Rio de Janeiro’s Santa Teresa and Lapa are the city’s bohemian heart — a hilltop village of colonial villas and artists’ studios above an 18th-century Roman aqueduct that has become the nerve centre of Brazilian samba. This post accompanies a real rio de janeiro walking tour filmed in 4K, specifically the video Lapa & Santa Teresa: The Bohemian Side of Rio | Enjoying Rio like a local, which explores these two adjacent neighbourhoods that most tourists miss when staying only on Copacabana.
About This Walking Tour
This video explores the two most bohemian and traditional neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro: Santa Teresa on its hilltop and Lapa at the foot of the hill below the famous arches. Santa Teresa retains a village character with colonial villas converted to artists’ studios, boutique guesthouses, and cafés — connected to the city below by the iconic bonde tram (operating since 1868, Rio’s oldest tram line). The views over the city and Guanabara Bay from the Santa Teresa hillside are among the finest in Rio.
The Escadaria Selarón — the mosaic staircase created by Chilean artist Jorge Selarón between 1990 and his death in 2013 — links the Lapa and Santa Teresa neighbourhoods on a 215-step ascent covered with over 2,000 tiles from more than 60 countries. In Lapa, the Arcos da Lapa (Carioca Aqueduct), built 1719–1723 as a functional Roman-style aqueduct to carry water from the Tijuca forest, now serves as a viaduct for the Santa Teresa tram. Below the arches, the samba bars of Lapa’s street — known as the Circuito Boêmio — fill with musicians every Thursday and Friday night.
Highlights of Rio de Janeiro
The Escadaria Selarón (Selarón Staircase) is Rio’s most beloved piece of public art — Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón began decorating the steps of the staircase in front of his house in 1990 as a “gift to the Brazilian people,” adding tiles sent by fans from around the world until his mysterious death in 2013. The 215 steps and 250 metres of wall are covered in tiles of every design, with particular prominence given to tiles depicting pregnant women in Brazilian colours.
The Arcos da Lapa (Lapa Arches) were built as the Carioca Aqueduct between 1719 and 1723 to carry water from the Carioca River in the Tijuca forest across a valley to the city. The 42 arches span 270 metres and reach a maximum height of 17.6 metres — an engineering achievement of colonial Brazil that remains structurally intact after 300 years. The Cinelândia area with its Belle Époque Teatro Municipal (1909) and Museu Nacional de Belas Artes forms the cultural historic core of central Rio, while the Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow) at Porto Maravilha, designed by Santiago Calatrava and opened in 2015, offers a striking contrast of contemporary architecture on the revitalised waterfront.
A Brief History of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro was founded by the Portuguese in 1565 on the shores of Guanabara Bay — the bay that early explorers mistook for the mouth of a river (Rio de Janeiro means “January River”). The city became the capital of the Portuguese Empire in 1808 when King João VI fled Napoleon’s invasion and moved his entire court to Brazil — the only time in history that a European monarch governed from the Americas. Rio remained the capital of the Empire of Brazil, then the Republic of Brazil, until 1960 when Brasília was inaugurated as the planned new capital.
The Lapa Arches were completed in 1723 and remained in use as a working aqueduct until 1896, when the Santa Teresa tram adopted them as a viaduct. Artist Jorge Selarón began his staircase project in 1990 and spent 23 years adding tiles until his death in 2013. Rio hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, which included the construction of the Porto Maravilha waterfront renewal project.
Practical Tips
Brazil’s currency is the Brazilian real (BRL). Portuguese is the official language. Galeão International Airport is approximately 20 km from the city centre; Santos Dumont domestic airport is closer to the historic centre. The Santa Teresa tram (bonde) connects from Carioca Metro station. Lapa’s nightlife is concentrated on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights — the area is lively then but should be navigated with awareness of personal security. Walking in Santa Teresa by day is generally relaxed and safe; nights in certain areas require more caution.
Best Time to Visit
May through October is Rio’s dry season and the most comfortable for walking. Carnival (February or March) is the city’s defining event, centred in the Sambadrome but felt throughout the city and particularly in Lapa. New Year’s Eve on Copacabana Beach (Réveillon) draws up to two million people.
Watch & Explore More
Watch the embedded video to discover the bohemian side of Rio that lies beyond the famous beaches. For more South American walking tours, see Buenos Aires: San Telmo to Palermo and Salvador: Pelourinho and Afro-Brazilian Heritage. Subscribe to @walkingtoursvideoscom for walking tour films from cities around the world.