Rio de Janeiro · SANTA TERESA TOURS
Good santa teresa tours fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Tram to Santa Teresa plus Lapa and Centro on foot with a tri-lingual guide, hotel pickup, and tickets.
“It was very interesting, wish that group was not bilingual. It seemed that English stories were shorter. The guide was very helpful. The tram had high steps and it was difficult for older people to get in and out.”
Explore Rio’s historic center and Santa Teresa art streets in 4 hours, with hotel pickup, a multilingual guide, and Laurinda Santos views.
“Edwardo was brilliant!! Lots of information and we had a feed laughs too”
Ancient Rio and Santa Teresa with hotel pickup: cobblestone viewpoints, Lapa arches, and iconic downtown architecture in 4 hours.
“Our guide (and I lost her name) picked us up from the hotel in her own car on time. There were 2 of us and 2 others only. We first went to Santa Theresa - a very nice neighbourhood, but most things closed on a Monday - pity. I was at first disappointed when we were told we were now heading downtown, expecting to see more of what we had already seen, but I was pleasantly surprised. Our guide went out of her way to make it worthwhile and pleasant. If you want to see more of Santa Theresa, I suggest going on a Sunday and maybe not on a…”
Ride Rio’s yellow Bonde up Santa Teresa, then walk to Selarón Steps, Arcos da Lapa, and Cinelandia in a small 3.5-hour tour.
“Wonderful experience and really Ivan was really friendly. We discovered a lot of little gems from Santa Theresa. We strongly recommend this tour.”
Rio’s Centro, Lapa, and Santa Teresa on foot plus the yellow Bonde tram ride, with big landmarks, street art, and included drinks.
“Superbe découverte du centre ville. Yvan nous a fait découvrir l’histoire de Rio pendant une journée. Merci encore à lui pour toutes ces explications. Je recommande vivement”
Private LGBTQIA+ Rio tour with skip-the-line Christ Redeemer tickets, Santa Teresa art streets, Selaron Stairs and Cinelandia in 6 to 7 hours.
“We had a fantastic time being guided around Rio by Marcelo. He picked us up from our hotel which was very convenient and immediately took us to Christ the Redeemer and was able to navigate us through the slightly confusing entry process very easily. He had lots of information and history to impart which was always interesting. He also took us to lots of other places in Rio, including Selaron Stairs and San Teresa as well as finding us a really cool place to have lunch. He was a really friendly and fun tour guide and it was also great that he was able to drive us around. I would…”
Walk bohemian Santa Teresa, taste açaí and pão de queijo, enjoy tram views, and step into the Laurinda Santos Lobo mansion at Parque das Ruínas.
“Per pura coincidenza ero l'unico ad avere prenotato il tour in quel giorno ed orario per cui avevo la guida solo per me. Ho potuto chiedere ogni cosa e il fatto di essere da solo mi ha permesso di ascoltare tutte le spiegazioni lungo il percorso in modo ottimale. Il quartiere è molto caratteristico ed interessante. Merita sicuramente di passarci una qualche ora e magari anche tornarci per conto proprio”
Private Rio tour linking Christ the Redeemer, Mirante Dona Marta, Santa Teresa, and Escadaria Selarón, with Christ entry included for value.
“Marshall was a great tour guide. He was super flexible, easy going and would tailor the tour to your needs and timing. Our ship had heard docking and so we arrived much later than anticipated. Marshall was no worried and assured us not to either! He adjusted everything accordingly. It was also Carnivale, so traffic was manic everywhere! Marshall adjusted accordingly and the day was fabulous. Take the tour, you won't regret it!”
8-hour Rio private tour linking Sugar Loaf, Christ, Lapa and Santa Teresa by air-conditioned van, with key tickets extra.
“We waited for pur guide for over an hour with a no show. At the pier waiting for him was very frustrating.”
Half-day Rio tour with pickup: Christ the Redeemer, Corcovado views, Santa Teresa, Selaron Steps, all for $66.
“We booked the tour expecting to see the Santa Teresa neighborhood and the Selaron steps. First we waited half an hour past the expected pickup. When we tried contacting the provider GrayLine through Viator’s app chat to see if they were coming, we never receiveRead more”
Walk Santa Teresa’s stone streets, see Christ the Redeemer views, murals, Bar do Gomez, and finish at Escadaria Selarón.
“Tour lasted about two hours on foot, we visited the whole neighborhood of Santa Teresa. The center is really very nice, full of murals and typical shops really super cute. The guide was very kind and super competent.”
Open-air jeep ride from Santa Teresa to Corcovado. See Christ and Tijuca Forest in one guided 6-hour loop with tickets included.
“Genial, tuvimos una situación de último momento y Luciano y oscar nos ayudaron en todo, fuero. Super flexibles. Genial tour, los volveríamos a hacer sin duda”
Santa Teresa to Lapa in 3 to 4 hours, with the Santa Teresa tram, Ruins Park viewpoints, Selarón steps, Arcos da Lapa, and a cachaça stop.
“Carina’s tour through Santa Teresa, Lapa, and Glória was exceptional! Her passion and insider knowledge brought these neighborhoods to life. She shared fantastic tips for activities and restaurants, making the experience even more enriching. It was perfectly curated and couldn’t have been better. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Rio!”
Small-group samba night in Rio, mixing Santa Teresa snacks and history with Lapa music stops, skewers, caipirinhas, and local samba circles.
“This was a wonderful way to get a taste of Rio’s nightlife and different kinds of samba! Damiana is a wonderful guide - so knowledgeable and energizing. She provides terrific history and background that helps us appreciate more deeply what we are seeing. We went to places we never would have found on our own.”
3-hour Santa Teresa walk with bilingual guide, 1897 tram views, art stops, and hotel pickup in Rio.
Every kind of day this city offers, and the best of each.
