Rio de Janeiro nightlife is famous the world over. Samba dance, its mystifying musical rhythms, and the Brazilian rum cachaça are a few of the cultural delights that have made the Lapa neighborhood the after-hours spot for locals and visitors alike. On this 3-hour Rio Nightlife Tour, led by a local who knows Lapa inside and out, we'll experience the best of this city's night culture both indoors and out as we eat, drink, listen, and perhaps dance our way from the Selarón Steps to the Lapa Arches and Rio Scenarium.

We commence our evening at the awe-inspiring Selarón Steps. A labor of love by Chilean-born Jorge Selarón, this project is a testament to Lapa’s international appeal and is Rio’s second most visited attraction. Next we will lay the historical framework of Rio’s social life with a stop in a traditional Portuguese adega, or wine house, for a taste of Rio’s colonial culinary roots with a glass of vinho verde, made only in the extreme north of Portugal, accompanied with the popular bolinhos de bacalhau. From here, we will take a short walk to learn about how the Portuguese tamed the Rio's wilderness with the construction of the Lapa arches, today the impromptu site for some of Rio’s most innovative music and theater performances.

We then continue our epicurean investigation at a cachaçaria, where we'll get a demonstration of how the caipirinha, Brazil's national drink, is made. We will discuss the historical and social origins of cachaça, the rum from which it's made, including the dependence on slave labor for its production.

We continue the walk with a shift in the discussion from food and drink to music and dance. As Lapa begins to awaken to the thrilling beats of samba, we will stroll past a few of the notable botecos, or bars, which have a roda de samba music jam session. We will discuss the many manifestations of samba as a rhythm, a dance, a story, and in fact, a moment. (Note, we also offer a Rio Bossa Nova Tour.)

With the framework now laid, we will conclude our cultural experience at the famous Rio Scenarium samba venue and cultural museum. Acclaimed as one of the top nightlife venues in the world, Rio Scenaium boasts four floors of memorabilia from Rio’s golden era and beyond. We will take a stroll through the venue before settling into our reserved seats to enjoy a live samba band and watch passionate local sambistas show off on the dance floor. If the spirit moves us, our docent may show us a step or two to try as well. 

Rio’s cultural heart thrives in Lapa, where the tastes of Brazil and the rhythms of samba are kept alive. With our Lapa expert, we will learn the traditions that accompany the street life on this cultural walk through a neighborhood that becomes most animated at night with plenty of eateries, small bars, and jam sessions. This walk is specially designed to connect seamlessly with our Santa Teresa Tour.

There is mandatory tasting and venue entry fee that covers a glass of wine, a cocktail, a snack and the reserved "skip the line" entry to Rio Scenarium.

We will do our best to accommodate you if you are on a group tour by ordering appropriate items. Taking a private tour would allow us to tailor even more fully to your needs. Please note any dietary restriction in the "notes" section when you book, and keep in mind that if you have severe allergies we cannot guarantee that the foods prepared in restaurant kitchens will not be subject to cross-contamination.

Yes, we use a reservation to enter Rio Scenarium so we will not need to wait in the (sometimes very long) entry line.

The tastings on this walk are mostly of the liquid variety, although one snack is included. At the last venue there is a full menu of great traditional dinner dishes you may order.