This lively samba club is housed in a beautiful old building that doubles as a storage warehouse for props and antiques used by the city's film industry. As a result, you will find yourself shaking a leg to a backdrop of mannequins, antique furniture and other relics from the past. Spread over three floors, revelers can chose to enjoy a meal from the restaurant, or just strut their stuff on the dance floor among bohemian locals and tourists alike. The club frequently hosts excellent live music, from samba to forro - check the website for listings. Always packed on weekends.

This unpretentious bar in the heart of Lapa is a lifeline for hungry party-goers. Open 18 hours a day, seven days a week, the 100-year-old bar serves wonderful bar snacks such as crispy bolinhos do bacalhau (codfish balls) as well as hearty main meals. The lamb with brocolli rice and garlic has been named best bar dish in Rio by the Brazilian guidebook Guia Quatro Rodas and makes a perfect stomach-filler before a night out in the clubs and bars of Lapa. Head here at the start of the night for a tasty dinner, then do as the locals do and pop back in again at 4a for a sunrise beer and snack before making your way home.

At the Academia da Cachaca you'll learn how to eat, drink and be merry, just like the Brazilians. With over 500 concoctions to choose from, you'll never tire of visiting this elegant, yet casual place. Most drinks are made from the traditional Brazilian spirit of Cachaca. The food, which comprises of North East Brazilian cuisine, is also quite an attraction. Enjoy a Manioc Croquette with Cream Cheese while you sip on a Passion-Fruit Caiparinha (with real fruit floating inside).