Fodor's Expert Review Escadaria Selarón

After traveling the world and living in more than 50 countries, Chilean painter Selarón began working in 1990 on the iconic tile staircase that is now one of the highlights of Lapa. With tiles from around the world, Selarón's staircase is the product of years of dedication, artistic vision, and donations of tiles from places far and near. Sadly, in 2013 Selarón was found murdered at his nearby home. The colorful stairs provide a great photo opportunity—Snoop Dogg and Pharell Williams shot the video for their song "Beautiful" here.