Santa Teresa — Bohemian Hilltop Neighbourhood & the Historic Tram
Santa Teresa (the hilltop neighbourhood overlooking central Rio, between the Centro Histórico and the Tijuca Forest, accessible by the historic Santa Teresa tram (bonde) from the Lapa Arches — the most atmospheric neighbourhood in Rio and the traditional home of Rio's artistic and intellectual community): the neighbourhood's cobblestone streets, 19th-century colonial mansions converted to artists' studios, boutique hotels, and restaurants, and its extraordinary views over Guanabara Bay and the city centre make it the most photogenic neighbourhood in Rio.
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Bonde de Santa Teresa — The Last Traditional Tram in Brazil
The Bonde de Santa Teresa (the tram network operating from downtown Rio across the Lapa Arches to the Santa Teresa hillside neighbourhood, the only surviving traditional tram system in Brazil, operated since 1877) runs on weekends and public holidays — the single remaining line (Largo do Guimarães to Silvestre, 4.5km) is the most scenic tram ride in South America, crossing the Arcos da Lapa at 30m height; the original open-sided yellow trams (operated from 1896) were replaced by rebuilt cars; the tram was suspended 2011–2015 after a fatal accident and restructured.
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Largo do Guimarães — The Social Heart of Santa Teresa
Largo do Guimarães (the central square of Santa Teresa, top of the steep Rua Dias de Barros from Laranjeiras, the neighbourhood's social centre) is surrounded by bars, restaurants, and ateliers — Bar do Gomez (the oldest bar in Santa Teresa, 1919, wooden counter, bottles of cachaça, botequim atmosphere), La Espanhola (the most upscale botequim, weekend feijoada), and the collective art studios (Atelier Galpão, open Saturdays) make the Largo the cultural hub; the neighbourhood concentrates artists, bohemians, and foreign residents drawn by the hillside character.
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Museu Chácara do Céu — Matisse and the Rio View
Museu Chácara do Céu (Rua Murtinho Nobre 93, Santa Teresa, Tue–Sun 12pm–5pm, R$10) is the finest small museum in Rio — the mansion (1957, former home of collector Raymundo Ottoni de Castro Maya) houses a collection of Matisse drawings (including the preparatory drawings for the Chapel of the Rosary in Vence), Modigliani, Dalí, Braque, and the largest collection of Brazilian Modernist art outside the MAM; the terrace (free to stand and look) has one of the most dramatic views in Rio: Corcovado, Guanabara Bay, and the downtown skyline simultaneously.
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Street Art in Santa Teresa — HONK and Favela Painting
Santa Teresa's street art is concentrated on the steep staircases (escadarias) connecting the neighbourhood's different levels — the Escadaria Selarón (Rua Joaquim Silva, Lapa, adjacent to Santa Teresa, the staircase covered in 2,000 painted tiles from 125 countries by Chilean-Brazilian artist Jorge Selarón, free) is Rio's most-visited non-beach public attraction; within Santa Teresa, the Escadaria do Aprazível (Rua Aprazível) has tile murals, and the neighbourhood's walls display political and artistic murals by local artists.
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Favela Painting Project — Vidigal and Complexo do Alemão
The Favela Painting project (the collaboration between Dutch artists Haas & Hahn and favela communities, begun in 2007 in Santa Marta favela, Botafogo) is the largest community street art project in the world — the Santa Marta project covered 34 houses in a single painting; subsequent projects (Praça Cantão, Estácio) have covered entire favela sections; the Vila Cruzeiro project (Complexo do Penha) covers 2,000m² of hillside; Vidigal favela (above Leblon) has become an arts and music community and is the most visited 'safe' favela for tourism.
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Hotel Santa Teresa — The Neighbourhood's Historic Mansion
Hotel Santa Teresa (Rua Almirante Alexandrino 660, Santa Teresa, a converted 19th-century coffee baron's mansion, 44 rooms, pool, award-winning restaurant) is Rio's most atmospheric luxury hotel — the hotel's Bar do Coronel (the former mansion's salon) is open to non-guests and serves the most sophisticated cocktail program in the Santa Teresa neighbourhood; the roof terrace bar (panoramic view of Guanabara Bay and the city) is Santa Teresa's finest elevated evening experience; entry to the bar R$0 with minimum R$50 consumption.