Rio de Janeiro Nightlife: Places and Districts to Go Out in Rio de Janeiro

  Rio at Sunset

If you're lucky enough to be traveling in Rio de Janeiro during February, then your nightlife options are quite simple: it's Carnaval time and an evening of flat-out hedonism is guaranteed...

But the carnaval is just the gaudy highlight of a whole year of festivities; Rio is an incredibly vibrant place whenever you go. Someone, somewhere is guaranteed to be partying at any time of the day or night. Locals, known as 'Cariocas', seem to live for music, dancing and having a good time, which infuses the city with an intoxicating party spirit.

This laidback atmosphere extends right across the city, with streets and bars frequently overlapping in a hazy, gloriously chaotic mess. Even backpackers and travelers on the tightest of budgets should go expecting to be swept up by the city’s infectious lifestyle.

Lapa is a great place to head for a more authentic, rootsy scene that attracts the city’s hip, youthful crowd. Amongst the slightly dilapidated old buildings, ‘roda de sambas’ (samba circle) fill the night air with a spontaneous, skiffle-like version of the country’s infamous music form.

For slightly more formal samba, meanwhile, the city’s 'gafieiras' (samba halls) are an attraction for locals and travelers alike. What some of these places might lack in style, they more than make up for in ambience, with many languishing in a laidback, easy charm perfectly suited to the music they play.

Rio's not all about samba, though. Forro and bossa nova are two equally vibrant, but slightly less well-known, music forms. And, in addition to the Brazilian music scene, you’ll also find a whole host of rock bars and more modern, international sounds. Right up until sunrise, the streets vibrate to this heady mix of music pouring out from the bars and clubs.

In keeping with a city as colorful and flamboyant as Rio, the city’s legendary gay scene makes it the top gay travel destination for many South Americans. There are an enormous number of bars and clubs to enjoy, with a couple of standout places in Copacabana and Ipanema among the most popular.

While Rio has always liked to project an image of the city that loves to party, this is also, to a large extent, the way in which it defines itself. Dance and music are such a central aspect of Brazilian culture – perhaps the central aspect of Brazilian culture, in fact – that you can’t fail to be captivated by its beguiling rhythms.

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