Santa Teresa

NileGuide Expert tip:

When taking the bonde line that heads towards Paulo Mattos, most tourists jump off at the busy Largo do Guimaraes. Stay on until the end of the line, however, and you’ll reach Largo das Neves – a wonderfully tranquil square headed by a pretty whitewashed church and lined with several small bars serving very good food and tasty cocktails.

Santa Teresa Description:

• Once home to Rio’s wealthiest inhabitants, the charming hillside neighborhood of Santa Teresa began to fall into disrepair during the 1960s and 70s, when the emergence of favelas nearby drove the rich towards the city’s beaches. Artists and musicians moved into the abandoned mansions, and today Santa Teresa is known as Rio’s most bohemian neighborhood. Vintage clothes stores, artists workshops and wonderfully laid-back bars and restaurants make the neighborhood well worth a visit, and the iconic yellow tram that clatters its way along the twisting streets is a joy to ride. Despite its close proximity to the city centre, Santa Teresa has preserved a charming small-town atmosphere, and there is a real community atmosphere to the place. Santa Teresa is well-policed and its reputation as a dangerous area to visit is largely undeserved , however, do take the usual precautions, and take taxis between here and Santa Teresa at night.