Rio de Janeiro Nightlife Guide for Monday, April 13, 2026

Samba · Birthplace · Free

Monday at the Pedra do Sal is the most important weekly roda de samba in Rio de Janeiro. The stone steps in the Saúde port district — where Tia Ciata held her legendary gatherings, where Donga and Pixinguinha played, where samba was born as a recorded genre in the early twentieth century — come alive from 7 pm every Monday. The roda is acoustic: pandeiro, cavaquinho, tantã, surdo, voices. No amplification. No stage. The musicians sit on the steps or on chairs in the Largo João da Baiana; the crowd fills the surrounding streets. The barracas sell beer, cachaça, and simple food — cash only. The energy builds from 7 to 10 pm, when the crowd is at its peak. By 11 the roda winds down. This is not a venue — it is a place. The birthplace of samba, playing samba, on the stones where it started. Arrive from 7. Bring cash. Wear comfortable shoes — the stones are uneven.

Access: VLT Parada dos Museus or walk from Uruguaiana metro. The Pedra do Sal is at R. Tia Ciata (formerly R. Sacadura Cabral area), Saúde. The location is near the Porto Maravilha waterfront — combine with the Candlelight concert at the Museu do Amanhã (Praça Mauá), a 10-minute walk.

Candlelight · Pop · Intimate

The Candlelight concert series — the global franchise that stages classical and pop tributes in atmospheric venues lit by hundreds of candles — brings a Bruno Mars tribute to the Museu do Amanhã tonight. The Calatrava-designed museum on Praça Mauá in the Porto Maravilha district is one of the most dramatic concert settings in Rio: the futuristic architecture, the waterfront location, the candlelight transforming the interior. Live musicians perform Bruno Mars hits — “Uptown Funk,” “Just the Way You Are,” “24K Magic” — in an intimate, seated format. Tickets via Fever. The Museu do Amanhã is a 10-minute walk from the Pedra do Sal — combine the samba roda with the candlelight show for a Monday that crosses genres within walking distance in the port district.

Exhibition · Closing · Free

Viva Mauricio — the exhibition celebrating Mauricio de Sousa, creator of Turma da Mônica, one of the most important figures in Brazilian children’s culture — closes today at the CCBB. This is the final day. Free entry. The CCBB on R. Primeiro de Março, 66 in Centro is one of the most beautiful exhibition spaces in Rio — the neoclassical banking hall turned cultural centre. The Viva Mauricio exhibition has been one of the most visited shows of the year. After today, it is gone. The CCBB is a short walk from both the Pedra do Sal and the Museu do Amanhã — the Monday route through the port and Centro district combines all three.

Botequim · Kiosks · Daily

The Monday constants. Nova Capela on Av. Mem de Sá, 96 — open daily, kitchen late, cabrito assado, cold chope. The Lapa anchor that operates regardless of the day. On a Monday when every music venue is dark, Nova Capela is the constant. The Copacabana boardwalk kiosks are open, no cover, 27 °C — the beachfront at its most peaceful on a Monday evening. The kiosks and the boardwalk function as the Monday nightlife for Copacabana — the Atlantic, the sand, the lights, no agenda.

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