It is early evening in Curitiba and the air on the plateau has turned cool. You finish dinner, put on a jacket, and head toward the old downtown, where the lights of the bars along Rua Trajano Reis are coming on and the first bands are starting to play.
Curitiba's nightlife is spread across distinct pockets rather than concentrated in one strip. The old downtown and São Francisco draw a younger, alternative crowd; Batel is more polished; Santa Felicidade and Hauer are destinations for beer drinkers. The city is considered one of the safest in Brazil for young people, which makes a late night out easier to plan. It suits visitors who like live music, craft beer and a low-key pace rather than a single megaclub.
1. Rua Trajano Reis (São Francisco)
This street in the old downtown is the address of Wonka Bar, described as a classic club where some of the best local bands play. It suits a night built around live music and a busy weekend crowd.
The source notes the bar sits in the old downtown, so plan the rest of your evening around that part of the city rather than crossing town.
2. Batel
Batel is the district where Sheridan's Irish Pub, on Rua Bispo Dom José, serves pints and local artisanal beers. It is a good fit if you want a calm, conversational start to the night rather than a club.
The same district holds mansions built by the yerba mate barons, which gives an evening walk here a different character from the old downtown.
3. James Bar (Downtown)
James Bar, on Alameda Dr. Carlos de Carvalho, is described as a more alternative club, with Wednesday rock parties and Saturdays given over to indie and electronica. It is gay friendly.
If your trip falls midweek, the Wednesday rock night is the one the source singles out.
4. Sociedade Operária Beneficente 13 de Maio
This society, on Rua Desembargador Clotário Portugal, was founded in 1888 by former slaves and holds parties showing Afro-Brazilian culture, music and dance. It suits a night when you want the music and dancing to be the point.
Its schedule is unusual: evenings from Monday to Wednesday, late nights on Friday and Saturday, and a Sunday evening session. Entry is inexpensive.
5. Hauer
Hauer is home to Bodebrown, one of the most prized Brazilian craft breweries, on Rua Carlos de Laet. The source points to the Cacau IPA, Perigosa and Wee Heavy.
Curitiba has a strong craft beer and homebrewing scene, so this is a district to choose if beer rather than music is your reason for going out.
6. Santa Felicidade
Gauden Bier, on Avenida Manoel Ribas, is the other brewery the source names, in the Santa Felicidade district. It suits a night that starts with dinner in the same neighbourhood.
Santa Felicidade is some distance from the centre, so treat it as a destination for the evening rather than a stop on a walk between bars.
How a night out unfolds
The sources give only the society's own hours as a guide to timing: it opens in the evening on Monday to Wednesday and Sunday, and runs late on Friday and Saturday, with a Saturday session in the late afternoon as well. Beyond that, the sources do not describe when people eat or how late the city's bars generally run, so it is best to check individual venues before you go.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Carnival Friday and Carnival Saturday — February
- Black Awareness Day — 20 November
- New Year's Eve — 31 December, from 2pm
- Our Lady of Aparecida and Children's Day — 12 October
- All Souls' Day — 2 November
Is Curitiba safe for a night out?
The source describes the city's crime rate as low by Brazilian standards and calls it one of the safest cities in Brazil for youth.
Where can I hear live local bands?
Wonka Bar in the old downtown is named as a place where some of the best local bands play.
What if I want a gay-friendly venue?
James Bar is described as gay friendly, with Wednesday rock parties and indie and electronica on Saturdays.
Check the hours and calendar for the venues and events that interest you, then build your evening around one district so you spend the night out rather than in transit.