Morro do Chapéu: Nature, Rock Art and Wine

Morro do Chapéu can be explored through several themes: protected landscapes, rock paintings, historical heritage and wine experiences. The municipality offers nature and cultural experiences ranging from archaeological sites to wine tastings; a nearby destination is the thermal pools at Balneário Tareco. Deciding which of these interests should shape your trip is a useful starting point when choosing a holiday apartment.

Landscape and nature reserves

Three protected areas of the state of Bahia are located within the municipality: Parque Estadual do Morro do Chapéu, APA Gruta dos Brejões – Vereda do Romão Gramacho and Monumento Natural da Cachoeira do Ferro Doido. Parque Estadual protects Campo rupestre, a transition zone between the Cerrado and Caatinga, as well as archaeological sites. This brings together natural history and traces of human history, without reducing the landscape to a single theme.

Cachoeira do Ferro Doido waterfall is 98 metres high. Buraco do Morrão is also one of the municipality’s natural attractions; its name inspired Morro do Chapéu. These places offer specific ways to experience the natural side of the trip, while rock art and historic buildings provide other points of focus.

Rock art, caves and routes

The main entrance to Gruta dos Brejões is 100 metres high and can be seen from the valley of the village of Brejões da Gruta. Access difficulties have affected tourism at the cave. One section of the route there is described: from the Morro do Chapéu bypass, it runs 45.6 kilometres west along the BA-052 to the turn-off for the village of Soares. This information describes the route as far as the turn-off; check current access conditions before planning a visit to the cave.

At Lagoa da Velha, about 20 kilometres west of Morro do Chapéu town centre, there are rock outcrops bearing paintings that depict scenes with animals and people. An itinerary leads there from the town centre, near the BA-052; the area is considered easy to visit. Another archaeological route runs from Morro do Chapéu to Vila do Ventura, an abandoned former mining settlement, and continues to a waterfall on the Rio do Ventura. Vila do Ventura has sandstone outcrops with rock shelters and rock paintings. An archaeological itinerary also passes Toca da Figura; its rock paintings are depicted on painted panels.

Wine experiences and historical heritage

The Rota dos Vinhos da Chapada Diamantina includes winery visits in Morro do Chapéu and Mucugê, where visitors can taste wine and sparkling wine. In the municipality, Vinícola Reconvexo offers guided tours with tastings. Vinícola Vaz offers visitors tastings of its wines and sparkling wines. Vinícola Santa Maria offers walks through its pioneering vineyards; its offerings also include tastings of artisan wines and snacks, as well as Portuguese cuisine. There are therefore different ways to explore the subject of wine: a guided tour, tastings and a walk through vineyards.

The municipality’s history includes the colonial-era houses on Rua do Fogo and Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Graças, both part of its historical heritage. Together with the rock paintings and the abandoned former mining settlement of Vila do Ventura, they form a cultural focus distinct from nature and wine experiences.

Weighing experiences when choosing accommodation

When searching for a holiday apartment in Morro do Chapéu, you can start by deciding which experiences you want to shape your stay: rock art and nature, historic architecture or wine tastings. Visiting conditions also vary when planning: Lagoa da Velha is about 20 kilometres west of the town centre and is considered easy to visit, while access difficulties have affected tourism at Gruta dos Brejões. Nearby, access to the thermal pools at Balneário Tareco is subject to a fee; check the conditions locally before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Maraú, Tabocas do Brejo Velho, Santa Cruz Cabrália, Pé de Serra, Ruy Barbosa, Tianguá, Jaguaquara, Itiúba.

For the overarching travel overview: Bahia.