Rio de Janeiro - A Tour of the Santa Teresa Neighborhood

For many, a Brazil trip begins with arriving at the airport of Rio de Janeiro. The Cidade Maravilhosa, as the city is also called, has a lot to offer. World-famous sights such as the Statue of Christ or the Sugar Loaf Mountain, the popular beaches Copacabana and Ipanema, or the famous Carnival of Rio attract numerous tourists to the city every year. Yet there is so much more to discover in Rio. Especially visitors interested in culture should pay a visit to the charming neighborhood of Santa Teresa.

Built on a hill and boasting a magnificent view of the city is the Santa Teresa neighborhood. For decades, the neighborhood has attracted artists and writers, photographers, designers, and, of course, tourists. The come and go of residents and visitors does not disturb the unique atmosphere of the neighborhood, but rather transforms it into a kind of cosmopolitan village, whose narrow streets with old houses and well-kept gardens hide repair shops, bars, inns, studios, and a variety of cultural attractions.

Long before the neighborhood was nicknamed "Rio's Montmartre", the Santa Teresa hill was known as a neighborhood with a high quality of life. It came into life in the 18th century with the construction of the Santa Teresa monastery of the same name. The neighborhood was first inhabited by the upper class of the time and quickly turned into one of the chic areas of the city, with several villas and palaces in eclectic style. Over the years, however, Santa Teresa also attracted a large number of European immigrants.

Around 1850, the area was intensively settled by the population fleeing the yellow fever epidemic in the city. Due to its higher altitude, the region was less affected by the epidemic than the surrounding neighborhoods of Rio.

With the arrival of the electric streetcar in September 1896 and the improvement of the sidewalks, houses grew, palatial residences multiplied, and the first hotels were inaugurated. The hill became a neighborhood and home to countless artists and intellectuals. Pixinguinha, Carmem Miranda, Bibi Ferreira, and Procópio Ferreira are just some of the illustrious personalities who lived here.

Old, charming, full of historic houses and art studios - the streets of Santa Teresa are an attraction in themselves. The best way to discover the streets and the unique atmosphere of the neighborhood is to take a stroll. But be prepared, because the streets in the neighborhood are quite steep. Since Santa Teresa is located on a hill, you can enjoy beautiful views of the Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Guanabara Bay from many of the streets.

The Parque das Ruínas is a little off the beaten tourist path. There are the ruins of the palace of Laurinda Santos Lobo. The socialite hosted some of the largest and most famous parties of Rio's high society in her time, hosting artists such as Villas-Lobos and Tarsila do Amaral. Since she left no heirs after her death in the 1940s, much of the palace's pomp and charm was lost. It was not until 1997 that the ruins of the palace were restored. Today, the park not only hosts art exhibitions and musical performances but also offers one of the best viewpoints in the city.

After the Parque das Ruínas, you can visit the nearby Chácara do Céu Museum. The museum is located in a beautiful mansion with unique architecture. From there you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the Guanabara Bay. The museum exhibits the private collection of the former owner Raymundo Castro Maya. The collection includes engravings and paintings by European artists such as Seurat and Miró, Brazilian modernists such as Guignard, Di Cavalcanti, Antônio Bandeira, and Portinari, a Brazilian collection with works by Rugendas, Chamberlain, and Taunay, and important engravings by Debret.

Santa Teresa is the only neighborhood in Rio where the historic streetcar still functions as a means of public transportation. This is also a great way to visit the picturesque neighborhood. Installed in 1872 and connecting Santa Teresa to the center via the Arcos da Lapa viaduct, the streetcar became an alternative way to get around the neighborhood without having to climb the steep slopes. Until electrification in 1896, the streetcar was initially pulled by horses. The first streetcar was painted green, silver, and blue, but was repainted yellow after complaints from residents that the streetcar was hard to see among the trees. Much of the streetcar's history can be seen at the Museu do Bonde, the Streetcar Museum, where a variety of memorabilia is on display. There you can see models and replicas of streetcars, as well as old tickets, conductor uniforms, and original clocks.

One of the most famous attractions in Rio is the staircase that connects the two neighborhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa. The staircase is now known as Escadaria Selarón and is the work of self-taught Chilean ceramist and painter Jorge Selarón. After visiting more than 50 countries, Selarón decided to live in Brazil, more precisely in Rio de Janeiro. In his street is also the staircase, which he decorated with over 2,000 tiles of all types and sizes. The artist received the pieces from fans around the world. Selarón began the work alone in 1994 and completed the 215 steps and 125 meters of the staircase before the year 2000. He financed the project with money received from residents or the sale of his paintings.

If you want to get to know the area around Rio de Janeiro in more depth during your Brazil vacation, you can discover the most beautiful and varied highlights of the state of Rio de Janeiro on our overland tour "Rio de Janeiro, Atlantic Rainforest, and the Coast of Paraty". In addition to the well-known sights in Rio de Janeiro, travelers can expect to see the species-rich Atlantic Rainforest, the beautiful colonial city of Paraty, and the beautiful bays, fjords, and small islands.

Sources: www.freewalkertours.com, www.rio.rj.gov.br, www.wikipedia.org