Private tour to Selaron Steps in Rio de Janeiro

Anyone traveling to Rio de Janeiro already knows that there will be a multitude of tourist attractions – of a variety of styles – scattered throughout the city, and Selarón Steps is one of those spectacular works, worthy of being recorded by our eyes and by the lens of the cameras.

That’s why the Lapa Steps, Brazil’s most famous steps, welcomes tourists from all over the world who want to take a close look at the most diverse tiles put by Chilean artist Jorge Selarón.

What are the Selarón Steps?

The story of this monument to this wonderful city is full of emotion, when it synthesizes the trajectory of an artist who fell in love with Brazilian lands – and made them his final home – and decided to pay tribute to it with a project that consumed about twenty years of his life.

This feat was considered, by Jorge himself, as a “great madness”, because the ceramist and painter carefully placed alone, piece by piece, which today represents one of the postcards of the city of Rio.

Recognized by law as the historical and cultural heritage of the city of Rio de Janeiro in 2015, the Selarón Staircase is an urban, open-air work composed of a huge mosaic on its more than 200 steps.

For example, along the 125-meter-long route, you can see a colorful path, filled with hues that refer to the colors of the Brazilian flag — and also to the Chilean flag, because of the red — that is filled with stories that characterize the place.

Jorge Selarón, when he decided to start making this art installation, had in mind a restoration of the abandoned and unattractive steps that stretched out in front of the house where he lived.

Who was Jorge Selarón?

Artist Jorge Selarón (1947-2013) arrived in Brazil in the mid-1980s, after traveling around the world, and decided that the city of Rio would be his home, and so began his cultural intervention in the space he occupied, paying tribute to the country that welcomed him.

After earning international recognition as one of the most incredible steps in the world, the place welcomes visitors every day, excited to explore the scope of the work and take many wonderful photos.

Because of its popularity, it is not uncommon to find crowded—especially during extended holidays, peak hours and high season—whereas, to enjoy the visit with a bit more peace, the best thing to do is to go with a licensed Rio de Janeiro private tour guide.

When were the steps built?

Before becoming a tourist destination, the steps built between the mid-1990s and around 2013 already existed in the city of Rio de Janeiro, but were doomed to neglect and marginalization. Surrounded by residential buildings and serving as a link between important neighborhoods of the capital city of Carioca, the site was perceived as a mere stretch between the streets of the region.

Because of its heritage quality, the steps today cannot be uncharacterized and not be subject to interference in its composition. But it was changed for years by its creator, who would modify the tiles by receiving more pieces or who thought it better to make some change for the aesthetic harmony of the space.

How many steps are there?

There are 215 steps of pure urban art, renovated by the hands of the skillful artist who had his name delegated to the work. Climbing can even feel like a marathon and requires layout, but it is worth the effort when color and the many combinations of formats and styles of techniques come together in a particular aesthetic experience.

In the narrow “concrete blocks”, various forms of plastic art were used that Jorge mastered, such as the hand paintings he had painted himself on about 300 tiles, telling stories of personal life—such as the image of a pregnant African woman that was very present in several paintings—and also about Brazil.

Curiosities about Selaron Steps

As a unique and unusual art, the Selarón Steps attracts all kinds of audiences, including famous people! For instance, the site was the location of the recording of well-known video clips such as ‘Walk On’ by the Irish band U2 and also ‘Beautiful’ by American rapper Snoop Dogg, with the participation of Pharrell Williams.

Moreover, it is the main theme of the short documentary “The Great Madness”, which tells the story of the life of the Chilean resident in Brazil — and honorary citizen of Rio de Janeiro — Jorge Selarón.

Selaron steps was also seen in mass-produced films such as Marvel Studios’ Hulk and has become a subject of major magazines such as National Geographic, which has considered it the “world’s largest single artist sculpture.”

Another interesting curiosity is that Selarón initially could not afford to move on with his creation, so he was selling some of his paintings in order to raise funds and move forward with the project.

However, with the time and fame that the site gained, the tiles began to come from travelers from various countries and localities, who wanted to leave a contribution to the mosaic. The artist composed his work with thousands of gifts he received from people, stamping out a true global showcase.

The Selarón Steps is a testament to the fact that Rio de Janeiro not only lives on beautiful beaches, but is also home to the most beautiful and diverse tourist sites in Brazil.

Tip: reserve a private tour of Santa Teresa neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro

Advantages of taking a private tour

In general, some of the advantages of taking a private tour are:

• Save time
• Feel safer
• Avoid long lines
• Learn about the sites
• Get insider’s important information and tips