The bonde (known affectionately as bondinho) is the last of the historic streetcars that once crisscrossed the city. Cute yellow tramcars began running up and down Rio’s streets in 1859, first pulled by horses and then connected to electric tracks in the 1890s. The trolley transport system ran for 70 more years (anything with the name Largo was a tram stop) until cars pushed them off the road. Well, all but one. Having operated continuously since its opening (except for a suspension for repairs from 2011-15) , it is one of the oldest tramways in the world. Its romantic clatter through the cobbled streets is the archetypal sound of bohemian Santa Teresa.
The 32-person Bonde (visitesantateresa.rio/bonde, round-trip R$20) rattles up the hill from the Bonde Station beside the Petrobras building in Centro – you can only buy tickets there, not in Santa Teresa. The tram runs from 8am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays, to 6pm on Saturdays and from 9am on Sundays. There are usually four trams running at a time that leave from the station every 20 minutes.
Shortly after your departure, you'll be treated to the trip's most thrilling highlight as it glides directly over the scenic Arcos da Lapa and climbs through winding residential streets up to the heart of Santa Teresa, Largo dos Guimarães. You have views of the cascading favelas that surround Santa Teresa until the last stop, Dois Irmãos. There isn't much to do there, so we recommend staying in the Bonde and going back to Largo dos Guimarães to explore the neighborhood from there.
