Santa Teresa food tour: 6 hours, tastings and Selarón Steps
Taste cheese bread, octopus and codfish cakes across three neighborhoods in one afternoon.
A six-hour guided food and cultural walking tour through Santa Teresa, Copacabana, Lapa and Mirante Dona Marta with a bilingual guide, all tastings and entrance fees included. You gather at the JW Marriott in Copacabana, move through neighborhoods by metro and taxi, and stop at markets, studios, historic cafés and viewpoints. The guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese, and tips are optional.
Step-by-step itinerary
Food and culture tour in Rio
- Meet guide at JW Marriott hotel
- Taste açaí and soursop juice in Copacabana
- Try steak, cheese, and pineapple sandwich
- Drink custard apple juice at juice house
- Enjoy snacks and drinks at Adega Pérola
- Take metro to Real Gabinete Português de Leitura
- Visit Real Gabinete Português de Leitura library
- Explore Confeitaria Colombo and Cinelândia
- Taste cheese bread, açaí, pastries, and beer in Santa Teresa
- Visit local shops and descend Selarón Steps
- Visit local artist's studio
- Explore graffiti scene and view Sugarloaf Mountain
- Visit São Bento Monastery if time allows
- Conclude at Monastery with Museum of Tomorrow view
- Visit largest shopping center in Latin America
What’s included
- Professional bilingual guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
- all food and drink tastings.
- entrance fees to attractions.
- taxi to Mirante Dona Marta viewpoint.
- VAT and all taxes.
Times
- Monday to Saturday 10:45
Before you book
Operated by Gregtur Turismo
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The tour starts at the JW Marriott in Copacabana with açaí and soursop juice, then moves to Parada de Copa for a steak, cheese and pineapple sandwich. You'll taste custard apple juice at a juice house, then head to Adega Pérola for octopus, goat cheese, codfish pearls and codfish cakes with natural guaraná and mate. A metro ride takes you to the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, the historic Confeitaria Colombo and the Cinelândia area: each stop adds another layer of Rio's food culture and architecture.
Santa Teresa is where the tour shifts from eating to exploring. You'll sample cheese bread, açaí, cheese pastries and beer from Complexo do Alemão, then walk the famous Selarón Steps and browse local shops selling typical Rio products. A visit to a featured artist's studio (someone whose work has appeared in international magazines) lets you see the neighborhood through a maker's eyes. The graffiti scene comes next, with artists at work and a view of Sugarloaf Mountain from street level.
The final stretch takes you by taxi to Mirante Dona Marta for a view of Tijuca Forest, Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain, then wraps at the São Bento Monastery with its baroque and rococo architecture and a view toward the Museum of Tomorrow. The route covers Latin America's largest shopping center on the way back. Throughout the day you'll meet local people who share insights into how Rio actually works: the habits, the food, the neighborhoods most visitors skip.
Is this one for you?Pick this if you're staying in Copacabana or nearby: the tour starts at the JW Marriott and moves through three neighborhoods on foot and metro, so you navigate as a group rather than solo.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What do I eat and drink on this Santa Teresa food tour?
You'll taste açaí, soursop juice, a steak and cheese sandwich, custard apple juice, octopus, goat cheese, codfish cakes, cheese bread, cheese pastries and beer from a local favela brewery. Natural guaraná and mate come at Adega Pérola. All tastings are included in the price.
How do we get around between the neighborhoods?
You walk within each neighborhood, take the metro from Copacabana to reach the historic center, and ride a taxi to Mirante Dona Marta for the viewpoint. The taxi fee is included.
What is the Selarón Steps and why is it worth seeing?
The Selarón Steps are a famous staircase in Santa Teresa covered in colorful tiles and mosaics created by a local artist. They're a landmark of the neighborhood and a place where you can see Rio's street art culture firsthand.
Will I meet local people on this tour?
Yes. The tour includes a visit to a featured artist's studio in Santa Teresa and time in local bars and restaurants where you'll meet people who can explain Brazilian habits and customs from the inside.
Is this tour physically demanding?
The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll walk within neighborhoods and climb the Selarón Steps, but the pace is set by the group and there's no strenuous hiking or climbing involved.
Santa Teresa food tour: 6 hours, tastings and Selarón Steps
6h · EN · ES · PT
from US$ 199 per person
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