Neighborhood 48H guide

Lapa & Santa Teresa: Where to Stay & What to Do in 48 Hours

The Selarón steps, the arches and the tram.

Escadaria Selarón
Photo: Donatas Dabravolskas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lapa, under its white colonial aqueduct arches, is Rio’s samba and nightlife district; the tiled Selarón steps climb to Santa Teresa, a hilltop bohemian neighbourhood reached by the yellow bonde tram.

Photo gallery

Why stay here

Live music and character close to the centre.

Who it's for: Night owls, artists and samba fans.

Pros

  • Nightlife
  • Samba
  • Character

Cons

  • Rough edges at night
  • Noisy
  • Hilly

48H in Lapa & Santa Teresa

The Selarón steps, the arches and the tram.

  1. 09:00 – Escadaria Selarón

    Go early to avoid crowds.

  2. 11:00 – Santa Teresa tram

    Ride up the hill.

  3. 22:00 – Lapa

    Live samba.

Named recommendations

Real places with links to their official site or a Maps place page. We do not invent hours, prices, or ratings.

See / do

  • Escadaria Selarón

    See / do

    Escadaria Selarón

    Rua Joaquim Silva

    Steps covered in tiles from around the world by artist Jorge Selarón; free, open all day.

    Photo: Donatas Dabravolskas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
    Official site / map →

Outdoors

  • Santa Teresa tram

    Outdoors

    Santa Teresa tram

    Estação Carioca

    Historic yellow tram from the centre over the Lapa arches into Santa Teresa; runs daily.

    Photo: MTur Destinos · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
    Official site / map →

Where to stay

Specific named properties—not vague city-wide searches. Expedia stays use tracked Creator links; others open the hotel's official site.

Roam48 may earn a commission when you book a stay through Expedia or Vrbo links on this page, at no extra cost to you. All commercial stay links use rel="sponsored nofollow".

Vacation rentals

Prefer an apartment or whole home in this neighborhood? Browse Vrbo listings for Lapa & Santa Teresa.

Brazil’s tenancy law allows furnished holiday lets of up to 90 days, and Rio has no city rental permit yet (a registration bill was filed in 2026). In May 2026 Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice ruled that apartments in residential-only condominium buildings need the condominium’s approval before being offered on short-stay platforms. Before booking on Vrbo, check that the building allows short stays.

Browse vacation rentals in Lapa & Santa Teresa on Vrbo →

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