On this tour of the Santa Marta favela in Rio de Janeiro, we'll discover its colorful houses, a statue of Michael Jackson, and climb up to the Mirador do Pedrão. Not to be missed!
Tour Details
On the day of the tour, we'll meet in the Botafogo neighborhood and head to the Santa Marta favela. To navigate Rio's steep hills, we'll take the famous funicular, which will take us to the highest point of the community.
Our first major stop will be the Mirador do Pedrão, a spot with incredible views where you'll take in a stunning panorama of Guanabara Bay, Botafogo Cove, the Rio-Niterói Bridge, and Sugarloaf Mountain.
We'll then wander through the labyrinthine streets and talk about the history behind the colorful houses. We'll visit an arts center and the neighborhood's sports court, and take in various street art murals along the way.
Of course, we'll also stop at the Lage do Michael Jackson, the viewpoint with the sculpture of the singer, where the iconic video for They Don't Care About Us was filmed. After the walking route, the tour comes to an end.
Tour Options
When booking, you can choose from the following options, depending on your preferred time and whether you'd like some extras:
Standard Tour (2 - 2.5 Hours)
- This is the ideal route for those who want to take the standard tour described in the previous itinerary.
- The meeting point for this tour will be Praça de Corumbá or Rua São Clemente, No. 320, both located in Botafogo.
Sunset Tour + Tasting (4 Hours)
After the standard route, we'll stop at the LaGezinha Santa Marta restaurant and bar. Here you can enjoy a delicious caipirinha, a beer, or an ice-cold soft drink, along with a typical snack, either house fries or frango a passarinho (fried chicken).
The venue sits high up in the favela, giving you a 360-degree view over the whole South Zone of Rio, including the famous Christ the Redeemer. You'll fall in love watching the sky turn golden and orange at sunset.
The meeting point for this option is Rua São Clemente 307, in Botafogo.
Other Favelas in Rio
If you are eager to see even more of this fascinating side of Rio, then we also offer a tour of the Rocinha favela.
