sight
Arcos da Lapa
The 18th-century 'Carioca Aqueduct' (1723) repurposed as a tram viaduct since 1896. The 42 arches are Rio's oldest extant structure. The Friday and Saturday night parties happen in the surrounding streets.
Rio de Janeiro · Brazil
Lapa
Rio's nightlife capital — the Arcos da Lapa, samba clubs, and Friday streets that close for the party
— The Neighbourhood
Lapa is Rio's historic centre-turned-nightlife district. The Arcos da Lapa (an 18th-century aqueduct, now a tram viaduct) is the neighbourhood's visual anchor. On Friday and Saturday nights, the streets around it — Rua do Lavradio, Rua Mem de Sá, Rua Riachuelo — become outdoor parties, with samba clubs (Rio Scenarium, Carioca da Gema), forró bars, and street vendors selling cachaça at R$10 a shot. It's where Rio's mix of samba, choro, and MPB (música popular brasileira) is most alive. Stay here if your Rio agenda is music first, sightseeing second.
— Highlights
Where to eat, drink, and explore
bar
Rio Scenarium
Three-storey samba club in a converted antique-furniture warehouse on Rua do Lavradio. Live music every night, two stages, dance floor. R$40-60 entry, no bookings, arrive by 21:00 for a seat.
bar
Carioca da Gema
Lapa's smaller, more authentic samba club — run by musicians for musicians. Serious players rotate through; the crowd is half tourists, half cariocas who come for specific singers. Cover R$30-50.
sight
Cathedral of São Sebastião (Metropolitan Cathedral)
Rio's 1976 cone-shaped modernist cathedral, 96m tall, seats 20,000. The four stained-glass strips running floor to ceiling are striking. Free; peaceful mid-morning.
shop
Rua do Lavradio Saturday antiques market
First Saturday of each month — Rio's antique and vintage furniture market along Rua do Lavradio. Feijoada served at the bars along the way. 09:00-17:00.
— Where to stay
Sleeping in Lapa
Lapa Hotel Design is the boutique option. The Lapa Rio Hotel and Novotel Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont are the mid-tier options nearby. Lapa proper is hostel-heavy — Books Hostel and Discovery Hostel are the established clean-budget picks from $25 dorms / $60 private rooms. Weekend noise is a real factor; pick a back room or stay in adjacent Santa Teresa for Friday/Saturday.
Hotels in Lapa
Live rates via Expedia
Search Lapa hotels →destination.com earns a commission when you book through our links. Does not affect the price you pay.
— Getting around
How to move
Lapa is walkable to Centro (20 min) and Santa Teresa (uphill 25 min). The Lapa tram goes to Santa Teresa. Uber at night is cheap and the safest late-night option. Avoid walking alone after 02:00; the neighbourhood gets very quiet and Lapa has the highest street-crime rate of the three central neighbourhoods.
— FAQ
Lapa: common questions
On Friday and Saturday nights when the streets are packed (until ~03:00), yes — dense and well-policed. Midweek or after 03:00, Lapa becomes one of the areas where solo travellers should use Uber not walk. Mugging for phones is the main concern.
— More in Rio de Janeiro
Other Rio de Janeiro neighbourhoods
— If you love Lapa
You'll also love these
Lisbon · Portugal
Bairro Alto
The grid of bars on the hill above the Chiado that opens at 9 p.m. and closes at 4
Prague · Czechia
Žižkov
Prague's one-time working-class district — more bars per capita than anywhere in Europe, and the quirky weird-modernist TV tower nobody asked for
Madrid · Spain
Malasaña
Madrid's bohemian quarter — Movida Madrileña history, independent shops, and the taberna culture that defines the city's late nights