La Boca
Seeing Boca Juniors play at La Bombonera is one of the world's top spectator sports experiences, especially if you manage to catch the 'superclasico'…
Must-see entertainment in South America
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…
La Paz
The popularity of fútbol (soccer) in Bolivia is comparable to that in other Latin American countries. Matches are played at Estadio Hernando Siles…
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…
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
This elaborately costumed and talented group performs island legends through song and dance at a venue off the main street. With 15 different programs,…
La Paz
Just above the Mamani Mamani Gallery, and with a veritable Sistine Chapel of Mamani Mamani's art on the ceiling, this is the one peña you won't want to…
Huancayo
Contemplate this: a man collects wondrous and miraculous things, from old fruit machines to antiquated aguardiente-making equipment throughout his life…
Ilhabela
This extraordinary 1100-seat theater in the jungle was inaugurated in 2016 as part of Ilhabela's new Centro Cultural Baía dos Vermelhos. It hosts the…
Cuenca
The performance venue of the Jazz Society of Ecuador provides soothing aural therapy with Ecuadorian musicians, as well as international artists. The Jazz…
La Boca
This former power station has been transformed into a spectacular concert venue in an effort to regenerate a somewhat sketchy area of La Boca. It’s a…
Municipal de Santiago – Ópera Nacional de Chile
Santiago
This exquisite neoclassical building is the most prestigious performing-arts venue in the city. Home to the Ópera Nacional de Chile, it also hosts world…
Buenos Aires
Who said the weekend was over? One of the city's liveliest events takes place on Monday evenings, when the long-running percussion group La Bomba de…
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…
Cuzco
The most consistently popular nightspot in town, Ukuku’s plays a winning combination of crowd-pleasers – Latin and Western rock, reggae, reggaetón, salsa…
Along the Río Paraná
This welcoming traditional-style bar a couple of blocks off the costanera is the place to go to get to know chamamé, with live performances and a colorful…
Cali
You'll need to plan well in advance to see Cali's legendary salsa circus but it's well worth the effort. Think street circus meets flashy dance club and…
Buenos Aires
This rustic warehouse turned bohemian tango club and cultural center is a unique venue in the city. Join a tango class – walk-ins are welcome, and it's a…
Montevideo
Since 1895 this intimate, informal venue has been serving its famous uvita (a sweet wine drink) while hosting tango and other live music on a tiny stage…
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…
Santiago
On weekend nights at this traditional cueca venue, watch proud Chileans hit the dance floor – performing their national dance, a playful, handkerchief…
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…
Montevideo
The city’s top performing-arts venue is home to the Montevideo Philharmonic Orchestra and hosts formal concerts of classical, jazz, tango and other music,…
Espírito Santo
This ever-popular forró-themed bar with its huge dance floor is the center of the action during New Year's, Carnaval and the Festival do Forró in July.
Salvador
The most astounding professional show is put on by this world-renowned folkloric ballet company.
Salta & the Andean Northwest
For more than 40 years, indigenous local hero Froilán González has been making drums from the trunks of the ceibo tree. They're used by some of the…
The Pampas & the Atlantic Coast
Everything about this place is cool. From the name, to the location on the Plaza Independencia, to the original plays it stages nearly every weekend, to…
Mendoza
Art-house films and docs, primarily Argentinian and South American, and the occasional Hollywood film, usually retro classics, are screened at this cinema…
Quito
This Floresta film house shows art films (often in English) and has occasional dance, theater and live music. There’s a great cafe attached.
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…
Caracas
A down-to-earth, genuine alt-rock dive, catering to an alternative crowd who come for the alternative rock, reggae and cumbia music. One of the few…
Gávea, Jardim Botânico & Lagoa
In 2017 the famed NYC jazz club opened this Rio outpost (Blue Note's first venture into South America) in an entertainment complex on the edge of Lagoa…
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…
Gávea, Jardim Botânico & Lagoa
Downstairs from the main restaurant in Casa Camolese, Clube Manouche is an intimate music bar designed in the tradition of West Village clubs in New York…
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,…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
One of the city's most photogenic nightspots, Rio Scenarium has three floors, each lavishly decorated with antiques. Balconies overlook the stage on the…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
Not for lazy ears, this avant-garde jazz house known to the sonic cognoscenti is unique in Rio for its serious approach to performances. Run by an…
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…
