Santa Teresa and her unique style
Rio de Janeiro has long been associated with its beautiful beaches. Copacabana and Ipanema made the famous Rio in the 20th century for their golden sand and the lush mountains that surrounded them. Yet, a no less captivating scenery is just above the city centre of Rio in the hillside area Santa Teresa , where the ageing 19th century houses and the bohemian spirit offer a very different touch of the cidade maravilhosa . 
Flickr – TheDarlomme
Santa Teresa remained largely inaccessible until the 1800s when new roads connected it to the Glória district and other neighbouring districts. Until the 1880s, it was an area of isolated farms and forests that were a refuge for fugitive slaves.
Then, at the end of the 19th century, the explosive growth of the coffee industry fueled a boom of construction through Rio, with the erection of immense dwellings in Santa Teresa by rich industrialists. The neighbourhood took off in 1896, when the aqueduct that brought water to the centre of the city was transformed to accommodate the new electric tram in Rio, Bonde . 
Flickr – Rogerio Zgiet
Today, the picturesque yellow tram, the last tram still in operation in Rio, continues its course on the old aqueduct (now called the old aqueducts) Arches de Lapa ) and sneak into the paved streets of Santa Teresa. 
Flickr – SergioAraujoPereira
Today we find the artist workshops and the testimony of their installation in the neighborhood in the 1960s and 1970s. The formerly abandoned houses have been retaped and it is a feast to come to Santa Teresa to admire the street art , the animation of passers-by, but also the beautiful gastronomic scene you can find in small restaurants with a wonderful view of the city.
You won't miss it. Museu Chacara do Ceu for his paintings by Brazilian artists such as Di Cavalcanti or paintings by Matisse and Miró, and his garden. See also the Parque das Ruinas for his ruins and coffee. On the animation side, take a look at the Largo do Guimarães , the square in the heart of the Bohemian quarter. 
Flickr – Marco Nunes
A way to get to Santa Teresa on foot is to climb the steps of the Escadaria Selarón , real work of art in the open air.
Flickr – dany13
Life in this neighborhood is really nice and we suggest you rent an apartment if you stay in Rio de Janeiro for a few days.
Santa Teresa neighbourhood map
Also read: 8 things to do in Rio de Janeiro
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