Santa Teresa is a beautiful historical district close to the center of Rio de Janeiro. Located on the hills to the southwest, it's home to many of the city's artists.

Get in

The best way to get to Santa Teresa is by catching the street car, or bonde, from Lapa. It crosses a high viaduct and climbs up through the winding cobblestone streets to the top of the hill. Although many locals will just hop on the sides to avoid paying the R$1 fare, there are periodic checks by the transit police.

You can also walk to Santa Teresa from surrounding districts such as Catete, though it's a stiff uphill climb, and some of the streets aren't entirely safe.

See

• The Museu da Chácara do Céu, Rua Murtinho Nobre, 96. An art and antique museum with a good collection of works by modern masters. During carnival 2006 some of its most famous works of art were stolen while a prosession passed by outside [1].
• The Museu do Bonde covers the history of streetcars.
• The Arte de Portas Abertas, or artists' open house, is held in May and November of each year, when Santa Teresa's artists open their studios to the public. There are free shuttle buses from most parts of the city for this event.

Buy

Santa Teresa has many interesting restaurants and stores.

• Favela is a unique clothing store.

Eat

• Mike's Haus, Rua Almirante Alexandrino 1458, dishes up German food. Ex-hangout of train-robber Ronnie Biggs.

Drink

• Bar do Arnaldo. Rua Almirante Alexandrino, 316 B; Tel: 2252-7246. Arnaldo is one of the classic drinking spots in Santa Teresa, famous for its food from Brazil's Northeast region.

Sleep

Budget

• Pousada Favelinha in Laranjeiras/Santa Teresa might be your choice if staying in a favela is your cup of tea.

Mid-range

Splurge

Bed and breakfast

• With Cama e Café you can sleep in any one of 50 houses.

Contact

Stay safe

Avoid entering or leaving on foot after nightfall. During the day it's a nice hike up the streets, but the neighborhood is surrounded by three different favelas, and assaults after dark are not unheard of even for the locals. Take taxis and stay in groups.