An art museum featuring modernist paintings from Brazil and England, a cathedral at the origins of the city’s history, and a planetarium with fulldome projection showcase the cultural diversity of Feira de Santana. There are also routes for walking and cycling, lagoon activities and Caatinga vegetation. For your planning, you can choose between art and history, nature experiences, and travelling to coincide with an event.
Art, Architecture and City History
The Museu Regional de Arte was founded on 26 March 1967 and is considered Feira de Santana’s first museum. Its establishment was supported by the government of the state of Bahia and a donation of works by Assis Chateaubriand. The collection includes modernist paintings from Brazil and England. The museum thus combines the history of a local institution with a collection whose origins extend beyond Brazil.
The Catedral de Santana is also closely tied to the city’s history: it stands on the site of the chapel around which Feira de Santana developed. At the Igreja Senhor dos Passos, you can discover a different architectural style. Designed in an eclectic neo-Gothic style, its Gothic stained-glass windows depict the twelve apostles. The Casarão dos Olhos D’Água was converted into a Casa da Cultura and houses the Memorial de Maria Quitéria.
Other historic buildings offer a distinct perspective on the city’s cultural institutions. The building that houses CUCA – Centro Universitário de Cultura e Arte was built between 1912 and 1916. The Mercado de Arte Popular houses restaurants; its building was constructed in 1914 as the Mercado Municipal. The Área de Artesanato at the Centro de Abastecimento showcases typical products from northeastern Brazil, as well as from Feira de Santana and its surrounding area.
Museums Between Regional Culture and Science
At the Museu Casa do Sertão, you can see objects made by artisans from the municipality, including clay sculptures, woodcuts, toys, household items, clothing, tools, furniture, musical instruments and leather goods. The museum welcomes visitors, students and researchers daily during business hours. Check the current visiting arrangements before your visit.
Those interested in the natural sciences can find films and demonstration laboratories covering physics, chemistry, biology, the human body, the universe, geological eras and dinosaurs at the Museu Antares de Ciência e Tecnologia. The exhibits also include a replica of a NASA rocket. At the Museu Parque do Saber, the main attraction is a planetarium with fulldome projection technology, showing twelve films on scientific, historical and cultural topics. The two institutions have different focuses: one covers a broad range of natural science topics, while the other brings them together in planetarium screenings.
Lagoons and Caatinga Vegetation
At Parque da Lagoa Grande, a 2.3-kilometre route for walking and cycling runs around the lagoon. Parque da Lagoa is a separate destination: it has a lagoon, five pedal boats and opportunities to observe Caatinga fauna and flora. The two parks therefore appeal to different interests, from a route for exercise to nature observation and pedal boating.
The Trilha da Caatinga in Parque da Cidade Frei José Monteiro Sobrinho is considerably longer: it extends for 35,000 linear metres among trees and plants typical of the Caatinga biome. The distances differ considerably: a 2.3-kilometre route around a lagoon compared with the Trilha, listed as 35,000 linear metres, through typical Caatinga vegetation. You can compare these nature attractions by their length and individual focus.
Cultural Events and When to Visit
The Caminhada do Folclore takes place during Folklore Week in August and features groups from the Sertão and the Recôncavo. The Micareta originated in Feira de Santana in 1937, after heavy rain interrupted the city’s Carnival. The Festival de Sanfoneiros brings together accordion players, drummers and triangle players from Bahia, other regions of northeastern Brazil and further afield in Brazil. These events offer different cultural highlights; check the programme for each one if you want to plan your trip around it.
ExpoFeira also attracts exhibitors, breeders, businesspeople and tourists from across Brazil to Parque de Exposição João Martins da Silva. The Exposição Agropecuária de Feira de Santana is a separate event: it has been held at this park every September since 1965. As the information available does not include current dates for a specific trip, check the event dates before making plans.
Plan Your Accommodation and Get Your Bearings
When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to decide on the focus of your trip first: if you want to explore museums and historic sites, art and history take centre stage; if you’re interested in outdoor activities, the parks and the Trilha offer other options. If you want to plan your stay around an event, base your plans on its confirmed date.
The virtual tourism map of Feira de Santana catalogues attractions, tourism products and tourism services. Use it to find your way around, and check specific listings before travelling, as the map’s contents may change. It is also worth checking visiting arrangements and event dates again shortly before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Vitória da Conquista, Santana, Ruy Barbosa, Simões Filho, Piatã, Taperoá, Catu, Jaguaquara.
For the broader travel overview: Bahia.
