Shopping

Location: Av das Americasa 4666, Barra de Tijuca The largest shopping mall in the Barra district, it has over 500 shops, 42 restaurants and 5 cinema screens.

Location: Estrada da Gavea 899, Sao Conrado Upscale boutiques are what you’ll find here.

Location: Av das Americas 7770, Barra da Tijuca A stylish, up-scale place where you’ll find chic home furnishings and gorgeous decorative pieces.

Well-known for selling some of Brazil’s most beautiful art, you’ll find this place hidden behind a small shopping centre. Works are produced by local Brazilian artists including jewellery, vases, instruments and baskets.

Location: Rua Lauro Muller 116, Botafogo The most centrally located shopping mall in Botafogo.

Location: Av NS de Copacabana, Copacabana One of the busiest strips in the city, this avenue is always packed with shops selling everything from chocolates to soccer balls. Street vendors are quite pushy here so be prepared to be beckoned to come over and have a look at their shops.

Location: Praia de Botafogo 400, Botafogo A popular shopping mall in Botafogo.

A gallery, thrift shop and cafe all rolled into one, Favela Hype has fashions from the 50s, 60s and 70s. There are also avant-garde fashions from local designers and kitsch furniture. The art gallery has regular exhibitions and the cafe has delicious sandwiches and caipirinhas.

Brazilian handicrafts and pieces from local artists you’ll find here with selections of pottery, furniture, paintings, handmade dolls and old prints of Saint Teresa offered. Location: Rua Almirante Alexandrino 428, Santa Teresa Tel: 2222 1848

The biggest fair in Rio, measuring 32,000 sq metres with 658 stalls, you should not miss this. You’ll find second-hand clothes, hammocks and North Eastern gifts such as leather cowboy hats. The food stalls are some of the best in Rio with Bahian dishes as well as beer and cachaca (sugarcane spirit) stalls. Bands also play samba beats and there are comedy acts that perform along with capoeira groups who show off their skills in Afro-Brazilian martial arts/dance.

Location: Rua General Severiano 97, Botafogo This store is where you’ll find name-brands at discounted prices.

Hippie Fair (Feira de Arte de Ipanema): Artwork, jewellery handicrafts, leather goods and even furniture are for sale here. In the southeast corner of the plaza sells North-eastern cuisine. Location: Praca General Osorio, Ipanema Opening Times: 9am-5pm Sunday

Clothing, sunglasses and jewellery stalls attract a younger crowd here; you can also find fortune tellers and henna tattooists. Live bands perform here and there are many food stalls.

Next to the Niteroi ferry terminal; this fair has a large variety of antiques: silverware, carpets, jewellery, typewriters, art-deco and art-nouveau. In fact it’s quite the browser’s paradise, you’ll find anything here.

This place is run by a non-profit organisation and has displays of regional artists’ work. Baskets, woven rugs and Brazilian folk art in pottery, wood and porcelain can be bought here.

This shop has over two floors of Brazilian pottery, vases, ceramics and woodwork with some of the pieces looking like decorative artwork. The owners will ship your goods anywhere.

You’ll find colourful handicrafts from the Minas Geris and Northeast regions here with the friendly shopkeepers also occasionally serving cuisine from Minas Geris.

One of the largest music stores in Brazil, you’ll find an impressive selection including Rio artists and imports. The staff can help with recommendations and live shows are staged here on most days at the Allegro Bistro Musical.

Location: Rua Visconde de Piraja 276, Ipanema Tel: 2521 6110 Opening Times: 8 am-midnight