at a glance

many of the local venues are a mix between bar and restaurant, with small concert halls with dance floors,  animating the nights in spots such as carioca da gema, circo voador, café cultural sacrilégio, fundição progresso, and perhaps most famous of all - rio scenarium. at the top of the largo da lapa  is the historic Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo da Lapa do Desterro, and turning to the palm tree-covered rua visconde de maranguape, one will find the iconic cardeal câmara square and the famous arches just beside them. overlooking lapa, but located in the district of 'centro', a little further north, easily visible from the square, there is the majestic metropolitan cathedral of saint sebastian, sporting its characteristic conical shape. the modern and daring catedral metropolitana (catedral de são sebastião do rio de janeiro), is the seat of the archbishop of Rio.