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…
Must-see entertainment in Brazil
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…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
This impressive multistory music venue and pool hall has tables for lounging on the 1st floor, more than a dozen pool tables on the 2nd floor, and a small…
Bonito & Around
Project Jibóia is a one-man crusade to change the world's opinion of snakes by showing that they're not necessarily dangerous and can be lovable. You're…
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…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
This former foundry hides one of Rio's top music and theater spaces. A diverse range of shows is staged here: big-name acts, such as Manu Chao and Caetano…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
This spacious three-story club features live-music shows and DJs, with a relaxed area upstairs when you need a break from the sounds. There's also a…
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…
Rio de Janeiro
One of Rio's most famous samba schools, Mangueira has many followers all across the city. They come out en masse in their green and pink (Mangueira's…
Recife
DJs spin MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) on vinyl at this popular outdoor concert event held every Tuesday night in the courtyard at the Galeria Joana D…
Rio de Janeiro
One of the best samba schools for foreigners to visit, Salgueiro hosts big Saturday-night parties from late August until Carnaval. Expect live music, ever…
Jericoacoara
At the top end of Rua Igreja, Maloca is a cultural center that hosts live music, film nights and other events. Its forró (popular music of the Northeast)…
Espírito Santo
A popular venue for live forró during holiday periods throughout the year, the 'Armadillo's Lair' also periodically hosts other events. See the Facebook…
Curitiba
Curitiba's best live music venue, focused on jazz, blues and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira), inside an acoustically friendly old home. Shows get going…
Búzios
Shows movies on weekend nights, including some in English with Portuguese subtitles. The adjacent cafe is a nice spot for snacks, coffee or caipirinhas…
Belo Horizonte
This Savassi club hosts an eclectic, vibrant mix of live music, from samba to blues to jazz to Afrobeat to forró to alternative rock. Live shows start…
Ilha Grande & Vila do Abraão
Ilha Grande's lone dance club, tucked up a hard-packed dirt side street just off Rua Getúlio Vargas, features everything from DJs to live forró, reggae…
Rio de Janeiro
This gorgeous art nouveau theater provides the setting for Rio's best opera, ballet and symphonic concerts. The theater seats 2400, and sight lines are…
Paraty
Now in its fifth decade, Paraty's internationally acclaimed Contadores de Estórias theater company presents puppetry, music and dance performances in this…
Paraty
With an early evening happy hour featuring MPB and bossa nova, and a late-night weekend mix of DJs and live acts, Paraty 33 is the historic center’s…
Minas Gerais
With an ever-changing film lineup (including frequent classic films in English), this small community movie theater and its attached cafe make for an…
Salvador
For the biggest acts, keep your eye on Salvador’s finest venue, the Teatro Castro Alves. Its Concha Acústica (amphitheater) has weekly concerts throughout…
Jericoacoara
Live band forró (popular music of the Northeast) nights here have a distinct local flavor and are usually thronged with swaying couples on the dance floor.
São Paulo
One of the top spots for live jazz and blues in Sampa, Bourbon Street has hosted the likes of BB King and Ray Charles. There's also occasional Sunday…
Salvador
This buzzed-about cultural center, bar and art space in Santo Antônio features live samba, samba de roda and jazz. Some events are free.
São Paulo
In addition to being the home stadium of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, this multi-purpose stadium also hosts mega concerts and other events.
Minas Gerais
Constructed in 1893, this grand old theater in the heart of town stages occasional performances throughout the year (many free of charge).
São Paulo
Estádio do Morumbi hosts everything from rival-heavy football (soccer) matches (it's the home ground of São Paulo FC) to U2 concerts.
