Amongst all of the places that we visited in Rio, there was one that stole our heart: Santa Teresa. Santa Teresa is a bohemian neighborhood that is home to an abundance of graffiti, a famous bondinho (tram) and of course, the Escadaria Selaron (Selaron Steps). We knew that we wanted to do a blog post even before we visited Santa Teresa because of the vibrancy of colors that this little neighborhood is known for.

After a winding narrow path upwards a hill, we finally arrived to the Escadaria Selaron. The stairs are composed of thousands of (mostly) red and multicolored tiles separated into three different flights. As you walk up the stairs there are colorful hostels and apartments on your right-hand side and even more vibrant tiles on your left-hand side. After you walk up the stairs, you are officially in the heart of Santa Teresa. This is where some of the most beautiful graffiti is and of course little shops with all handmade items.

After you’re done exploring the little town upwards of the Escadaria Selaron, there is a famous tram called a bondinho. The bondinho offers you a beautiful view of all of the graffiti on the way back down to ground level, all with samba music playing in the background, of course.

I knew I wanted to wear red to Santa Teresa once I saw pictures of the Escadaria Selaron. The patterned tiles and colorful walls were the perfect background to my simple cold-shoulder red dress from Vanilla Sky. I paired my dress with my black suede lace up sandals from Vince Camuto and my gold Ray-bans. I kept my hair simple and did a half-up half-down look. Santa Teresa is really the most photogenic place I have ever been to and is the perfect shooting location for any blogger that wants to travel to Rio.

xx Samantha

I was so overly-enthusastic to shoot in Santa Teresa once I looked it up on Instagram. I describe my style to be on the bohemian side, so I knew that this neighborhood would be ideal for me. Before the trip, I found my dress from Vanilla Sky on sale for $10. I thought the thin straps, vertical ruffles and low back was a perfect fit for Santa Teresa. I paired my red dress with my lace up sandals from Vince Camuto and my thin gold hoops from Forever 21. I wanted to keep my outfit on the romantic side, so I kept my hair down in loose waves. I really loved this look and it ended up being my favorite from the whole trip. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Santa Teresa, please do. It really does capture your heart. 

xx Janet