at a glance

A number of eccentric, themed bars, such as Aconchengo do Malandro, which translates roughly as 'Warmth of a Trickster', add vibrant color to the scene. Here, performers and staff dress as archetypal 'Malandros', and charm, entice and dance with their enraptured audiences into the early hours of the morning. the 'malandro' is a seminal figure in Carioca culture, the archetypal, loveable, rogue, always ingenious and charming character. This figure is somewhat of a folk hero, who emerges again and again in samba songs and popular carioca culture. In many ways, Lapa, with its bohemian openness and magnetism, can be seen to embody the essence of the 'malandragem'.