Lapa in Rio de Janeiro 2024-2025
Samba lessons for free at a Lapa street party
Best time: all year round
Lapa is the centre of Rio's nightlife and the place to feel the real spirit of the Carioca lifestyle. Hundreds of bars, restaurants and dance clubs offer a great atmosphere and music from hip hop to samba. There are some hotspots like Carioca Da Gema with samba bands, Febarj for hip hop lovers, and Lapa 40 Gradus with Brazilian popular music. But not only the bars of Lapa are hot at night. The streets in this neighbourhood are closed for pedestrians from Friday to Sunday and are filled with musicians, street food, drinks, and beautiful people. The atmosphere is just mindblowing. The sound of drums gets your feet moving, and the rhythm is irresistible. It seems that absolutely all the Cariocas naturally have the moves, no matter the age or gender. Even watching them dance is a pleasure. By the way, Lapa is a place where you can get some free samba lessons right on the street the locals are always ready to help. These streets are real fun, and you'll never forget their vibrant ambience.