Catu lies on the BR-110 between Salvador and Alagoinhas. When choosing this destination, the main points of interest are a cultural and religious landmark and cultural programs from specific years. This offers two different approaches to planning: the Igreja Matriz as a cultural reference point, and events whose dates were tied to specific editions.
Heritage and classes in Catu
The Igreja Matriz is considered a landmark of Catu’s cultural and religious heritage. In 2025, the Casa da Cultura offered free classes in theater for adults and children, capoeira, dance, ballroom dancing, ballet, and jazz. The cultural and art workshops also announced for 2025 were aimed at people of all ages. The formats mentioned range from performing arts and movement to different styles of dance. Together with the religious landmark, they offer a varied cultural perspective on Catu, appealing to different interests in history, art, and movement.
Announced events and their dates
The cultural programs were tied to specific editions. The FLICKIDSCATU program at Parque Municipal de Leitura included a storytelling event, a canvas-painting workshop, a mask-making workshop, a body-drawing workshop, and a presentation of the book Quinca no Mundo da Lua. The park’s inauguration was also included in the program. For the Festa de Reis in January 2026, a procession of the Santos Reis from Praça Duque de Caxias to Barão de Camaçari was planned.
The 1st Feira Literária Catuense – FLICATU, with a literary, artistic, educational, and musical program, was scheduled for December 5 and 6, 2025. An edition of the Virada Cultural de Catu was announced for February 6, 7, and 8, 2024: a total of 30 hours of programming across several stages was planned, featuring music, theater, dance, exhibitions, artistic interventions, and a film showcase. As part of this Virada, a food fair and a fair for handicrafts and local products were also planned for Bairro Boa Vista (Praia da Aruanha). These examples show the range of formats announced, from literature and visual arts workshops to stage programs and markets.
If a festival, class, or market is the reason for your trip, first check its dates for your intended travel period. The annual editions mentioned here were time-specific plans, not a preview of today’s events program.
Bahia as a broader cultural and natural region
In the broader destination of Bahia, the Ofício das Baianas de Acarajé offers a distinct cultural and culinary point of reference. Since 2005, it has been listed in the Livro dos Saberes as an intangible cultural heritage of Brazil. The tradition includes the preparation and sale of foods by the Baianas. Acarajé is made from ground black-eyed peas, filled with vatapá, caruru, and dried shrimp, and prepared with palm oil.
The broader cultural context of Bahia also includes the Samba de Roda do Recôncavo Baiano, which is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and encompasses 26 cities. The Roda de Capoeira combines singing, instrumental music, dance, strikes, play, symbols, and rituals of African origin, particularly Bantu, that were reshaped in Brazil. The landscape is also expansive: Bahia’s Chapada Diamantina tourist region includes the headwaters of the Rio Paraguaçu basin, with numerous rivers rich in water, waterfalls, and crystal-clear natural pools. These examples offer a glimpse of Bahia beyond Catu; they describe the broader regional context.
Discover more destinations: Catu, Jaguaquara, Itiúba, Tabocas do Brejo Velho, Ruy Barbosa, Simões Filho, Feira de Santana, Ipupiara.
For the broader travel overview: Bahia.
