Local operator · Av. Mem de Sá 110, Lapa
This is the real samba night in Lapa, Rio's bohemian quarter: a cachaça bar, a caipirinha at the stalls under the Lapa Arches, a live samba bar where locals dance, then a club. Pick it for the most reviewed night out on this site, a guide who knows the streets, and an easy way in for solo travellers.
Lapa is where Rio goes out. Samba bars, street stalls and clubs fill the blocks around the white Lapa Arches (Arcos da Lapa), the old aqueduct from 1750. This pub crawl is the easy way into that night, and the numbers show it: 4.8 stars from 1,128 reviews, the most reviewed samba night on this site. It is a real night out, not a show. You dance where locals dance. You can cancel free up to 24 hours before.
The route, as the operator lists it: meet at Av. Mem de Sá 110 and start in a classic cachaça bar, where you taste at least four flavours of Brazil's sugarcane spirit. Then on to the food and drink stalls by the arches for a free caipirinha, a stop at the tiled Selarón Steps (Escadaria Selarón) for photos and the story of Jorge Selarón, and a samba bar with live music. The night ends in a club with Brazilian funk, pop and reggaeton until closing. Skip-the-line entry to the bar and the club is included. Guests say the guides throw in a mini samba lesson, and they name Raffa, Lucas and Isa again and again.
The group is limited per guide, so someone is always close by. One guest counted about 20 people on her night. It is for 18+ only, and you need a passport or ID card (a copy is fine). The walks between stops are short and light, though the listing says people with limited mobility may find them hard. Extra drinks and food cost extra, and there is no hotel pickup, so book a ride app home.
Find your guide in Lapa and meet the group.
Taste at least four flavours of cachaça and hear what makes a good one.
Walk to the arches, browse the food and drink stalls and get your free caipirinha.
About 30 minutes on the tiled steps, with the story of the artist who made them.
A live band plays and the room dances. Guests say the guides show a few steps.
Skip the line and dance to Brazilian funk, pop and reggaeton until the club closes.
★★★★★Traveling alone, I thought that a group night out was the safest way to experience Rio's nightlife. I was not disappointed. The group was great and lively. Special mention to our guide, Isadora, who answered our questions in perfect English [...]
★★★★★Raffa was the best guide! We felt safe, had fun and made great friends! Raffa gave us a little samba lessons! Drinks were great and vibes were immaculate! Couldn’t have asked for a better night out for my birthday!
★★★★★Fantastic evening. In Rio for work all alone, was a perfect way to meet some likeminded people and dance! Raffa, Lucas, and Isa were all phenomenal guides, knowledgable and inclusive. 10/10 would recommend.
★★★★★Great value for money, the guide spoke good English and gave us history on the drink cachaça. The venues we went to were very friendly and ordering was easy. [...]
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A real night out. You visit a cachaça bar, the stalls by the Lapa Arches, a samba bar with live music and a club, with locals and travellers mixed together.
At least four cachaça shots and one caipirinha. Other drinks and food are not included.
Guests travelling alone say a group night was the easy, safe way to go out in Lapa. The group is limited per guide, so a guide is always nearby. It is 18+.
At Av. Mem de Sá 110, in Lapa. Hotel pickup is not included.
Ready to book
The most booked night out in Rio: cachaça, a caipirinha under the Lapa Arches, live samba and a club, with a guide.
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