Santa Teresa and the Bondinho Tram

Santa Teresa sits on a ridge above the city centre and Lapa, and it feels like a different city: steep cobbled streets winding between nineteenth-century mansions, many of them faded, some restored as guesthouses, galleries and bars, with tropical gardens spilling over their walls and views down over Guanabara Bay. In the nineteenth century it was a fashionable retreat for wealthy families escaping the heat and disease of the lowlands; in the twentieth it declined and was taken over by artists, musicians and intellectuals, and that bohemian character remains. The heart of the neighbourhood is Largo dos Guimaraes, a small square with bars, restaurants and craft shops, and the streets around it, Rua Almirante Alexandrino and Rua Paschoal Carlos Magno above all, are lined with studios and ateliers. The Parque das Ruinas, the shell of a mansion that once belonged to the patron of the arts Laurinda Santos Lobo, has been turned into a free cultural centre with a metal walkway to the top and one of the best views of the city and the bay. Next door, the Chacara do Ceu museum displays a fine collection of modern art in a modernist house in a garden. The neighbourhood is famous above all for its tram, the bondinho, Brazil's oldest working electric tram system. The little open yellow cars run from the Carioca station in the centre, cross the Arcos da Lapa, the white eighteenth-century aqueduct that is one of Rio's landmarks, and climb into the hills along narrow tracks. Service has been patchy since a serious accident in 2011 suspended the line, and it is still being rebuilt in stages: the Silvestre branch reopened to passengers in June 2026 with a handful of departures on weekdays, and the state plans to add ten new cars from 2027. At times in 2026 tour operators have used a bus to reach the hill when the tram over the arches was not running, so check the current timetable before you plan your day around a ride.

What to see: start at Largo dos Guimaraes, walk to the Parque das Ruinas for the view, visit the Chacara do Ceu museum next door, then wander the lanes looking into studios and galleries. Old-school botecos around the square serve feijoada, pasteis and cold beer, and the neighbourhood has many relaxed restaurants serving long lunches with a view. Every year Santa Teresa holds an open studios weekend, when artists open their homes to visitors. The Selaron Steps lead down from the edge of the neighbourhood into Lapa.

How to visit well: go by day. The streets are steep and quiet in places, and while the main squares and roads are lively and generally fine in daylight, petty crime does happen, and some lanes border hillside communities. Take a ride-hailing car to Largo dos Guimaraes, walk the central area, and take a car back rather than walking down at night. If you want to ride the tram, check the current timetable with the operator or Riotur, arrive early at the Carioca station and expect queues on the few daily trips; the fare for visitors is modest. A guided walking tour is a good way to see the neighbourhood with context and to link it with the Selaron Steps.

Who it suits: travellers who like art, architecture and atmosphere more than sights; couples looking for a romantic lunch with a view; and anyone who wants to see a side of Rio that has nothing to do with beaches. It is not ideal for those with limited mobility, because the streets are steep and cobbled.