Rio de Janeiro
For years Bip Bip has been one of the city's favorite spots to catch a live roda de samba (informal samba played around a table), despite it being just a…
Must-see entertainment in Brazil
São Paulo
A 'can't miss' stalwart in São Paulo's live samba scene, Vila do Samba – named as such due to its location inside a charming set of town-house villas – is…
Brasília
The city's top dance floor is everybody's favorite; the excellent live samba, pagode (popular samba), sertanejo and choro keep things pumping. Owner…
Alter do Chão
There's always something worth seeing at this cool music-restaurant space at the east end of the waterfront promenade. There's live carimbó Saturday…
Salvador
Saturday-evening jazz and bossa nova at MAM is a must for music lovers. Go early to see the museum first and catch the views at sunset. Though the venue…
Belém
Come here for Belém’s best live music. Opened in 1987, Gilson’s attracts crowds with first-rate samba, choro (improvised samba-like genre) and other music…
São Paulo
Hands down one of the best places to see live music in the world, this intimate bar inside the Hotel Fasano recalls prewar Milan and attracts top jazz and…
Minas Gerais
Friday visitors should make a beeline for the glittering gold interior of Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio for weekly live concerts performed on the church…
Salvador
The most astounding professional show is put on by this world-renowned folkloric ballet company.
Manaus
This longtime bar and club features Brazilian and international rock and pop, and has a safe, lively scene popular with tourists and locals alike. There's…
Rio de Janeiro
The Monday- and Friday-night street parties here are major draws for lovers of samba, whether they're Brazilian or foreign, rich or poor. The lively samba…
Brasília
A wildly mixed crowd of serious music aficionados – No talking! No standing! – descends on this locals' secret. You can walk here from the hotel sectors,…
Rio de Janeiro
Come to this club to connect to a small part of Brazilian history – and a big part of musical lore. It was on this lane where Tom Jobim and other…
Recife
This great free night of Afro-Brazilian rhythms takes place in the picturesque Pátio de São Pedro two Tuesdays a month. The crowd in the plaza is…
Curitiba
Constructed from wire with a glass roof, this theater is among Curitiba’s most unusual and enigmatic landmarks. It is surrounded by the stone quarry park,…
Belo Horizonte
Near the southern end of Parque Municipal, this arts complex with multiple performance spaces and galleries is the hub of Belo’s theater, dance and music…
São Paulo
Operas, classical ballets and symphonic music are held in São Paulo’s most ornate theater.
Brazil
Almost every Brazilian tourist in João Pessoa heads to the north of the city to Cabodelo (10km from Tambaú) for sunset to see saxophonist Jurandy play…
Rio de Janeiro
For an authentic slice of Rio, head to one of the massive open-air samba parties that happen several times a week in Andaraí. The setup is simple: a…
Recife
This impressive 46,000-seat stadium built for the 2014 World Cup lies 20km west of the city center in São Lourenço da Mata. It is innovative for its green…
Rio de Janeiro
Just beside Praia Vermelha, Terra Brasilis has gorgeous views of Pão de Açúcar looming overhead. Jazzy Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) bands play from…
Rio de Janeiro State
Penedo’s Finnish community gathers for traditional Finnish letkiss and jenkkas dances at Clube Finlândia the first Saturday night of every month, and on…
Salvador
Rustic-chic, with state-of-the-art equipment, this cool venue is a relatively modern addition to Salvador's nightlife scene. Commons hosts up-and-coming…
Rio de Janeiro
A charming live-samba joint, Trapiche Gamboa is set in a multistory colonial edifice in Gamboa (just north of Centro) and has a friendly, mixed crowd and…
Rio de Janeiro
Barra's grandest arts complex is an R$500-million venture that houses an 1800-seat concert hall, as well as theaters, a chamber music hall, a cinema and a…
Rio de Janeiro
Opened in 2016, the beautifully designed Riachuelo hosts a high-quality repertoire of concerts and dance performances. Come for a show, but be sure to…
São Paulo
One of the best spots in town for live samba, chorinho (informal instrumental music) and pagode (popular samba music).
Manaus
Performances at Manaus' iconic theater are all over the place: professional opera, jazz combos, student guitar, dance and more. Quality varies but the…
Porto Alegre
In addition to being the home of Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, this state-of-the-art arena hosts the biggest and best musicians who come to Porto…
The Amazon
Many of the eating options in this attractive riverfront market have evening and nighttime service, from cool beers to full meals. It's a popular and…
Casa da Cultura Mario Quintana
Porto Alegre
The cultural center in this pink baroque building has a cinema (Cinemateca Paulo Amorim; films R$12 to R$14), a busy cafe, and a great arts and crafts…
São Paulo
Excellent classical-music venue in a refurbished 1925, neoclassical train station Estação Júlio Prestes. A suspended adjustable ceiling ensures maximum…
Belo Horizonte
Locals pack into this intimate Santa Tereza bar for live performances celebrating the legacy of the Clube da Esquina, Belo Horizonte's groundbreaking…
Rio de Janeiro
An attractive concert venue inside a photogenic colonial building that stages live choro and other Brazilian sounds on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday …
Salvador
The popular show that used to be staged at the Solar do Unhão, featuring 18 dancers, musicians and capoeiristas, now happens here after dinner at O…
Fortaleza
Fortaleza’s Castelão stadium, 9km south of the center, was completely renovated to seat 67,000 fans for the 2014 World Cup. The city's two top clubs,…
Curitiba
This 43,000-capacity football stadium is the home of Clube Atlético Paranaense and is Latin America's only retractable roof stadium. Tours (R$20) run…
Rio de Janeiro
Run by the same folks behind the Beco das Garrafas next door, Bottles is a shoebox-sized club that features a line-up of bossa nova and samba performers…
São Paulo
Inaugurated for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the home stadium of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista sits well-outside central São Paulo but is…
Paraty
This cavernous yet cozy bar with checkerboard tile floors and massive stone columns has great drinks and live music nightly, including MPB (Musica Popular…
