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…
Must-see entertainment in South America
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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Cuenca
The performance venue of the Jazz Society of Ecuador provides soothing aural therapy with Ecuadorian musicians, as well as international artists. The Jazz…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Cuzco
The most consistently popular nightspot in town, Ukuku’s plays a winning combination of crowd-pleasers – Latin and Western rock, reggae, reggaetón, salsa…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Santiago
On weekend nights at this traditional cueca venue, watch proud Chileans hit the dance floor – performing their national dance, a playful, handkerchief…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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Salvador
The most astounding professional show is put on by this world-renowned folkloric ballet company.
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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…
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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…
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Mendoza
Art-house films and docs, primarily Argentinian and South American, and the occasional Hollywood film, usually retro classics, are screened at this cinema…
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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.
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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Recife
This great free night of Afro-Brazilian rhythms takes place in the picturesque Pátio de São Pedro two Tuesdays a month. The crowd in the plaza is…
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Lima
The theater is anything but dry or about high society, at least as far as this tiny space is concerned. A rotating roster of directors and actors changes…
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Curitiba
Constructed from wire with a glass roof, this theater is among Curitiba’s most unusual and enigmatic landmarks. It is surrounded by the stone quarry park,…
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Cali
Completed in 1918, the city’s oldest existing theater is used for various artistic forms, including musical concerts, theater and ballet. If there's…
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Buenos Aires
This excellent cultural center has many offerings, including reasonably priced tango shows several times per week: Bien de Tango, on Friday and Saturday…
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Montevideo
Montevideo’s best midsize auditorium venue for big-name music and dance performances, including tango, rock, flamenco, reggae and zarzuela (traditional…
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Belo Horizonte
Near the southern end of Parque Municipal, this arts complex with multiple performance spaces and galleries is the hub of Belo’s theater, dance and music…
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Lima
A reliable spot in Barranco with a name that means ‘Sergeant Pepper.’ The barnlike club hosts various theme nights and occasional live bands.
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São Paulo
Operas, classical ballets and symphonic music are held in São Paulo’s most ornate theater.
