Hotels near Santa Teresa and the Bondinho

Santa Teresa sits on a hill above Lapa - cobbled lanes, colonial houses, artist studios and small restaurants clustered around Largo do Guimaraes and Largo das Neves. The way to arrive is the bonde, the yellow open-sided tram running since 1877, which crosses the Arcos da Lapa aqueduct on its way up. It leaves from Estacao Carioca on Rua Lelio Gama and the fare is R$ 20 (about 3 EUR) return.

Departures run roughly every 30 minutes from 09:00. Since the line was rebuilt, only seated passengers are carried, so a midday queue at Carioca can mean a 40-minute wait. Two branches operate, one to Dois Irmaos and one to Paula Mattos. Get off at Largo do Guimaraes for most of the restaurants and for the Museu Chacara do Ceu, a small collection with a garden that looks straight over the bay.

Pro Tip: Ride up on the tram in the morning and take a ride-hailing car back down, particularly if you stay for dinner. The lanes are steep, badly lit and easy to misread on foot after dark.