Things to do in Cachoeira & São Félix
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Museu da Boa Morte
For a small donation, members of the exclusively female Boa Morte (Good Death) religious society will lead you around their barren one-room Museu da Boa Morte. There are some good photos here and usually society members sit around in their whites, smoking pipes and trading gossip. The society began as a sisterhood of slaves that assured dead slaves a proper burial and bought old slaves their freedom, while on the side they passed on information regarding slave uprisings and carefully disguised Candomblé events.
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Museu Hansen Bahia
The Museu Hansen Bahia occupies the birthplace and former home of Brazilian heroine Ana Nery, who organized the nursing corps during the Paraguay War. Today, it houses the work of German-Brazilian artist Hansen Bahia. Among his powerful block prints and paintings on the theme of human suffering, depicting primarily prostitutes and Christ, is a series of illustrations of Castro Alves’ poem Návio Negreiro (Slave Ship).
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Centro Cultural Dannemann
In São Félix, the riverfront Centro Cultural Dannemann has modern art displayed throughout a converted warehouse. In a large room in the rear of the building, heavy with the rich smell of tobacco, women dressed in white with flowered head wraps sit at antique wooden tables rolling charutos (cigars), as has been done here since 1873. Dannemann cigars are considered Brazil’s finest.
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Candomblé Ceremonies
Cachoeira is one of Candomblé's strongest and perhaps purest spiritual and religious centers. The terreiros are in small homes and shacks in the hills, where long ceremonies are usually held on Friday and Saturday nights. You can try contacting the tourist office for Candomblé information; or get in touch with Luiz Magno, who takes visitors to ceremonies.
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Igreja Matriz NS do Rosário
The Igreja Matriz NS do Rosário dates between 1693 and 1754. It has beautiful azulejos and a ceiling painted by Teófilo de Jesus. On the 2nd floor, the Museu das Alfaias contains remnants from the abandoned 17th-century Convento de São Francisco do Paraguaçu. The church is usually open mornings, but try knocking if it’s closed.
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Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo
The Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo has a gilded baroque altar, paneled ceilings and azulejos, and dates from 1702. A side gallery contains several polychrome Christs, imported from the Portuguese colony in Macau, and dripping with bovine blood mixed with Chinese herbs and sparkling rubies.
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Casa da Câmara e Cadeia
At the Casa da Câmara e Cadeia, organized criminals ran the show upstairs and disorganized criminals were kept behind bars downstairs. The building dates to 1698 and served as the seat of the Bahian government in 1822. The old marble pillory was removed from out front after abolition.
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Louco
Cachoeira has maintained a tradition of wood carving with a heavy African flavor. Stop in on the atelier (studios) of one of the best sculptors in town, Louco, to get a sense of the local style; it operates roughly from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
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Doidão
Cachoeira has maintained a tradition of wood carving with a heavy African flavor. Stop in on the atelier (studio) of one of the best sculptors in town, Doidão, to get a sense of the local style; it operates roughly from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
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Woodcarving Studios
Cachoeira has maintained a tradition of woodcarving with a heavy African flavor. Stop in on the ateliers (studios) of two of the best sculptors in town, Doidão (Rua Ana Nery) and Louco (Rua 13 de Maio), to get a sense of the local style.
reviewed
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Restaurante Beira Rio
This laid-back spot serves tasty seafood and Bahian fare with bench tables and artisan-produced decor. There are decent wines, outdoor river-facing tables and inexpensive lunch plates.
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Santa Casa de Misericórdia
The municipality’s oldest hospital, the Santa Casa de Misericórdia has a pretty chapel (1734) with a painted ceiling, gardens and an ossuary.
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Boat Trips
For boat trips along the river, contact the owner of Restaurante Beira Rio, who offers trips to Maragogipe, riverside convents and other nearby destinations.
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Museu Regional da Cachoeira
Housed in an 18th-century colonial mansion, the humble Museu Regional da Cachoeira displays colonial furnishings and priestly vestments.
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Igreja de NS da Ajuda
Cachoeira’s oldest church is the tiny Igreja de NS da Ajuda, built in 1595 when the town was known as Arraial d’Ajuda.
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Igreja de NS do Conceição do Monte
The climb to the 18th-century Igreja de NS do Conceição do Monte is rewarded only by views as it is closed to visitors.
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Museu IPHAN
Housed in an 18th-century colonial mansion, the humble Museu IPHAN displays colonial furnishings and priestly vestments.
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Baiana’s Point
Perched over the river, this place makes a great setting for an early evening drink; fine Bahian fare is available.
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Pizzaria Shambhalah
This small cozy pizzeria has brick walls, a varied menu and nicely lit tables with views onto the plaza.
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Cabana do Pai Thomaz
Pai Thomaz serves good Bahian food and is filled with carved wooden panels and furniture.
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