Selarón Steps: The Complete Guide to Visiting and Photographing Rio’s Iconic Staircase

If there’s one image that captures Rio’s colorful, gloriously chaotic side, it’s that staircase covered in blue, yellow, and green tiles straddling the border between Lapa and Santa Teresa. The Selarón Steps have become a must-visit stop for anyone coming to the city, popping up in music videos by Snoop Dogg and U2, in wedding photo shoots, and in nearly every Instagram feed tagged #Rio. But few people know the story behind it — and even fewer know how to visit without fighting for space in a crowd of tourists with tripods.

In this guide, I’ve rounded up everything you need to know before climbing (or descending) those 215 steps: where the idea came from, the best times to shoot photos, safety tips, and what else you can do nearby, since Lapa and Santa Teresa are packed with great stuff all around.

The story behind the tiles: who was Jorge Selarón

The staircase wasn’t born as a city project or a commissioned work of art. It’s the result of one man’s obsession: Chilean painter and ceramist Jorge Selarón, who traveled to more than 50 countries before settling in Rio in 1983, in a house on Rua Joaquim Silva, right across from the stairway that connected his street to Santa Teresa.

In 1990, Selarón decided that gray, neglected staircase needed color. He started alone, using leftover construction materials and tiles salvaged from renovation sites around the neighborhood. The project kept growing — and, as he himself would say, became a “tribute to the Brazilian people.” In several interviews, he recounted going hungry to buy paint and ceramics, selling his own paintings to tourists who stopped to watch the work in progress.

Over time, the staircase’s fame grew, and tile donations started pouring in from around the world — today, there are pieces from more than 60 countries, many sent by travelers who passed through and wanted to leave a little piece of home embedded in the wall. Blue, yellow, and green dominate (not coincidentally, the colors of the Brazilian flag), but you can also spot fragments with flags, phrases, portraits, and even pieces of antique Portuguese ceramic tilework.

The story, however, has a sad ending. In January 2013, Jorge Selarón was found dead on the staircase itself, under circumstances that were never fully clarified. He was 65 and had dedicated more than two uninterrupted decades to the work — which, according to him, would never truly be “finished,” because there would always be room for one more tile. Today, the staircase is informally cared for by the community and admirers of the artist, and it continues to receive small interventions.

Where it is and how to get to the Selarón Steps

The staircase sits on Rua Manuel Carneiro, connecting Rua Joaquim Silva (on the Lapa side) to Rua Pinto Martins (on the Santa Teresa side). It’s easy to find because it’s just a few minutes’ walk from the Arcos da Lapa, one of the most famous landmarks in Rio’s downtown.

The most practical ways to get there:

• Metro: Cinelândia station (Line 1), followed by a 15 to 20-minute walk — or hop on a bus/Uber for part of the way if you’d rather save your legs.
• Bus: several lines running through Centro and Glória stop near the Arcos da Lapa, just one block from the staircase.
• Car or ride-hailing app: you can get dropped off right on Rua Joaquim Silva. Street parking is scarce in the area, so a ride-hailing app is usually easier than trying to park.
• On foot from Santa Teresa: if you’re exploring the neighborhood (or coming down from the tram), the staircase is a short, downhill walk — which makes it much easier.

Visiting is free, and the steps are open 24 hours, every day — after all, it’s a public staircase, not a gated attraction with a ticket booth. That means you can fit the stop into any itinerary around Centro, Lapa, or Santa Teresa without worrying about opening hours.

Best time to photograph without fighting for space

Here’s the tip worth remembering: the Selarón Steps are small. The 215 steps spread over roughly 125 meters (about 410 feet) don’t leave much room to move around, and at peak times it fills up fast — especially when a tour group or excursion bus parks nearby.

Some practical tips from people who’ve tried (and missed) the right timing:

• Early morning (from 7–8 a.m.): by far the best time. The light is soft, foot traffic is still low, and you can shoot without someone crossing your frame every two seconds.
• Late afternoon: the second-best option, especially on weekdays. The golden hour light really brings out the colors of the tiles.
• Avoid midday on weekends and holidays: that’s when the staircase turns into a meeting point for tour groups, professional photo shoots (weddings, pre-wedding sessions, fashion shoots), and street vendors — all at once, on the same 125 meters.
• Weekdays are worth more than Saturdays and Sundays, especially if you want “clean” shots with no people in the background.

A tip from a photography lover: climb to the top and look down. The view from above creates a sense of depth that’s totally different from the classic shot taken from the base looking up — and there’s usually less foot traffic up there.

Safety: what to know before you visit

The Lapa area and the surroundings of the staircase are a central, busy zone with a steady flow of tourists — which is good, because crowds usually mean relative safety during the day. Still, it’s worth taking basic precautions, just like in any big city center:

• Avoid flashing expensive cameras, jewelry, or phones too conspicuously while walking the surrounding streets — keep your gear in your bag between shots.
• During the day, the staircase usually has plenty of people, which helps you feel safe. At night, though, foot traffic drops significantly and the lighting isn’t very strong — if you visit after dark, go in a group and prefer taking an Uber/taxi over walking long distances.
• Keep an eye on your belongings at any crowded tourist spot — it’s the kind of place where people’s attention is pointed upward (looking at the tiles), which opportunistic pickpockets can take advantage of.
• If you’re walking up to Santa Teresa through the streets, do it during the day. The streets are charming, but some stretches between blocks are more isolated.

None of this should scare you into cutting the visit from your itinerary — it’s simply the same kind of awareness you’d have in any busy tourist area of a big city.

What else to see beyond the staircase: Lapa and Santa Teresa

One of the perks of visiting the Selarón Steps is that it’s squeezed between two neighborhoods full of great stuff. It’s worth setting aside at least half a day to explore both sides.

On the Lapa side

The Arcos da Lapa, a former aqueduct that now carries the Santa Teresa tram, is just a few minutes’ walk away. At night, the area transforms — it becomes one of the city’s liveliest spots for live music, with traditional samba houses and dance halls running late, especially Thursday through Saturday. If you enjoy nightlife, pair a daytime visit to the staircase with an evening stroll through Lapa after dinner.

On the Santa Teresa side

Heading up Rua Pinto Martins, you enter Santa Teresa — a neighborhood of cobblestone streets, old mansions, artists’ studios, and views over Guanabara Bay at several points. The yellow tram that crosses the Arcos da Lapa is an attraction in itself: a short ride, but one that’s become a symbol of the neighborhood.

Santa Teresa also concentrates a big share of Rio’s coolest bars and restaurants, set up in old houses with verandas. You can cap off the day with a relaxed walk through the neighborhood’s streets, stopping for a coffee or a beer with a view.

Fun facts about the Selarón Steps

A few details that usually go unnoticed by people rushing through:

• The work is made up of more than 2,000 tiles, mostly Portuguese ceramics, but also pieces donated by visitors from over 60 countries.
• Selarón painted some of the pieces with portraits of pregnant women — a recurring motif in several spots along the staircase, tied to his fascination with the female figure as a symbol of life.
• The staircase has appeared in international music videos, including “Beautiful” by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams, and “Walk On” by U2 — which helped a lot with the site’s worldwide fame.
• Even after the artist’s death, the staircase remains “alive”: small restorations and new pieces are added over time, usually on the initiative of locals and admirers.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Selarón Steps

Is visiting the Selarón Steps free?

Yes. It’s a public space with no entrance fee and no set opening hours — you can visit at any time of day or night.

How long does a visit take?

For going up, coming down, and taking photos at a relaxed pace, 20 to 40 minutes is usually enough. If you’re pairing it with a stroll through Lapa and Santa Teresa, set aside a few extra hours.

Can you walk there from Copacabana or Ipanema?

The distance is too far to walk (it’s several miles), but the trip by metro or car/ride-share usually takes between 20 and 35 minutes, depending on traffic and your starting point in the South Zone.

Is it worth visiting the staircase more than once?

Plenty of Rio locals pass by from time to time and always notice a new tile or a different piece — since the work receives small additions over the years, it never looks exactly the same. If you’re in town for several days, a second visit at a different time of day (morning vs. late afternoon) can be worth it.

Are there any special rules for drone photos?

The area has flight restrictions because it’s in a dense urban zone and close to points of interest — before bringing a drone, it’s important to check the current regulations from ANAC and the city government for Rio’s central area.

Wrapping Up

The Selarón Steps are one of those stops that cost little time and deliver a lot: real history, color everywhere, and the chance to pair it with two neighborhoods full of personality. If you plan your visit for early morning or late afternoon on a weekday, the experience changes completely — no feeling of being stuck in a photo line.

Take the chance to walk down (or up) to Lapa or Santa Teresa right after, since both neighborhoods complement the staircase stop really well. And if you can, pause for a few seconds to actually look at the tiles — there’s history, dedication, and even a country flag or two hidden among the colors.

To learn more about Jorge Selarón’s story, check out the artist’s profile on Wikipedia, the Selarón Steps page on Wikipedia, or the city’s official tourism site, Visit.Rio.