Escadaria Selarón: The Complete Visitor's Guide
215 steps. 2,000+ tiles from 60+ countries. 23 years of one man's obsession. The Escadaria Selarón is Rio's most photographed staircase and one of the few global landmarks that is genuinely free, genuinely public and genuinely surprising in person. This is the 2026 guide — when to go, how to photograph it without crowds, what to combine it with, and which guided tours are worth booking.
Quick Answer
Address: Rua Joaquim Silva, Lapa. Best time: 8–9 AM for crowd-free photos. Free to visit. Combine with Arcos da Lapa + Santa Teresa tram for a perfect half day.
See Selarón + Santa Teresa toursSelarón Steps at a glance
| Cost | Free — open 24/7 (visit in daylight) |
| Best time | 8–9 AM for crowd-free photos |
| Duration | 30–45 minutes |
| Location | Rua Joaquim Silva, between Lapa & Santa Teresa |
| The steps | 215 steps, 2,000+ tiles from 60+ countries |
| Nearest metro | Cinelândia (~15 min walk) |
| Combine with | Arcos da Lapa + the Santa Teresa tram |
The 6 Best Ways to Visit the Selarón Steps
Lapa + Selarón Steps + Santa Teresa Walking Tour
3.5 hrsThe conversion winner. Small group, local guide, Selarón history, Arcos da Lapa, Santa Teresa tram ride included. Most photos for your money.
Check availabilityRio Street Art & Selarón Half-Day Tour
4 hrsCombines Selarón with the Eduardo Kobra murals at the Boulevard Olímpico (Etnias Mural — largest in the world). Best for design-minded travellers.
Check availabilityChrist Redeemer + Selarón Steps + Maracanã Combo
Full dayHits three Rio icons in one driver. Skips Sugarloaf — do that as a sunset stand-alone. Best one-day-in-Rio combo for a quick trip.
Check availabilityEvening Lapa Samba + Selarón at Sunset
4 hrsSunset photos at the staircase, then a guided crawl through 2–3 Lapa samba bars with first drink included. Solves the 'is Lapa safe at night' problem.
Check availabilityPrivate Photographer at Selarón
1 hrA local photographer meets you at the staircase, shoots 60+ frames, delivers edited photos that day. Best for couples, honeymoon, content creators.
Check availabilityGetting There
By Uber/99 (recommended): R$20–35 from Copacabana/Ipanema, 15–25 min. Set destination as "Escadaria Selarón" — every driver knows it.
By Metro: Line 1 to Cinelândia or Carioca, then 10–12 min walk. Safe in daylight, follow main streets.
By VLT tram (light rail): Cinelândia stop, 8 min walk. Cheapest option (R$4.30).
From a cruise ship: Most shore-excursion buses combine Selarón with the Christ statue and Sugarloaf — see our cruise port guide.
Photographing the Steps
- • 8–9 AM weekday: empty staircase, soft directional light.
- • Shoot from the bottom looking up for the wide angle.
- • Find the green-yellow-blue Brazil flag tile mid-staircase — iconic frame.
- • Use a 24–35mm lens or phone wide to capture the curve.
- • Skip flash: reflections off the tiles look terrible.
- • Watch the foot traffic — locals live here. Don't block residents heading up.
A Brief History of the Tiles
Jorge Selarón arrived in Rio from Chile in 1983 and bought the dilapidated house at the top of the staircase. In 1990 he started replacing the broken tiles with mosaic pieces he scavenged from construction sites. Neighbours mocked him; he kept going.
By the late 1990s, travellers from around the world were mailing him tiles from their home countries. You can spot Portuguese azulejos, Mexican Talavera, Japanese ceramics, and individual gifts from 60+ countries embedded in the steps. The dominant red, yellow and green palette is Selarón's homage to the Brazilian flag.
Selarón called the staircase "my madness, never finished — only when I die." He was found dead on the steps in January 2013. The city declared the Escadaria a protected cultural landmark the same year.
Combine With (Same Half-Day)
- • Arcos da Lapa — the 18th-century aqueduct, 6 min walk. See Arcos da Lapa guide.
- • Santa Teresa tram (Bondinho) — board at the top of the steps. See tram guide.
- • Santa Teresa neighbourhood lunch — Aprazível, Bar do Mineiro.
- • Evening Lapa samba bars — Rio Scenarium, Carioca da Gema. See Lapa samba guide.
- • Confeitaria Colombo for a belle-époque coffee. See Colombo guide.
FAQs
Are the Selarón Steps free to visit?
Yes. The Escadaria Selarón is a public staircase connecting Lapa and Santa Teresa. There's no ticket, no gate, no opening hours — you can walk up at any time. Guided tours add context, photography help and safer access in evening hours.
Where exactly are the Selarón Steps?
Rua Joaquim Silva, between Rua Manuel Carneiro and Ladeira de Santa Teresa, in Lapa. The base sits about a 6-minute walk from the Arcos da Lapa aqueduct. The nearest metro is Cinelândia (Line 1), 12 minutes on foot. Uber drops you on Rua Joaquim Silva itself.
Are the Selarón Steps safe?
The staircase itself is safe in daylight and busy with tourists 9 AM–5 PM. After dark the area is sketchier — Lapa's nightlife crowd brings pickpockets and the side alleys empty out fast. Visit before 5 PM, leave valuables at the hotel, keep your phone in your front pocket, and Uber back rather than walking through Lapa at night. See our Lapa nightlife safety guide.
What's the best time to photograph the steps?
8–9 AM on a weekday. Soft light, almost no crowd, and the colors saturate beautifully without midday glare. Avoid 11 AM–2 PM (harsh shadows and tour buses) and rainy days (tiles get slippery, photos look flat). Golden hour (one hour before sunset) is the second-best slot but expect crowds.
Who was Jorge Selarón?
A Chilean-born artist who moved to Rio in 1983 and began tiling the staircase outside his house in 1990 as 'a tribute to the Brazilian people.' He worked on the 215 steps for 23 years using 2,000+ tiles from over 60 countries, many sent by travellers. He was found dead on the staircase in January 2013. The steps are now a protected city landmark.
How long does a visit take?
20–40 minutes if you're just photographing and walking up to Santa Teresa. 2–3 hours if you combine with the Lapa Arches, the Santa Teresa tram and a coffee at the top — which is what we recommend, and what most guided tours do.
Are there guided tours that include the Selarón Steps?
Yes — most Lapa walking tours, Santa Teresa tram tours and 'Hidden Rio' street art tours include the staircase. The best value combos pair Selarón with the Arcos da Lapa, a samba bar stop and the Santa Teresa tram ride. Half-day tours run R$120–220 per person.
Book a guided Selarón + Lapa tour
Skip the safety question and the language barrier. Local guides, small groups, free cancellation 24 hours.
See all Selarón toursKeep planning
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