The 15 Workshops & Classes in Brazil That Earn Their Price

1.Rio de Janeiro: Beginner Samba Lesson in Ipanema

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,071 reviews · 1 hour · from $25Our pick

Learn samba basics with an experienced carnival performer in Ipanema, then try on costumes and receive photos from your one-hour class.

“Gaby was such an incredible teacher who was patient, entertaining and lovely to meet. It was such a fun experience right before Carnival with amazing music and fun dance routines. I highly recommend to book this experience and have Gaby showcase a snippet of Brazilian culture.”

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2.Rio de Janeiro: Samba Class in Copacabana

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 262 reviews · 1 hour · from $25

Learn samba in a friendly one-hour Copacabana class with bilingual instructors, music, carnival flair, and useful Rio nightlife tips.

“The class was so much fun! I highly recommended getting out of your comfort zone and getting a taste of samba. The instructor was very kind, and great energy!”

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3.Cooking class in Salvador, an authentic dinning experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 132 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $68Top rated

Cook Salvador favorites with Karla in her home kitchen, from caipirinhas and pão de queijo to moqueca, brigadeiro, and Bahia coffee.

“Everything was well communicated before we met at the market. Karla took us on a trip around the market and showed us the local foods and let us taste fruits and sweets and even cachaca! She then drove us to her home. We had an wonderful afternoon cooking and eating local specialities of the region. Karla was a fantastic host, her English was excellent and we made to feel very welcome. The meals we prepared were delicious and we chatted a lot about food and she gave us recommendations of where to eat etc in Salvador and Sao Paolo! I loved everything about this experience. Thank you Karla.. Love Wendy…”

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4.Rio de Janeiro: Samba Class and Samba Night Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 115 reviews · 4 hours · from $63

Learn samba in Rio with a bilingual instructor, then join a live band at a samba club or Monday street party.

“Bruno is amazing, as a teacher and as a guide. Without him we would not enjoy the samba concert as with the places he took for us. Totally recommended.”

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5.Rio: Caipirinha Workshop and Samba Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 113 reviews · 2 hours · from $12

Learn to make two caipirinhas, take a samba class, and meet Rio nightlife companions at Pura Vida Hostel in Copacabana.

“We enjoyed the Samba class with Bruno. It was very relaxed and way more fun than we imagined. Sadly, we did not stay for the Caipirpirinha workshop. This was because in the information given, the start time of the event was stated as 7.15pm. However, the Samba didn't start until 8pm. We had to leave just as the Caipirpirinha workshop was starting. This was very disappointing especially as we had enjoyed the Samba class and the venue so much.”

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6.4h Cooking Class in Salvador with 9 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 73 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $75

Cook moqueca and farofa in a Salvador home, enjoy unlimited drinks, and take home nine recipes plus a local food guide.

“This was an excellent day!!! From touring the Mercedo and trying new fruits to Carla taking us into her home and teaching us how to make the various local dishes. The caipirinhas were tasty but the Moqueca and the Brigadeiro were amazing. Great to meet new people and learn how to make new dishses. Thank you!!”

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7.Samba Class in Copacabana

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 52 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $35

Learn authentic samba in a friendly Copacabana studio, with simple steps, cultural context, costume photos, and no partner required.

“I was the only student! Bem Vind was the instructor. He explained very clear about each step. Very professional with counts and accent of each step. He went right to the dance and I just followed him, he stopped and explained when he saw I did not get it, then we kept repeating until I felt comfortable. We did across the floor and turns, forward & backwards. This is a crash course, being a dance director of ballet and modern dance, Samba is quite challenging for me. I wish I stay for a week to take the class daily. He taught the class that we used the whole space.”

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8.Surf lessons: in Arpoador in Ipanema.

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 35 reviews · from $33

Learn to surf in Rio with a small-group lesson at Arpoador Beach, including equipment, multilingual instruction, and sunset views.

“We had Rafael as a surfing instructor with this company. I could not recommend enough! They were flexible with the timings as it is weather dependant. Rafael was fabulous, full of energy, spoke English very well and was a wonderful teacher. Worth every penny!”

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9.Salvador: Capoeira Class at Mestre Bimba’s 1st Ever School.

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 34 reviews · 1 hour · from $43

Learn capoeira at Mestre Bimba’s first school in Salvador with patient instruction, Afro-Brazilian culture, music, movement, and beginner-friendly training.

“I feel this is a very uniquely Salvador experience and felt more connected to the area by attending this lesson. I definitely recommend it to anyone (regardless of fitness) who want to learn something more hands-on about Salvador. Just don't forget to bring a water bottle, wear comfortable/sport clothes, and expect to sweat... a lot!”

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10.Surf lessons with local instructors in Copacabana/ipanema!

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 31 reviews · 1 day · from $10Best value

Learn to surf in Copacabana or Ipanema with local instructors, equipment included, one hour in the water, and practical safety coaching.

“En fait je n’ai pas trouvé le guide!parce qu’il n’y en avait pas!sur votre site ce sont des photos de toutes les écoles de surf d’ipanema!et personne ne représente ce site!il n’y avait pas de numéro de téléphone pour avec des explications!j’ai dû repayer pour avoir un cours! Je ne comprends pas car j’ai réservé plusieurs activités avec vous! mais pour le surf c’est à revoir! Pourriez-vous procéder à mon remboursement?”

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11.Surf Lesson with Qualified Instructor in Florianópolis

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $39

Learn to surf at Barra da Lagoa in Florianópolis with a qualified instructor, board, wetsuit, safety tips, and about an hour in the water.

“Such a fun experience I can highly recommend it! The teacher was very attentive and made sure that I got the most out of the lesson. I definitely want to go again when I’m back in town!”

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12.Surfing Lesson with Sea Wolf

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 30 reviews · 1h 30m · from $40

Learn to surf in Barra da Lagoa with expert instruction, quality gear, small groups, and a 90-minute lesson for $40.

“Reservei e não houve atividade, cheguei ao local, procurei pela rua indicada na descrição e como não encontrei nada/ninguém procurei pela praia, e também não havia ninguém, ao entrar em contato me responderam vários minutos depois dizendo que “Aparentemente, o que aconteceu foi o seguinte... a reserva foi feita por volta do horário de início da aula, pode ser? então nesse caso não entrou no sistema.” Sendo que minha reserva foi feita no dia 20/05, e a atividade seria no dia 04/06, não consegui fazer a atividade e muito menos o reembolso!”

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13.Rio Experience: Caipirinha Workshop (2 Caipis) + Funk Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 22 reviews · 1h 30m · from $12

Make two caipirinhas, learn Rio funk, meet locals, and continue to Lapa from Pura Vida Hostel for a lively Friday night.

“Super fun event, especially as a solo traveler. The caipirinhas I learned to make were sweet, but a bit strong, the people in the hostel were super friendly, and the dance class was hella fun. It's not step by step instructions, but give it a try. You'll probably burn off one of the caipirinhas you made by the time the hour is done.”

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14.Rio de Janeiro: Carnaval Backstage Tour and Samba Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 14 reviews · 3 hours · from $58

Tour Rio’s Carnaval backstage, try dazzling costumes, sip a caipirinha, and learn samba with hotel transfers included.

“Great tour of one of the samba schools in Samba City, the pace of the tour was excellent and you got a very nice mix of history, background and personal immersion into the world of samba. Our tour guide Lucas was outstanding!”

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15.Salvador: CAPOEIRA CLASS – CULTURAL

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 13 reviews · 1h 30m · from $17

Learn capoeira in Salvador through kicks, music, history, and community during a lively 90-minute Portuguese-language class for $17.

“The capoeira class I took part in was intensive and fun. In 90 minutes I have learned a lot the basics and got really hooked on capoeira! We were also able to play the instruments and learn songs. The teacher was lovely and professional. I’d definitely recommend this course!”

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