Explore Feira de Santana through its cultural history: a historic residence is considered the city’s place of origin, an art market brings together crafts, cordel literature, food and folk culture, and museums offer distinct perspectives ranging from painting to science. You can focus your trip on what interests you instead of combining every stop into a fixed itinerary.
City history in cultural venues
Casarão dos Olhos D'Água is considered the residence from which Feira de Santana emerged. The building was converted into a cultural center and houses the Memorial de Maria Quitéria. City history, cultural use and remembrance come together here—a distinctive point of interest if you are interested in the city’s origins.
Another strand of history can be seen in the building that now houses CUCA: it was constructed between 1912 and 1916, and the Escola Normal was established there in 1927. CUCA provides ongoing arts education through workshops in dance and body movement, visual arts, music and theater. This brings the history of education and artistic practice together. Workshop offerings may change; check the latest information if a particular workshop is important to your trip.
Market, crafts and collections
Mercado de Arte Popular is located in the city center and is considered the city’s most important tourist attraction. Arts and crafts, cordel literature and typical foods are sold there; performances by folk artists and groups are also held. The building also houses restaurants. If you want to visit a particular stall or attend a performance, check for the latest information, as individual vendors and programs may change.
Museu Casa do Sertão offers another perspective on local crafts. It displays items made by artisans from the municipality, including clay sculptures, woodcuts, toys, household objects, clothing, work tools, furniture, musical instruments and leather objects. The museum welcomes visitors, students and researchers daily during business hours. Check the current visitor guidelines before your visit.
Art, religion and science
Museu Regional de Arte do Cuca/Uefs was founded on March 26, 1967, with support from the government of the state of Bahia and a donation of artworks by Assis Chateaubriand. It is considered the city’s first museum institution; its collection includes modernist paintings from Brazil and England. Catedral de Santana also tells the story of the city: it stands on the site of the chapel around which Feira de Santana developed.
Those interested in architecture and religious art will find a different focus at Igreja Senhor dos Passos. The church is designed in an eclectic Neo-Gothic style; its Gothic stained-glass windows depict the twelve apostles. Comparing it with Catedral de Santana draws attention to different facets of the religious heritage—from a site connected with the city’s development to a church with distinctive architectural features.
At Museu Antares de Ciência e Tecnologia, films and demonstration labs covering physics, chemistry, biology and the human body sit alongside topics such as the universe, geological eras and dinosaurs; the exhibits also include a replica of a NASA rocket. Museu Parque do Saber offers a distinct focus: its main attraction is a planetarium with fulldome projection technology and twelve films on scientific, historical and cultural topics. The focuses described are therefore different: a variety of scientific topics and demonstrations at one, a planetarium and themed films at the other.
Outdoor activities and cultural events
For exercise around a lagoon, Parque da Lagoa Grande has a 2.3-kilometer route for walking and cycling. Parque da Lagoa offers a different experience: it has a lagoon, five pedal boats and opportunities to see the Caatinga’s flora and fauna. These are different options—a route for walking and cycling at one, and a lagoon and nature watching at the other.
Cultural events can also play a part in planning your trip. Caminhada do Folclore takes place during Folklore Week in August and features groups from the Sertão and Recôncavo. Check the dates for the year of your trip. Micareta can be understood in terms of its historical development: it began in 1937, after heavy rain interrupted the city’s Carnival, and developed into a mass celebration with thousands of revelers, as well as large Cordão and alternative Blocos. If you want to plan a trip around a future edition, check its dates separately.
For your own initial research, Feira de Santana’s virtual tourism map catalogs attractions, tourism products and services. Check its current content if you use the map for planning.
Discover more destinations: Vitória Da Conquista, Praia do Forte, Ibipeba, Indiaroba, Camacan, Santa Maria da Vitória, Lençóis, Ubaíra
For the broader travel overview: Bahia.
