Walking tour Santa Teresa & Lapa: Yellow tram, Selarón Steps

The yellow tram is still the way up to Santa Teresa, and the walk down passes through thirty years of one artist's staircase.

A walking tour of Santa Teresa and Lapa neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, led by a certified guide in English or Portuguese, that starts with the famous yellow tram ride up to the district, then moves through colonial streets and the Selarón Steps before ending at Cinelândia square. The tour runs three and a half hours and includes a drink: caipirinha, beer, soda, juice or water. Pickup is included. The walk suits all fitness levels but is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, cardiovascular concerns or pregnancy.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Ruins Park30m
2. Selarón Steps30m
3. Lapa20m
4. Cinelândia20m

Explore Santa Teresa and Lapa neighborhoods

• Arrive at Santa Teresa Tram station
• Take the yellow Bonde tram to Santa Teresa
• Walk around Largo dos Guimaraes
• Visit the Ruins Park viewpoint
• Walk to Selaron Steps in Lapa
• Stroll past graffiti to Lapa arches
• Explore Cinelandia square attractions

The experience

Thirty minutes on the yellow Bonde tram carries you up into Santa Teresa, the tram itself a landmark and the ride a panoramic entry into the neighborhood. Once there, the walk moves at your own pace through Largo dos Guimaraes, where nineteenth and early twentieth-century houses line streets that open onto restaurants, bars and views across the city. The guide points out the architecture and the history, but the rhythm is yours. This is wandering with direction, not a march through stops.

Ruins Park sits at the heart of the district, a former mansion turned open-air gazebo where you stand with views of Centro, the Arches of Lapa, Christ the Redeemer and Botafogo all visible at once. From there the walk descends toward Lapa, passing the Selarón Steps: a staircase covered entirely in hand-painted tiles by Chilean artist George Selarón over the course of twenty years. The tiles are the work itself, not decoration added to it. The staircase is what he made.

Lapa spreads below, its walls covered in graffiti and its most famous structure the eighteenth-century aqueduct, the Arches, that once carried water through the city and now carries the tram that brought you up. The walk ends at Cinelândia square, where the Teatro Municipal, the National Library, the Museum of Fine Arts and the last operating cinema in the square sit as the formal face of old Rio. A drink arrives at some point during the tour, and the guide speaks English or Portuguese depending on the group.

What’s included

• A certified guide in English or Portuguese.
• pickup to the Santa Teresa Tram station.
• the yellow tram ride up to the neighborhood.
• a drink: caipirinha, beer, soda, juice or water.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 to 90 years) · Youth (15 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 14 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Good Guide In Rio

Is this one for you?Pick this if you're staying outside Santa Teresa and want to move through two neighborhoods on foot. The tram gets you there, and the walk connects you directly to Lapa without backtracking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 17 years); Child (6 to 14 years); Infant (under 6): free.

How do I get to the start of the walking tour in Santa Teresa?

The tour includes pickup, and you'll meet the guide at the Santa Teresa Tram station to board the famous yellow Bonde (tram) that carries you up into the neighborhood.

What is the Selarón Steps and why is it part of this walk?

The Selarón Steps is a staircase in Lapa entirely covered in hand-painted tiles created by Chilean artist George Selarón over approximately twenty years. It's the main visual landmark connecting Santa Teresa to Lapa and sits at the heart of the descent from the upper neighborhood.

What neighborhoods do I actually walk through on this tour?

You walk through Santa Teresa, starting from Largo dos Guimaraes and moving through the district's colonial streets and Ruins Park, then descend to Lapa, passing the Selarón Steps and the Arches aqueduct before ending at Cinelândia square.

Is there a drink included, and what are the options?

Yes, the tour includes a caipirinha, beer, soda, fruit juice or water, and you choose which one during the walk.

How long does the tour take, and is it physically demanding?

The tour runs three and a half hours and suits all fitness levels, though it involves walking at your own pace through neighborhoods with hills and stairs. It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, cardiovascular concerns or pregnancy.