Travel information

GeneralSeeGet InEatDrink

History

The City was founded in 1534 and its full name was then Vila de São Jorge dos Ilhéus. It was one of the most important producers of cocoa but nowadays it depends mostly on tourism.

  • House of Jorge Amado. The house of the world famous novelist Jorge Amado. Mon-Fri 9-12 and 14-16, Sat 9-13, Sun 15-17.
  • Palácio do Paranaguá.
  • Nossa Senhora da Piedade church.
  • São Sebastião cathedral.

By plane

Closest international airport is in Salvador. TAM and GOL have daily direct flights from Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Porto Seguro and São Paulo to the local airport of Jorge Amado, which is just five minutes away from the city by car.

By car

From north or south, drive BR-101 to Itabuna, then take BR-415 eastward to Ilhéus.

By bus

The bus station in Ilhéus is located 3,5 km west of the city centre. A local bus ride from station to the centre of Ilhéus will take about 10 minutes and costs 1,70 R$.

By boat

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

  • Bar Vesuvio, Praça Dom Eduardo 190 [1]. Taste a bit of history by having a drink at Bar Vesuvio. Jorge Amado used to write his novels there and even used the bar as décor in one of his books.