. During your visit, marvel at this spectacular church and its magnificent tiled cloister.

Pelourinho Square, Municipal Square, Lacerda Elevator, Comercio District, Mercado Modelo

Next, your stroll continues via narrow city streets to Pelourinho Square, the historical centre of Salvador and one of Salvador´s emblematic sights. Following your visit, your tour concludes with a walk back to the Municipal Square via alternative streets. Upon arrival, take the Lacerda Elevator to the Comercio District and return to the passenger terminal via the Mercado Modelo, a bustling arts and handcraft market. Guests may opt to remain at the market for shopping, and return to the ship on their own (time-permitting).

Discover the secrets to preparing an iconic Brazilian dish and beverage during this interactive, half-day cooking excursion with lunch in the home of a local family.

Salvador, Local Market Visit

Newly-designed especially for our valued World Cruise guests, your tour begins with a short, guided drive from the pier to a bustling local market in Salvador, Brazil's third-largest city. Here, you can see the wide array of ingredients used in Bahia cuisine.

Cooking Lesson in a Local Working-Class Home, Preparation of 'Moqueca' and 'Caipirinha'

Next, re-board your vehicle and drive to a local home. Upon arrival, meet your host, begin your interactive cooking lesson and assist in the preparation of the meal under her expert eye. The focus of your lesson is on 'moqueca', an iconic dish blending coconut milk, dendê palm oil and fresh coriander. In addition, learn how to prepare Brazil's national drink, the famed, lime-and-cachaça-based 'caipirinha'.

Lunch, Cultural Exchange, Insight into Daily Life in Salvador

Although very-little English is spoken, your guide is on-hand throughout to translate, and further enrich, this intimate culinary experience. Following your cooking lesson, cultural exchange and a unique insight into daily life in Salvador. Enjoy a lunch consisting of the meal you have helped to prepare. After lunch, your tour concludes with a short drive back to the pier.

Experience the many faces of Salvador de Bahia during a scenic and informative sightseeing tour of this historic city. Founded in 1549, Salvador was the capital in the heyday of the slave trade. The legacy remains today and the resulting culture in many ways outshines the rest of Brazil; in music, many of the greatest names from the mid-20th century to the present hail from Salvador.

Salvador de Bahia

Depart the pier via coach with your English speaking guide for an approximate 20-minute scenic drive via the Ladeira da Montanha hill, offering great views of the immense All Saints Bay, to the Campo Grande Square and continue through the elegant tree-lined Vitoria Avenue with its towering condos towards Barra district.

Barra Lighthouse

Descend the Barra Hill passing the Yacht Club to Porto da Barra beach, site of the landing of the first governor general in 1549. Continue along the bayside boulevard to the Farol da Barra Fort and Lighthouse where bay and ocean meet, one of the city's most important landmarks.

Continue along the coast road to Rio Vermelho, the city's bohemian district. Nestled at the northern end of the Rio Vermelho beach is the Casa de Yemanjá, a shrine to the African deity of the sea, one of the most revered deities of the Candomblé pantheon.

Ceasinha Market

Next, a short drive takes you to the bustling Ceasinha Market, favoured by locals when purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and other sea foods, plants and flowers, coffee and chocolate from Bahia, as well as sacred herbs for Candomblé.

After a short stop, rejoin the coach and continue your tour, this time heading towards the lower city via Vasco da Gama Avenue where Brazil´s oldest Candomblé temple is located. The Tororo lagoon is located at the end of the avenue and it is here that the wonderful sculptures of the Candomblé pantheon by leading artist Tati Moreno located midwater.

Pass the Fonte Nova soccer stadium at the opposite end of the lagoon and wind your way to the lower city. Pass the work of another great local artist Bel Borba and his magnificent sculpture of Irma Dulce, Brazil´s next saint.

Sorveteria da Ribeira

The iconic Sorveteria da Ribeira (established in 1931) offers a mindboggling choice of tropical ice creams and sorbets. Make a brief stop here to enjoy a refreshing ice cream and taste this local flavor of Brazil.

Bonfim Church

View a touchstone of Brazilian Catholicism and undoubtedly the country's most famous church of pilgrimage and deeply connected with Oxalá, the African deity of creation. Built in 1745, the holy structure sits on a peninsula outside of the city center, now famous for its power to affect miraculous healing cures-transforming it from a rather ordinary church into a popular shrine.

Re-board your coach after your church visit and return to pier, approximately 30-minutes away.

Explore Salvador at your leisure during your full-day (8-Hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned car and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Salvador at your leisure during your half-day (4-Hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned car and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Salvador at your leisure during your full-day (8-Hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned van and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Explore Salvador at your leisure during your half-day (4-Hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.

Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned van and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier.

Discover why Bahia is the percussive heart of Brazil during this fun-filled, half-day excursion to a percussion workshop.

Salvador da Bahia

Depart the pier for the short drive to the music studio. Bahia is the percussive heart of Brazil. Its rhythmic soul is African, with a mind-boggling myriad of rhythms that has attracted Paul Simon, Michael Jackson and many other international musicians to these shores. Intrinsically Brazilian musical formats, including samba, bossa nova and axé, have their origins here. As proof of its musicality, Salvador is a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the music category, one of just 16 in the world.

Percussion Workshop

Upon arrival at the music studio, investigate and contextualize varied aspects of the percussive jungle that is Bahia. Under the expert guidance of local professional percussionists, focus on the more important and accessible rhythms in a workshop that is instructive, interactive, engaging and fun. This is a great option for families, and is as hands-on as you want it to be or feel comfortable with.

Percussion Instruments

During your percussion workshop, try your their hand at various instruments such as the rhum, rhumbi and lê drums of the candomblé; surdo, caixa, timbau and repique drums of the samba-reggae; and hand-percussion instruments that include the agogo, reco-reco, caxixi and formidable berimbau, the integral instrument of the Capoeira. At the conclusion of your visit, re-board your coach and commence the approximately 40-minute drive back to the pier.

Experience some of the the many faces of Salvador de Bahia during this sightseeing walking tour of this historic city. Travel through time as you tour the historical neighborhoods of Salvador, and view the Baroque architecture, while learning the history of Brazil over the past 500 years.

Salvador de Bahia - Pelourinho

Depart the pier via coach for the approximately 30-minute scenic drive to Farol da Barra, one of the city's most famous landmarks at the entrance to the All Saints Bay.

After a short photo stop, enjoy the drive through the residential suburbs of Barra, Vitoria and Campo Grande to the Municipal Square, gateway to Salvador's historical quarter, the famed Pelourinho. There commence your stroll to the São Francisco church whose opulent interior features cedar woodcarvings covered in gold leaf, the finest example of Baroque church interiors in Latin America.

Continue through the historical quarter through narrow cobbled streets lined with colonial town houses painted in pastel shades to the Largo do Pelourinho, the heart of the old town.

Afterwards, return on foot to the motor coach for the drive back to the pier.

Experience a private, folkloric song-and-dance performance by the world-renowned Balé Folclórico da Bahia Company during this half-day, World Cruise Collection sightseeing excursion.

Salvador, Upper-City, Historical City Centre Stroll, Old Town, Miguel Santana Theatre

Newly-designed especially for our valued World Cruise guests, your World Cruise Collection tour begins with a drive to the upper-city. Upon arrival, depart your coach at one of the plazas in the historical centre, and take a guided stroll along the narrow streets en route to the intimate Miguel Santana Theatre, nestled in the heart of the Old Town.

Cocktail Reception, Folkloric Show, Candomblé and Puxada de Rede Performances

Upon arrival at the Miguel Santana Theatre, proceed for a pre-show cocktail reception, then take in an unforgettable performance of the world-renowned Balé Folclórico da Bahia Company. Watch in amazement as they perform a pocket show of their hugely successful travelling show. This seamless presentation highlights the multiple African traditions that underpin Bahian culture. The show is in five distinct segments, and begins with the sacred dances of the Candomblé deities in full ritual costume. Afterward, see the puxada de rede, a song-and-dance performance by fishermen in honour of Yemanjá, Goddess of the Sea and the most revered of the candomblé deities.

Maculelê, Capoeira and Samba de Roda Performances

Next, view the maculelê, an exciting acrobatic stick-and-sword dance with origins in the cane fields. This is followed by an exhilarating capoeira martial arts/dance of attack and defence, and sleight-of-hand-and-foot. The grand finale is the samba de roda, the Bahian (and original) version of this exuberant national dance. Watch as female dancers spin and swirl in full traditional floral dresses, choosing, and often spurning, their male partners. Following the show, your World Cruise Collection concludes with an approximately 30-minute drive back to the pier.