Wander is a travel search engine that allows you to find the perfect travel destination that fits your budget and preferences.
Escadaria Selarón, also known as the 'Selaron Steps', is a set of world-famous steps in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They are the work of Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón who claimed it as "my tribute to the Brazilian people".
In 1990, Selarón began renovating dilapidated steps that ran along the front of his house. At first, neighbours mocked him for his choice of colours as he covered the steps in fragments of blue, green and yellow tiles – the colours of the Brazilian flag. It started out as a side-project to his main passion, painting, but soon became an obsession. He found he was constantly out of money, so Selarón sold paintings to fund his work. It was long and exhausting work but he continued on and eventually covered the entire set of steps in tiles, ceramics and mirrors.
Beautiful place. Well, it's just stairs actually. But with exceptional art. A must see in Rio!
ren aqFeb 7, 2018
I heard about the history and so on (Google it is interesting). However, when you get there is just a place with tiles... If you like colorful tiles that is the place for you. DO NOT GO THERE AT NIGHT. Is very dangerous., However, in day time you can see people staring at you but they wont do anything (it does not mean that you can go around with you watch on, showing you cameras/cellphones. If they find an opportunity they will use it). You can also see cops around but at night no one will be there to help you if something happens..
Eli SantosJan 30, 2018
Beautiful work of art, especially when you closely examine the various tiles and find homage to places and things that you know and love. It's a great boon to the favelas in the surrounding areas and conceivably goes a long way to improving the general safety of the area
Benworth HansenFeb 26, 2018
Ir you're seeking different people to chat and have a great time, this is the place to be. Come on Friday. Full of people from all over the world get together here. But beware, lots of pot being smoked as well..
Andreas KernFeb 2, 2018
This is an interesting stop in Rio. The neighborhood is not the best and our tour guide warned us against visiting the area after dark... And against going too far up the stairs as well. That said, the location was scenic and the history is intriguing. I can't say for sure how accurate the warnings we received are, but take care if you are planning a visit.
Dan SchefferJan 5, 2018
Very unique to this location. The area gets vary crowded so make sure you get there early. Parking around or nearby is also not so convenient. It is best to get here using the public metro network which is pretty good. Just be careful with your valuables when going around nearby streets. The steps themselves are very colorful, its a short steep climb but nothing too fascinating except for seeing a representation of many different cultures from around the world on a tile among the many steps.
VJMar 17, 2018
The steps itself are awesome especially when you understand its history. Too bad the artist was killed and his body was found on the said steps. Now, be careful when going here. The neighborhood is SKETCHY to say the least. If you are traveling alone, make sure there are people around. Also, to beat the crowds go early like around 7am. I'm general, it is worth seeing but be careful.
Kiki BadruMar 24, 2018
A must visit place when you are in Rio. You can walk up and down the streets and admire the countless mosaics or you can visit one of the neighborhood bars/restaurants. It's a clearly unique and clearly "Carioca" place. Come here early and prepare to wait to get your photo taken as you will be in the company of many others like you :)
Awesome SauceMar 13, 2018
The stairs themselves are gorgeous and a site to behold. However getting there anyway other than a taxi or uber is not a good idea. We tried to walk around Santa Teresa but it just felt way too dangerous. Stick to the steps and then head home. We got into a very frightening situation in one of the little bars selling açai on the street leading up to the bottom of the steps and had to leave in a hurry.
Scott LaffertyMar 17, 2018
Nice place a longer then i thought the actually go quite high and the is a nice wall painting of the Brazilian flag at the top. There is also side steps blocks with different designs on the walls on each side of the steps. Definitely worth a stop. Also try to go around 5pm as is the middle of the day there is way to many tourists it will be hard to get a nice picture there.
Samuel FrostApr 14, 2018
Fun, colorful, highly touristy. It's hard to find a place to take a picture without others if you go during the day. It's a very typical almost obligatory stop in Rio, but if you didn't go there there's plenty of other things to do. I had been there before but had forgotten that the area isn't the best area, so I'd recommended taking a taxi\uber there and watch your belongings. Definitely had a few moments walking away from it that the are felt less safe. So we called an Uber. Overall fine, go see it to get that picture, just don't plan to spend a whole day there.
Daniel FernandesApr 20, 2018
Amazing artwork. Loved the way the tiles are placed. While going up the stairway is really pretty. The corridor is very colorful with bright tiles.. Furthermore, the area around the street, is full of painters doing the wall painting. For a few bucks, you can also get your name painted on the world map painted on the wall.
Rahul ShindikarJun 9, 2018
An iconic place to the tourist who visit Rio. Many small shop you will see while climbing stairs. You can buy souvenirs from these shops. If you lucky you can see your country name on the stairs. I was amazed to see how wonderfully they represented message on the tiles concrete.
ভৌগলিক অায়তনMay 31, 2018
This was on a bus trip we did . It was really worth a quick visit. It was really beautiful and am glad we went here. It is just somewhere you visit for a few minutes
Pat CorryMay 20, 2018
É um lugar interessante frequentado por grupos de jovens que ficam sentados e conversando. Ontem tinha um grupo de moças e rapazes brincando de "5 corta", rsrsrs. Sempre tem grupos turistas brasileiros ou estrangeiros. Mas no total haviam menos de 100 pessoas pelas escadas, isso é muito menos do que já foi. A escadaria já foi muito mais animada. De 2015 pra cá, a polícia faz uma repressão permanente contra a venda e consumo de maconha na escadaria e isso impactou diretamente nos frequentadores tradicionais. Antes da repressão a escadaria ficava completamente lotada de jovens, com várias rodas de violão acontecendo simultaneamente de cima a baixo, todas as pessoas interagindo pacificamente e abertas a novas amizades. Era um clima incrível. E a maconha, junto com as bebidas alcoólicas eram o combustível que alimentava aquela festa. Eu presenciei o primeiro fim de semana quando a repressão começou. Os policiais subiam pelas escadas e desciam trazendo os pequenos traficantes de maconha. Prendiam uns 5 por noite, eu vi. Três semanas depois já não havia mais ninguém na escadaria e ela se tornou o lugar pacato que é hoje (bem menos interessante)
Bruno Negrao ZicaJul 15, 2018
A tribute from a Chilean to the Brazilians. And he did not disappoint. You can find tiles with images from all over the world. Of course Football Clubs have been paid their tributes to as well. Good place to get to talk to some locals as well. Spent a bit talking to a guy selling his art. The warmth of the Brazilian people is incredible, been loving them all my life.
Felix DienstJul 12, 2018
Unmissable and spectacular. It's a little rough around the edges, but that just adds to the charm. Go early to miss the crowds.
Eat RioJun 24, 2018
This was a very interesting place. We spent a good bit of time walking up to the top and looking at all the unique ceramic tiles. With over 2000+ tiles it is interesting to see where some of them came from. There is a large line at the bottom of the stairs to get a picture at the bottom but if you skip that and keep going up there are plenty more places to get a good photo
Daniel CahillJul 26, 2018
Very unique spot! Make sure you budget enough time to appreciate the detailed art work. Could get pretty crowded if you are hoping to have a photo shoot, but there is a professional photographer on site that will help. A must see spot if you are in Rio!
mohrab2001Aug 5, 2018
Once stage of Snoop Dogg and an open-air exhibition of a modern artist, the stairs welcome everyone from every corner of this world. Colorful tales tell a story and enchants whoever lays eyes on them. It's usually full of visitors, but the nice ones, who will share that cool spot for the picture. If you don't run out of breath to finish it, just go up a bit further to the right and then left to a bar on corner and reward yourself with an outstanding traditional caipirinha.
Anna BeeAug 9, 2018
Beautiful place. Well, it's just stairs actually. But with exceptional art. A must see in Rio!
ren aqFeb 7, 2018
I heard about the history and so on (Google it is interesting). However, when you get there is just a place with tiles... If you like colorful tiles that is the place for you. DO NOT GO THERE AT NIGHT. Is very dangerous., However, in day time you can see people staring at you but they wont do anything (it does not mean that you can go around with you watch on, showing you cameras/cellphones. If they find an opportunity they will use it). You can also see cops around but at night no one will be there to help you if something happens..
Eli SantosJan 30, 2018
Beautiful work of art, especially when you closely examine the various tiles and find homage to places and things that you know and love. It's a great boon to the favelas in the surrounding areas and conceivably goes a long way to improving the general safety of the area
Benworth HansenFeb 26, 2018
Ir you're seeking different people to chat and have a great time, this is the place to be. Come on Friday. Full of people from all over the world get together here. But beware, lots of pot being smoked as well..
Andreas KernFeb 2, 2018
This is an interesting stop in Rio. The neighborhood is not the best and our tour guide warned us against visiting the area after dark... And against going too far up the stairs as well. That said, the location was scenic and the history is intriguing. I can't say for sure how accurate the warnings we received are, but take care if you are planning a visit.
Dan SchefferJan 5, 2018
Very unique to this location. The area gets vary crowded so make sure you get there early. Parking around or nearby is also not so convenient. It is best to get here using the public metro network which is pretty good. Just be careful with your valuables when going around nearby streets. The steps themselves are very colorful, its a short steep climb but nothing too fascinating except for seeing a representation of many different cultures from around the world on a tile among the many steps.
VJMar 17, 2018
The steps itself are awesome especially when you understand its history. Too bad the artist was killed and his body was found on the said steps. Now, be careful when going here. The neighborhood is SKETCHY to say the least. If you are traveling alone, make sure there are people around. Also, to beat the crowds go early like around 7am. I'm general, it is worth seeing but be careful.
Kiki BadruMar 24, 2018
A must visit place when you are in Rio. You can walk up and down the streets and admire the countless mosaics or you can visit one of the neighborhood bars/restaurants. It's a clearly unique and clearly "Carioca" place. Come here early and prepare to wait to get your photo taken as you will be in the company of many others like you :)
Awesome SauceMar 13, 2018
The stairs themselves are gorgeous and a site to behold. However getting there anyway other than a taxi or uber is not a good idea. We tried to walk around Santa Teresa but it just felt way too dangerous. Stick to the steps and then head home. We got into a very frightening situation in one of the little bars selling açai on the street leading up to the bottom of the steps and had to leave in a hurry.
Scott LaffertyMar 17, 2018
Nice place a longer then i thought the actually go quite high and the is a nice wall painting of the Brazilian flag at the top. There is also side steps blocks with different designs on the walls on each side of the steps. Definitely worth a stop. Also try to go around 5pm as is the middle of the day there is way to many tourists it will be hard to get a nice picture there.
Samuel FrostApr 14, 2018
Fun, colorful, highly touristy. It's hard to find a place to take a picture without others if you go during the day. It's a very typical almost obligatory stop in Rio, but if you didn't go there there's plenty of other things to do. I had been there before but had forgotten that the area isn't the best area, so I'd recommended taking a taxi\uber there and watch your belongings. Definitely had a few moments walking away from it that the are felt less safe. So we called an Uber. Overall fine, go see it to get that picture, just don't plan to spend a whole day there.
Daniel FernandesApr 20, 2018
Amazing artwork. Loved the way the tiles are placed. While going up the stairway is really pretty. The corridor is very colorful with bright tiles.. Furthermore, the area around the street, is full of painters doing the wall painting. For a few bucks, you can also get your name painted on the world map painted on the wall.
Rahul ShindikarJun 9, 2018
An iconic place to the tourist who visit Rio. Many small shop you will see while climbing stairs. You can buy souvenirs from these shops. If you lucky you can see your country name on the stairs. I was amazed to see how wonderfully they represented message on the tiles concrete.
ভৌগলিক অায়তনMay 31, 2018
This was on a bus trip we did . It was really worth a quick visit. It was really beautiful and am glad we went here. It is just somewhere you visit for a few minutes
Pat CorryMay 20, 2018
É um lugar interessante frequentado por grupos de jovens que ficam sentados e conversando. Ontem tinha um grupo de moças e rapazes brincando de "5 corta", rsrsrs. Sempre tem grupos turistas brasileiros ou estrangeiros. Mas no total haviam menos de 100 pessoas pelas escadas, isso é muito menos do que já foi. A escadaria já foi muito mais animada. De 2015 pra cá, a polícia faz uma repressão permanente contra a venda e consumo de maconha na escadaria e isso impactou diretamente nos frequentadores tradicionais. Antes da repressão a escadaria ficava completamente lotada de jovens, com várias rodas de violão acontecendo simultaneamente de cima a baixo, todas as pessoas interagindo pacificamente e abertas a novas amizades. Era um clima incrível. E a maconha, junto com as bebidas alcoólicas eram o combustível que alimentava aquela festa. Eu presenciei o primeiro fim de semana quando a repressão começou. Os policiais subiam pelas escadas e desciam trazendo os pequenos traficantes de maconha. Prendiam uns 5 por noite, eu vi. Três semanas depois já não havia mais ninguém na escadaria e ela se tornou o lugar pacato que é hoje (bem menos interessante)
Bruno Negrao ZicaJul 15, 2018
A tribute from a Chilean to the Brazilians. And he did not disappoint. You can find tiles with images from all over the world. Of course Football Clubs have been paid their tributes to as well. Good place to get to talk to some locals as well. Spent a bit talking to a guy selling his art. The warmth of the Brazilian people is incredible, been loving them all my life.
Felix DienstJul 12, 2018
Unmissable and spectacular. It's a little rough around the edges, but that just adds to the charm. Go early to miss the crowds.
Eat RioJun 24, 2018
This was a very interesting place. We spent a good bit of time walking up to the top and looking at all the unique ceramic tiles. With over 2000+ tiles it is interesting to see where some of them came from. There is a large line at the bottom of the stairs to get a picture at the bottom but if you skip that and keep going up there are plenty more places to get a good photo
Daniel CahillJul 26, 2018
Very unique spot! Make sure you budget enough time to appreciate the detailed art work. Could get pretty crowded if you are hoping to have a photo shoot, but there is a professional photographer on site that will help. A must see spot if you are in Rio!
mohrab2001Aug 5, 2018
Once stage of Snoop Dogg and an open-air exhibition of a modern artist, the stairs welcome everyone from every corner of this world. Colorful tales tell a story and enchants whoever lays eyes on them. It's usually full of visitors, but the nice ones, who will share that cool spot for the picture. If you don't run out of breath to finish it, just go up a bit further to the right and then left to a bar on corner and reward yourself with an outstanding traditional caipirinha.
Anna BeeAug 9, 2018
Beautiful place. Well, it's just stairs actually. But with exceptional art. A must see in Rio!
ren aqFeb 7, 2018
I heard about the history and so on (Google it is interesting). However, when you get there is just a place with tiles... If you like colorful tiles that is the place for you. DO NOT GO THERE AT NIGHT. Is very dangerous., However, in day time you can see people staring at you but they wont do anything (it does not mean that you can go around with you watch on, showing you cameras/cellphones. If they find an opportunity they will use it). You can also see cops around but at night no one will be there to help you if something happens..
Eli SantosJan 30, 2018
Beautiful work of art, especially when you closely examine the various tiles and find homage to places and things that you know and love. It's a great boon to the favelas in the surrounding areas and conceivably goes a long way to improving the general safety of the area
Benworth HansenFeb 26, 2018
Ir you're seeking different people to chat and have a great time, this is the place to be. Come on Friday. Full of people from all over the world get together here. But beware, lots of pot being smoked as well..
Andreas KernFeb 2, 2018
This is an interesting stop in Rio. The neighborhood is not the best and our tour guide warned us against visiting the area after dark... And against going too far up the stairs as well. That said, the location was scenic and the history is intriguing. I can't say for sure how accurate the warnings we received are, but take care if you are planning a visit.
Dan SchefferJan 5, 2018
Very unique to this location. The area gets vary crowded so make sure you get there early. Parking around or nearby is also not so convenient. It is best to get here using the public metro network which is pretty good. Just be careful with your valuables when going around nearby streets. The steps themselves are very colorful, its a short steep climb but nothing too fascinating except for seeing a representation of many different cultures from around the world on a tile among the many steps.
VJMar 17, 2018
The steps itself are awesome especially when you understand its history. Too bad the artist was killed and his body was found on the said steps. Now, be careful when going here. The neighborhood is SKETCHY to say the least. If you are traveling alone, make sure there are people around. Also, to beat the crowds go early like around 7am. I'm general, it is worth seeing but be careful.
Kiki BadruMar 24, 2018
A must visit place when you are in Rio. You can walk up and down the streets and admire the countless mosaics or you can visit one of the neighborhood bars/restaurants. It's a clearly unique and clearly "Carioca" place. Come here early and prepare to wait to get your photo taken as you will be in the company of many others like you :)
Awesome SauceMar 13, 2018
The stairs themselves are gorgeous and a site to behold. However getting there anyway other than a taxi or uber is not a good idea. We tried to walk around Santa Teresa but it just felt way too dangerous. Stick to the steps and then head home. We got into a very frightening situation in one of the little bars selling açai on the street leading up to the bottom of the steps and had to leave in a hurry.
Scott LaffertyMar 17, 2018
Nice place a longer then i thought the actually go quite high and the is a nice wall painting of the Brazilian flag at the top. There is also side steps blocks with different designs on the walls on each side of the steps. Definitely worth a stop. Also try to go around 5pm as is the middle of the day there is way to many tourists it will be hard to get a nice picture there.
Samuel FrostApr 14, 2018
Fun, colorful, highly touristy. It's hard to find a place to take a picture without others if you go during the day. It's a very typical almost obligatory stop in Rio, but if you didn't go there there's plenty of other things to do. I had been there before but had forgotten that the area isn't the best area, so I'd recommended taking a taxi\uber there and watch your belongings. Definitely had a few moments walking away from it that the are felt less safe. So we called an Uber. Overall fine, go see it to get that picture, just don't plan to spend a whole day there.
Daniel FernandesApr 20, 2018
Amazing artwork. Loved the way the tiles are placed. While going up the stairway is really pretty. The corridor is very colorful with bright tiles.. Furthermore, the area around the street, is full of painters doing the wall painting. For a few bucks, you can also get your name painted on the world map painted on the wall.
Rahul ShindikarJun 9, 2018
An iconic place to the tourist who visit Rio. Many small shop you will see while climbing stairs. You can buy souvenirs from these shops. If you lucky you can see your country name on the stairs. I was amazed to see how wonderfully they represented message on the tiles concrete.
ভৌগলিক অায়তনMay 31, 2018
This was on a bus trip we did . It was really worth a quick visit. It was really beautiful and am glad we went here. It is just somewhere you visit for a few minutes
Pat CorryMay 20, 2018
É um lugar interessante frequentado por grupos de jovens que ficam sentados e conversando. Ontem tinha um grupo de moças e rapazes brincando de "5 corta", rsrsrs. Sempre tem grupos turistas brasileiros ou estrangeiros. Mas no total haviam menos de 100 pessoas pelas escadas, isso é muito menos do que já foi. A escadaria já foi muito mais animada. De 2015 pra cá, a polícia faz uma repressão permanente contra a venda e consumo de maconha na escadaria e isso impactou diretamente nos frequentadores tradicionais. Antes da repressão a escadaria ficava completamente lotada de jovens, com várias rodas de violão acontecendo simultaneamente de cima a baixo, todas as pessoas interagindo pacificamente e abertas a novas amizades. Era um clima incrível. E a maconha, junto com as bebidas alcoólicas eram o combustível que alimentava aquela festa. Eu presenciei o primeiro fim de semana quando a repressão começou. Os policiais subiam pelas escadas e desciam trazendo os pequenos traficantes de maconha. Prendiam uns 5 por noite, eu vi. Três semanas depois já não havia mais ninguém na escadaria e ela se tornou o lugar pacato que é hoje (bem menos interessante)
Bruno Negrao ZicaJul 15, 2018
A tribute from a Chilean to the Brazilians. And he did not disappoint. You can find tiles with images from all over the world. Of course Football Clubs have been paid their tributes to as well. Good place to get to talk to some locals as well. Spent a bit talking to a guy selling his art. The warmth of the Brazilian people is incredible, been loving them all my life.
Felix DienstJul 12, 2018
Unmissable and spectacular. It's a little rough around the edges, but that just adds to the charm. Go early to miss the crowds.
Eat RioJun 24, 2018
This was a very interesting place. We spent a good bit of time walking up to the top and looking at all the unique ceramic tiles. With over 2000+ tiles it is interesting to see where some of them came from. There is a large line at the bottom of the stairs to get a picture at the bottom but if you skip that and keep going up there are plenty more places to get a good photo
Daniel CahillJul 26, 2018
Very unique spot! Make sure you budget enough time to appreciate the detailed art work. Could get pretty crowded if you are hoping to have a photo shoot, but there is a professional photographer on site that will help. A must see spot if you are in Rio!
mohrab2001Aug 5, 2018
Once stage of Snoop Dogg and an open-air exhibition of a modern artist, the stairs welcome everyone from every corner of this world. Colorful tales tell a story and enchants whoever lays eyes on them. It's usually full of visitors, but the nice ones, who will share that cool spot for the picture. If you don't run out of breath to finish it, just go up a bit further to the right and then left to a bar on corner and reward yourself with an outstanding traditional caipirinha.
Anna BeeAug 9, 2018
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Wander is a travel search engine that allows you to find the perfect travel destination that fits your budget and preferences.