The city of Itacaré was elevated to the position of a municipality in 1732. Initially inhabited by Tupiniquin Indians, some say by Pataxos, São Miguel do Rio de Contas, since 1931, Itacaré, was an important clandestine port during the reign of the magnificent era of the extraction of stones in the Chapada Diamantina. The dispatching of this precious cargo down the Rio das Contas (Contas River), that rises in the Chapada and has its outlet in Itacaré, caused the city to become a hideaway for pirates that looked for the riches that went through there. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Jesuits constructed the São Miguel church that has not been lost to time. Proof of this is that it has been set under governmental trust as historic patrimony. The city port that provided an important link between other regions in the municipality was losing its power when the first highways were built. The cocoa culture, developed for many years in the city, was preserved. The influence of the fruit was so strong that it came to be included in the Cocoa Coast. Today Itacaré makes its livelihood from fishing and, principally, tourism.
With an area of 730km², and around 20,000 inhabitants, the city of Itacaré maintains the beauties of the Atlantic bush- full of streams that feed into the Atlantic Ocean, and natural highlights that go from the rocks to the seaside hills, ecological reserves and shell shaped beaches. All of these attractions, provided by nature, make the municipality of Itacaré a city of contrasts.

In this city, there is entertainment, sports to play, not to mention, the tranquility that makes visitors feel at home. While walking through the suburbs of Itacaré, it is possible to observe the charm of historic buildings, like the church of São Miguel, built in 1718, and the House of the Jesuits (Casa dos Jesuítas).