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Rio de Janeiro - Paraty - Ouro Preto - Olinda - Salvador da Bahia

Luxury Brazil Tours & Travel

 

Convento de São Francisco, Olinda, Northeastern Brazil.
Photo:Jorge Menezes. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Imagine you've gone back in time to the astonishing colonial world…

 

Imagine you've gone back in time at five world-heritage sites -- the "marvelous city" of Rio de Janeiro and the colonial charms of Paraty, Ouro Preto, Olinda and Salvador da Bahia. From a deluxe beach view room in one of the world's legendary hotels, the Copacabana Palace, to deluxe accommodations in historic properties throughout the tour, our Colonial Brazil immerses guests in the country's culture and history. As in all of Inka's tours, a masterly itinerary, private guides with chauffeurs, regal accommodations and gourmet cuisine guarantee unsurpassed luxury.

 

Land Price (14 days/13 nights)

De Luxe US$ 11,945 per person

The land price includes escorted transfers, private excursions (except boating excursion on Day 12), professional guides and chauffeurs, entrance fees, selected category of accommodations, gourmet cuisine (except drinks), all land and water transportation (except boating excursion on Day 12), and travel insurance for guests through the age of 59 years (over that age, there is a supplementary fee). All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services, see Opulent Itineraries. Visitors from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand need a visa to enter Brazil. We recommend arrival on a Monday to avoid changes in the itinerary due to museum or restaurant closures.

 

Intra-Tour Flights & Fares

Air fares are in addition to the land price.

Rio - Belo Horizante, Ouro Preto - Recife, Recife - Salvador da Bahia & Salvador da Bahia - Rio

 

 

Samba dancer, Plataforma, Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Highlights

Rio de Janeiro

Day 1: International arrival in Rio de Janeiro. Arrival in Rio, reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner at Cipriani. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace by Orient-Express -- Deluxe Beach View Room -- King Bed.

Day 2: Rio de Janeiro (Sugarloaf & Botanical Garden). The morning tour proceeds through the old Urca neighborhood towards the Sugarloaf, where a cable-car starts the steep, exhilarating 215-meter climb up Morro da Urca. From here, the cable-car travels high above the rugged, vegetated terrain to the Sugarloaf's 395-meter summit. Visitors can enjoy wonderful panoramic views over Rio de Janeiro from the top. Lunch at the Confeitaria Colombo, the oldest coffee shop in Rio de Janeiro, opened as a meeting point for intellectuals and aristocrats. Afternoon tour of the most impressive of Latin America's botanical gardens and one of the finest in the world, the Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Laid out during the 19th century in the heart of the city, these lush, spacious gardens are an oasis of calm in the middle of a buzzing metropolis. Visitors are met with an astounding array of native and foreign plant species (about 6,200 in all), some of which grow to gigantic proportions in this ecological paradise. Tonight, dinner and music at Rio Scenarium. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace by Orient-Express -- Deluxe Beach View Room -- King Bed.

Day 3: Rio de Janeiro (Old Rio & Corcovado). Rio is one of the world's most historically and culturally significant cities, its rich heritage being reflected in the countless monuments within the metropolitan area. Among those included in the afternoon tour of Old Rio is the Mosteiro de São Bento, a World Heritage Monument and probably the most beautiful example of Brazilian Baroque and Rococo architecture. After lunch at Riso, Galería de Arte e Bistrô, the tour continues on to Corcovado. Perched atop the mountain, the statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the world's best-known and most-visited monuments, one that offers breathtaking views of the city. In the evening, gourmet French cuisine at Chef Claude Troisgros' Olympe. After dinner, a taste of Carnival, with Samba school drummers and dancers in lavish costume, presenting the best of Brazil in an alluring, glittering show at Plataforma. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace by Orient-Express -- Deluxe Beach View Room -- King Bed.

Paraty

Day 4: Rio de Janeiro - Vale do Paraíba - Paraty. Drive to the old coffee region, Vale do Paraíba. Visit two colonial mansions with slave quarters, the Fazenda São João da Prosperidade and the Fazenda Ponte Alta, with lunch at the latter. Following La Estrada Real, the old coffee and gold route, head for Paraty, a world heritage site. An 18th century port of coffee, gold and cachaça from Brazil, it is one of the best preserved colonial towns in the country. In the heart of this cobblestoned town lies the historic Pousada do Sandi. Dinner at Banana da Terra. Overnight in the Pousada do Sandi -- Master Suite -- King Bed.

Day 5: Paraty. Meet your guide for a morning walking tour of the town before a private sailing on a schooner to Paraty's exquisite beaches. Lunch at Hiltinho, on Algodão Island. Return to port and your hotel. Dine at Voilá Bistrot. Overnight in the Pousada do Sandi -- Master Suite -- King Bed.

Ouro Preto

Intra-tour flight Rio de Janeiro - Belo Horizonte, Day 6, 12:01 pm - 2:09 pm, JJ3754

Day 6: Paraty - Ouro Preto. Private transfer along the Green Coast to Rio de Janeiro's national airport for the flight to Belo Horizonte. Onward drive through the remote Serra do Espinhaço mountain range to Ouro Preto. Arrival at your hotel. Evening free to explore Ouro Preto’s old town. Dinner at Senhora do Rosário. Overnight in the Solar do Rosário -- Luxury Apartment -- King Bed. Please note that lunch is not included this day due to the flight schedule. Guests will be able to purchase snacks aboard the plane.

Day 7: Ouro Preto. Full-day excursion of Ouro Preto and Mariana: Ouro Preto is the former capital of the state of Minas Gerais and home to the largest homogeneous collection of Baroque architecture in the world. Some of the masterpieces of Brazilian Baroque are the churches of São Francisco de Assis (1771) and Nossa Senhora do Pilar (1730), one of Minas Gerais’ most exuberant temples. After lunch at Bené da Flauta, the tour continues to Mariana, birthplace of the Baroque artist Mestre Athayde, to visit the Cathedral Basílica da Sé. Dinner at Senhora do Rosário. Overnight in the Solar do Rosário -- Luxury Apartment -- King Bed. Dinner at Senhora do Rosário. Overnight in the Solar do Rosário -- Luxury Apartment -- King Bed.

Tiradentes

Day 8: Tiradentes. Full-day excursion, combining visits to three towns: Congonhas, São João del Rei and Tiradentes. The town of Congonhas is adorned by Antônio Franciso Lisboa's two greatest sculptural masterpieces. Lisboa (1730-1814) is Brazil's most famous Baroque artist. Lunch at Café com Prosa. The tour continues with a visit to the opulent urban and religious architecture of São João del Rei, which dates back to the 18th century and flourished thanks to the discovery of gold. São Francisco is an exquisite Baroque church, full of curves and carvings, and the town's treasure. Tiradentes is a town with a turbulent past and a major collection of Baroque art, including the church of Santo Antônio. As well, a visit to the hall of minerals in the Museum of Minerology is a must. Dinner at Tragaluz Villa. Overnight in the Solar da Ponte -- Superior Room -- King Bed.

Olinda

Intra-tour flight Belo Horizonte - Recife, Day 9, 12:20 pm - 2:55 pm, G31616

Day 9: Tiradentes - Olinda. Morning transfer to the Belo Horizonte airport for the flight to Recife. Reception and transfer to your hotel in the historic town of Olinda. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax. Dinner at Oficina do Sabor. Overnight in the Pousada do Amparo -- Deluxe Superior Room --- King Bed. Please note that lunch is not included this day due to the flight schedule. Guests will be able to purchase snacks aboard the plane.

Day 10: Olinda. Full-day tour of Recife and Olinda. The city tour starts with a drive along the ultra-modern seafront of Boa Viagem and then proceeds to Old Recife, founded by the Dutch. As the sugar economy declined over the 19th century, Recife lost its prominence. The tour continues with a visit to the exotic world of artist Francisco Brennand and Casa da Cultura. Following a buffet lunch at Parraxaxá, the tour proceeds to Olinda, a breathtaking colonial town that overlooks Recife and the Atlantic Ocean. The tour of this world heritage site includes several unique attractions, such as the Mosteiro de São Bento, built in 1582, lavishly decorated with gold and woodcarvings; Igreja da Sé, where local handicrafts are sold; the Convento do São Francisco; and the former slave market. Dinner at Beijupirá. Overnight in the Pousada do Amparo -- Deluxe Superior Room --- King Bed.

Salvador da Bahia

Intra-tour flight Recife - Salvador da Bahia, Day 11, 8:47 am - 10:00 am, G31621

Day 11: Olinda - Salvador da Bahia (Colonial Quarter & Folkloric Show). Transfer to the Recife airport for your flight to Salvador da Bahia. Reception and transfer to the Convento do Carmo, a former convent that dates back to 1586. Lunch at Amado. Afternoon historical tour of Salvador. By far the most significant site visited during the excursion is the cobblestoned Pelourinho district -- the heart of Salvador’s Old Town. This World Heritage Site is considered by Unesco a highlight of XVII and XVIII century colonial architecture. Tonight, an impressive folkloric show by the renowned Balé Folclórico da Bahia. In Salvador, the dances and musical styles are more traditional, religious, mystical and African, in contrast to the show in Rio, which is focused on the Samba. After the show, a dinner at María Mata Mouro. Overnight in the Convento do Carmo -- Junior Suite-- King Bed.

Day 12: Salvador da Bahia (Island Schooner Excursion). At the harbor, depart with other passengers on a schooner for an all-day tropical island excursion. At Ilha dos Frades, we drop anchor at Praia de Ponta de Nossa Senhora and spend two hours relaxing and swimming. Afterward, we arrive at Ponta de Areia on Ilha de Itaparica, the largest island in the bay, to taste delicious Bahian cuisine at the Kirymuré restaurant, watch a Capoeira show and enjoy the beach. As the sun sets, passengers return to the schooner for the trip back to the port of Salvador. Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Convento do Carmo -- Junior Suite-- King Bed.

Rio de Janeiro

Intra-tour flight Salvador da Bahia - Rio de Janeiro, Day 9, 12:09 pm - 2:24 pm, O66213

International departure from Rio de Janeiro, Day 9, approximately 6:00 pm

Day 13: Salvador da Bahia - Rio de Janeiro. This morning's excursion proceeds to offer to guests various beautiful panoramic views of the city. Continue to the airport for your flight to Rio de Janeiro and connection home.

Home

Day 14: Rio de Janeiro - Home. Overnight flight and arrival home.

 

 

Corcovado Mountain (left) and Sugarloaf (right), Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Details

 

Day 1: International arrival in Rio de Janeiro

Breakfast. Arrival in Rio, reception and transfer to the country's (and South America's) finest and most famous hotel: Orient-Express' Copacabana Palace, overlooking Copacabana Beach. Dinner of Northern Italian cuisine at Chef Franceso Carli's Cipriani Restaurant. Carli previously worked in Orient-Express' Hotel Cipriani in Venice. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace.

 

 

Cable car to the top of Sugarloaf, Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Rio de Janeiro, the Marvelous City

 

With a dreamlike beauty that exceeds even the greatest of expectations, Rio is a city that has to be seen to be believed. Take the train up the Corcovado to see the breathtaking view beneath Christ's outstretched arms or the cable car to the top of the famous Sugarloaf to see the spectacular landforms that embrace the sandy beaches, glittering bays, fine residential districts and towering forest-covered mountains of the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). The landscape is so dramatic that even the largest areas of modern high-rises are still dwarfed by the overwhelming grandeur of numerous peaks and the largest urban tropical forest in the world, itself a monument to environmental preservation.

From the city center, where the history of imperial Brazil began, through the classic elegance of Copacabana and contemporary sophistication of Ipanema and Leblon to the ultra-modern development of Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro has many faces that include Rocinha, the world's largest shanty settlement and Santa Teresa, where streetcars still climb the winding, cobblestone streets through this mountainside artists' district.

The natives of Rio, or cariocas, are famous for proudly mirroring the city's qualities in their daily pursuit of health, beauty and elegance: the seafront, lakeside and Tijuca Forest Park are always favorite destinations for exercising or simply enjoying the natural delights that their extraordinary city has to offer.

The cradle of the Brazilian empire, independence and republic; Rio de Janeiro's immense historical wealth of fine buildings, palaces, theaters and museums complements her natural splendor. The arts, folklore and popular music reflect Rio's cultural abundance in the form of leading galleries, the internationally famous Carnival and Samba schools, and Bossa Nova, immortalized by the most famous cariocas, Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes.

 

 

View of Corcovado and Sugarloaf, Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 2: Rio de Janeiro (Sugarloaf & Botanical Garden)

Breakfast. The first stage of the tour takes in a number of sites of interest in downtown Rio de Janeiro offering lovely views of Rio and the Sugarloaf. The tour then proceeds through the old Urca neighborhood toward the Sugarloaf, where a cable-car starts the steep, exhilarating 215-meter climb up Morro da Urca. From here, the cable-car travels high above the rugged, vegetated terrain to the Sugarloaf's 395-meter summit. Visitors can enjoy wonderful panoramic views over Rio de Janeiro from the top, sunsets being particularly spectacular.

The tour proceeds for lunch at the Confeitaria Colombo, the oldest coffee shop in Rio de Janeiro, opened as a meeting point for intellectuals and aristocrats. Built in 1894 and refurbished in 1914, it is a living portrait of Rio's Belle Époque, retaining much of its Art Nouveau charm, with famous Belgian mirrors in hardwood frames and lovingly-preserved Italian marble benches.

Afternoon tour of the most impressive of Latin America's botanical gardens and one of the finest in the world, the Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Laid out during the 19th century in the heart of the city, these lush, spacious gardens are an oasis of calm in the middle of a buzzing metropolis. Visitors are met with an astounding array of native and foreign plant species (about 6,200 in all), some of which grow to gigantic proportions in this ecological paradise. Tamarins (small omnivores related to monkeys) and a myriad of colorful bird species thrive amongst the flamboyant vegetation. The tour proceeds on foot to appreciate the sights around the park, revealing some rich historical and cultural heritage such as the old gunpowder factory and the Solar da Imperatriz, home to the National School of Tropical Botany, the first of its kind in Latin America. The tour ends in the Sao Cristovão district, where the Quinta da Boa Vista, once the residence of the Portuguese Royal family, is located. Within its compound, the "Quinta" houses the National Museum of Natural History, once called "The Tropical Versailles" because of its architecture. Although a visit to the museum is not included, one can be arranged on request.

Tonight, dinner and music at Rio Scenarium. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace.

 

 

Jardím Botánico de Río de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 3: Rio de Janeiro (Old Rio & Corcovado)

Breakfast. Rio de Janeiro is one of the world's most historically and culturally significant cities, its rich heritage being reflected in the countless monuments within the metropolitan area. This morning, visit the Mosteiro de São Bento, a World Heritage Monument and probably the most beautiful example of Brazilian Baroque and Rococo architecture. With a simple, sober façade and magnificent carvings and paintings within, the monastery is still in operation, holding traditional services each Sunday with monks performing Gregorian chants. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Candelária (1775) is the biggest colonial church in Rio, founded in 1609 by Portuguese immigrants. The interior of the church is in Neoclassical style, the cupola having been finished only in 1898. The Centro Cultural do Banco do Brasil is an imposing domed building that dates back to the late 19th century. It has a cinema with high-quality art films, contemporary theatre and a large exhibition of fine arts and photography.

Built in 1743, the modest Paço Imperial was the headquarters of the Portuguese government. It was here that Dom João VI established his court in 1808; Dom Pedro I announced his refusal to join his father back in Portugal in 1822 and Princess Isabel proclaimed the end of slavery in Brazil in 1888. The building still retains its original colonial structure after numerous restorations, the most recent being its conversion into an arts center. The tour ends at the marvellous Museu Nacional de Belas Artes (The National Museum of Fine Arts), where the works of Brazil's greatest artists are on display.

After lunch at Riso, Galería de Arte e Bistrô, the tour continues on to Corcovado. Perched atop the mountain at an altitude of 710 meters, the statue of Christ the Redeemer is certainly one of the world's best-known and most-visited monuments. Clad with a soapstone mosaic, the statue is also one of Rio's finest Art Nouveau monuments and at night becomes a shining landmark visible from all over the city. From the top there are breathtaking views of the city.

 

 

Samba show, Plataforma, Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

A rack railway takes the visitor up to the foot of the statue, the train leaving the Cosme Velho district and climbing the steep slopes of Tijuca Forest. Located around the base of Corcovado and with many springs and waterfalls, this dense forest was proclaimed a national park in the early sixties.

In the evening, gourmet French cuisine at Chef Claude Troisgros' Olympe. The all-Brazilian ingredients are a unique trait of this innovative restaurant that blends native flavors with nouvelle techniques. Every dish is exceptionally light. The passion-fruit mousse is a favorite dessert. After dinner, a taste of Carnival, with Samba school drummers and dancers in lavish costume, presenting the best of Brazil in an alluring, glittering show at Plataforma. Overnight in the Copacabana Palace.

 

 

Paraty, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Vale do Paraíba & Paraty

 

Ascending the Serra do Mar mountain range reveals that the interior of Rio de Janeiro State is also rich in history and nature. The summer residences of the former Brazilian Emperor and his family gave birth to the charming towns of Petrópolis and Teresópolis, whilst the Paraíba Valley saw the country's first coffee plantations. Boasting some of the highest peaks in Brazil, Itatiaia is Brazil's oldest national park.

Returning to the coast once again, the atmosphere of colonial Brazil can still be felt in the town of Paraty, an 18th century gold and diamond port whose subsequent isolation has preserved architectural beauty worthy of World Heritage Site status. The highway that winds west along the "Green Coast" from Paraty through Angra dos Reis and on to Santos affords stunning views of beaches, islands and Atlantic rainforest. In contrast, the drive eastwards from Rio leads to the lively seaside resorts of Cabo Frio, Búzios and Macaé.

Paraty is a gem of charming, planned colonial architecture, a legacy of the late 17th century when it became a port for the shipment of gold from Minas Gerais. Gaining further international fame with the advent of the highly successful World Literature Festival, the churches and cobblestone streets, against a backdrop of lushly forested hills, plus dozens of secluded beaches nearby, make Paraty an unmissable destination. Beyond Paraty, on the border of Rio and São Paulo states, the Serra da Bocaína National Park stretches inland through Atlantic Rainforest and Araucaria Forest to the 2,132 meter peak of Boa Vista.

 

Day 4: Rio de Janeiro - Vale do Paraíba - Paraty

Breakfast. Drive to the old coffee region, Vale do Paraíba, that has played such a decisive role in the history of Brazil. Visit two colonial mansions with slave quarters, the Fazenda São João da Prosperidade and the Fazenda Ponte Alta, with lunch at the latter. Following La Estrada Real, the old coffee and gold route, head for Paraty, a world heritage site. An 18th century port of coffee, gold and cachaça from Brazil, it is one of the best preserved colonial towns in the country. Paraty is noted in Brazilian cuisine for its many reknowned restaurants. In the heart of this cobblestoned town lies the historic Pousada do Sandi. Dinner at Banana da Terra, famous for its fish dishes. Overnight in the Pousada do Sandi -- Master Suite -- King Bed.

 

 

Schooner at Algodão Island, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Restaurante do Hiltinho. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 5: Paraty

Breakfast. Meet your guide for a morning walking tour of the town before a private sailing on a schooner to Paraty's exquisite beaches. Lunch at Hiltinho, on Algodão Island. Return to port and your hotel. Dine at Voilá Bistrot. Overnight in the Pousada do Sandi -- Master Suite -- King Bed.

 

 

Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Kate Schutt, Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 6: Paraty - Ouro Preto

Breakfast. Private transfer along the Green Coast to Rio de Janeiro's national airport for the flight to Belo Horizonte. Onward drive through the remote Serra do Espinhaço mountain range to Ouro Preto. Arrival at your hotel. Evening free to explore Ouro Preto’s old town. Dinner at Senhora do Rosário. Overnight in the Solar do Rosário -- Luxury Apartment -- King Bed. Please note that lunch is not included this day due to the flight schedule. Guests will be able to purchase snacks aboard the plane.

 

 

Altar by Lisboa, São Francisco de Assis, Ouro Preto, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Consuelo Blocker. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 7: Ouro Preto

Breakfast. Full -day excursion of Ouro Preto and Mariana: Ouro Preto, previously known as Vila Rica, is the former capital of the state of Minas Gerais and home to the largest homogeneous collection of Baroque architecture in the world. Some of the masterpieces of Brazilian Baroque are the churches of São Francisco de Assis (1771) and Nossa Senhora do Pilar (1730), one of Minas Gerais’ most exuberant temples. Ouro Preto was also the site of a violent revolt against the Portuguese, caused by unpopular taxes on gold. After lunch at Bené da Flauta, the tour continues to Mariana, birthplace of the Baroque artist Mestre Athayde, to visit the Cathedral Basílica da Sé. The town was once the administrative center of gold mining in the Minas region. Dinner at Senhora do Rosário. Overnight in the Solar do Rosário -- Luxury Apartment -- King Bed.

 

 

Ceiling by Mestre Athayde, São Francisco de Assis, Ouro Preto, Southeastern Brazil.
Photo: Consuelo Blocker. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 8: Tiradentes

Breakfast. Full-day excursion, combining visits to three towns: Congonhas, São João del Rei and Tiradentes. The town of Congonhas is adorned by Antônio Franciso Lisboa's two greatest sculptural masterpieces: The Twelve Prophets, in the Basílica do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, carved in soapstone, and 66 painted-wood statues depicting Christ's Passion, located in six chapels along the way to the main church. Lisboa (1730-1814) is Brazil's most famous Baroque artist. He was also called Aleijadinho (The Little Cripple) because he lost the use of his hands and legs at the age of 30. However, with hammer and chisel strapped to his arms, he managed to make beautiful sculptures.

Lunch at Café com Prosa. The tour continues to the opulent urban and religious architecture of São João del Rei, which dates back to the 18th century and flourished thanks to the discovery of gold in the region. São Francisco is an exquisite Baroque church, full of curves and carvings, and the town's treasure. Tiradentes is a town with a turbulent past and a major collection of Baroque art, including the church of Santo Antônio. As well, a visit to the hall of minerals in the Museum of Minerology is a must -- the crystals and gems are dazzling. The Museu do Padre Toledo honors a failed attempt in 1789 to free Brazil from Portuguese rule. Dinner at Tragaluz Villa. Overnight in the Solar da Ponte -- Superior Room -- King Bed.

 

 

Traditional fishing boat, Recife, Northeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

Day 9: Tiradentes - Olinda

Breakfast. Morning transfer to the Belo Horizonate airport for the flight to Recife. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel in the historic town of Olinda. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax. Dinner at Oficina do Sabor. Overnight in the Pousada do Amparo -- Deluxe Superior Room --- King Bed. Please note that lunch is not included this day due to the flight schedule. Guests will be able to purchase snacks aboard the plane.

 

 

Mosteiro de São Bento, Olinda, Northeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 10: Olinda

Breakfast. Full-day tour of Recife and Olinda. The city tour starts with a drive along the ultra-modern seafront of Boa Viagem and then proceeds to Old Recife. This district was founded by the Dutch, as evidenced by the tall, narrow, four-story houses that resemble those of Amsterdam.. As the sugar economy declined over the 19th century, Recife lost its prominence, although the Pernambuco State capital is still an important regional center, with more than 3 million inhabitants. The tour continues with a visit to the exotic world of the artist Francisco Brennand and Casa da Cultura, once a prison but now with each cell converted into a craft shop. Following a buffet lunch at Parraxaxá, a restaurant specializing in regional dishes, the tour proceeds to Olinda, a breathtaking colonial town that overlooks Recife and the Atlantic Ocean. The tourtour of this world heritage site includes several unique attractions, such as the Mosteiro de São Bento, built in 1582, lavishly decorated with gold and woodcarvings; Igreja da Sé, where local handicrafts are sold; the Convento do São Francisco; and the former slave market. Just walking down the cobbled streets of this enchanting town and enjoying magnificent views over the pale blue ocean is a delight. Dinner at Beijupirá. Overnight in the Pousada do Amparo -- Deluxe Superior Room --- King Bed.

 

 

Pelourinho district, Salvador da Bahia, Northeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 11: Olinda - Salvador da Bahia (Colonial Quarter & Folkloric Show)

Breakfast. Morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Salvador da Bahia, originally called São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos, in English: "Holy Savior of All Saints' Bay"). Arrival, reception and transfer to the historic Convento do Carmo. The Convent, initially built in 1586 by the First Order of Carmelite Friars, has been throughout the centuries the stage for many significant events of Brazilian history. Nowadays, after careful restoration, it is the most luxurious hotel in the city. Within the convent’s whitewashed stone walls, tranquility awaits. Graceful cloisters are atwitter with birds. Pitched-beam ceilings and 19th-century antiques evoke Salvador’s past. A small spa offers an impressive range of treatments, and the central courtyard, with its lovely stone fountain transformed into a wading pool, is an ideal place to relax over a caipirinha with lime and maracujá (passion fruit).

 

 

Pelourinho district, Salvador da Bahia, Northeastern Brazil.
Photo: Ideia Tours. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Lunch at Amado. Afternoon historical tour of Salvador. This charming excursion takes guests through the historical heart of the city -- the Cidade Alta, revealing some of the first streets laid in Bahia. The excursion begins with a visit to the Farol da Barra, a lighthouse that now functions as the city's nautical museum. The excursion proceeds in the direction of Porto da Barra, where guests enter the Santa Maria and São Diogo forts. From here, the tour moves on to Salvador's more traditional neighborhoods, namely Corredor da Vitória, Campo Grande and Piedade. By far the most significant site visited during the excursion is the Pelourinho, the historical center and a World Heritage Site, considered by Unesco to be a highlight of 17th and 18th century colonial architecture. Clinging to the steep terrain, the picturesque colonial houses and churches (such as the Igreja do São Francisco), artistically decorated in a myriad of colors, make this enchanting part of town a must for anyone visiting Bahia. Here, guests can wander the Mercado Modelo, Bahia's largest arts and crafts center.

Tonight, an impressive folkloric show by the renowned Balé Folclórico da Bahia at the Teatro Miguel Santana. The theater is set in a beautiful 18th century architectural complex comprising a main house (Casa Grande), a chapel and outlying slave quarters. In Salvador, the dances and musical styles are more traditional, religious, mystical and African, in contrast to the show in Rio, which is focused on the Samba. After the show, a dinner at María Mata Mouro. Return to your hotel. Overnight in the Convento do Carmo.

 

 

 

Balé Folclórico da Bahia at Teatro Miguel Santana, Salvador da Bahia, Northeastern Brazil.
Video: Balé Folclórico da Bahia. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 12: Salvador da Bahia (Island Schooner Excursion)

Breakfast. At the harbor, depart with other passengers on a schooner for an all-day tropical island excursion with exotic fruit, live music and a bar on board (drinks not included). Bahia de Todos os Santos (Bay of All Saints) is one of the most beautiful bays in Brazil and certainly the largest. It has many tropical islands with paradisial beaches and vegetation. At Ilha dos Frades, which has the shape of a 15-point star, we drop anchor at Praia de Ponta de Nossa Senhora and spend two hours relaxing and swimming in the warm, clear waters of one of the pristine beaches. On this island, slaves coming from Africa were placed in quarantine to gain weight before being sold in the city. Afterward, we arrive at Ponta de Areia on Ilha de Itaparica, the largest island in the bay, to taste delicious Bahian cuisine at the Kirymuré restaurant, watch a Capoeira show and enjoy the beach. As the sun sets, passengers return to the schooner for the trip back to the port of Salvador. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Convento do Carmo.

 

 

Igreja e Convento São Francisco, Salvador de Bahia, Northeastern Brazil.
Photo: REARTEsanato. Luxury Brazil Tours & Luxury Brazil Travel.

 

Day 13: Salvador da Bahia - Rio de Janeiro

Breakfast. This morning's excursion proceeds to offer to guests various beautiful panoramic views of the city, including Bonfim Church and Dique do Tororó. Continue to the airport for your flight to Rio de Janeiro and connection home.

 

Day 14: Rio de Janeiro - Home

Overnight flight and arrival home.

 

 

 

Inka's Empire Tours...

Impeccable!

 

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