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 worth a trip to the northern district of Casa Verde, which is said to be where samba's origins lie. It swarms with connoisseurs at least four nights a week.
To get here, take the metro's red line east to the end of the line (Palmeiras – Barra Funda) and catch buses 148P-10/175P-10/177H-10, all of which stop within half a block from the venue.