I stayed alone at Rio Antigo house for 5 days.
•Attractive, clean and spacious flat
•Balcony with hammock and garden view was brilliant, birds and monkeys in the morning
•Adequately equipped kitchen, filtered water
•Air conditioning available but I didn’t need it
•Lots of security features
•Paloma communicated in English, answered all of my questions, responded quickly to emails, provided a two page info sheet on the house and a map of restaurants & stores in the immediate area. She also offered to take me to a produce market in another part of town. Nice hospitality!

Santa Teresa neighbourhood
•With good safety precautions (keep valuables to a minimum, avoid deserted areas, don’t walk alone at night, take a taxi) I felt safe in the house & neighbourhood.
•15 minute walk downhill to Gloria Metro, ATMs & larger grocery store was fine. It was easy and inexpensive to take a taxi from there at night or when it was too hot to walk back up the hill.
•Thursday-Saturday night the area was vibrant with people flowing out of restaurants on to the street, music until the wee hours (ear plugs = good sleep). Quiet Sunday & Monday night.
•Absolutely loved acai & pan de queijo breakfast at Cultivar around the corner, I went 4 out of 5 days.
•Affordable organic market on Saturday mornings just steps away. Small grocery store one block away.
•Caught the bonde (tram) only once to the Centro, it’s a fun ride. Info is posted for regular service but you have to ask if there are service interruptions.
•I arrived after dark on Thursday night with almost no cash, expecting to find an ATM close by. There wasn’t one within safe walking distance, but restaurants, bars & grocery store accept credit cards.

It may not be as convenient as other neighbourhoods, but there's still lots to experience close by and the character of the place was worth it!