Santa Teresa Tram at Downtown Station.
Santa Teresa is an unique neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, with several overlooks, bars, restaurants, and cafés as well as home to the workshops of dozens of artists.
The area is mostly famous for its old tram, which started been operated in 1896. Regrettably, due to an accident in August 2011 when five people died, the tram is out of operation for safety reasons.
Authorities have announced that it will be back modernized and safe, possibly in 2014 (but much probably sometime in 2015, or even 2016).
Santa Teresa is an absolutely must visit when touring Rio de Janeiro, especially on weekends and holiday afternoons, when it is most lively.
However, safety is not the strongest side of the neighborhood. Santa Teresa is a huge area, larger than Copacabana (and way bigger than Ipanema or Leblon).
On the other hand the population is considerably small (40,000 inhabitants) if compared to Copacabana (150,000). The result is that the streets have few pedestrians.
View over Rio de Janeiro seen from an overlook in Santa Teresa
The safety problem with Santa Teresa lies in the fact that the area has many deserted streets.
Bear in mind that in Rio deserted streets, sidewalks, parks, and beaches should be avoided as mugging occasionally happens here and there. Deserted staircases should also be avoided (and there are several of them in Santa Teresa).
Despite of the safety issues of Santa Teresa, it is perfectly possible to stay in a hotel, youth hostel, or bed & breakfast there, and have a great time and stay safe. Prefer to stay at or close to Largo dos Guimaraes, which is the most lively zone of Santa Teresa.
The bottom line is the best way to stay safe in Santa Teresa is to avoid walking on deserted streets. Besides, to get in and out of the neighborhood prefer taxis or the tram. Walking all the way down to Lapa (as many tourists do) is not recommended, especially at night.
Planning on visiting or staying in Santa Teresa? Access instantly maps, insider’s information, things to do and see as well as recommended accommodation in My Rio Travel Guide, the most practical travel guide to Rio de Janeiro. The chapter 1 covers ‘safety’.
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