5 Best Places to Shop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Background Illustration for Shopping

Reviews Updated by

G
Gabriela Godoi

Rio shopping is most famous for its incomparable beachwear and gemstone jewelry, both of which are exported globally. Brazil is one of the world's largest suppliers of colored gemstones, with deposits of aquamarines, amethysts, diamonds, emeralds, rubellites, topazes, and tourmalines. If you're planning to go to Minas Gerais, do your jewelry shopping there; otherwise stick with shops that have certificates of authenticity and quality. Other good local buys include shoes, Havaianas flip-flops, arts and crafts, coffee, local music, swimwear, and summer clothing in natural fibers. With lots of low-quality merchandise around, the trick to successful shopping in Rio is knowing where to find high-quality items at reasonable prices. It's helpful to note that most independent shops are shut on Sunday, with some even closed on Saturday afternoon.

Ipanema is Rio's most fashionable shopping district. Its many exclusive boutiques are in arcades, with the majority along Rua Visconde de Pirajá. Leblon's shops, scattered among cafés, restaurants, and newspaper kiosks, are found mainly along Rua Ataulfo da Paiva and in the side streets of Rua Dias Ferreira. Copacabana has souvenir shops, bookstores, and branches of some of Rio's better shops along Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana and connecting streets. For cheap fashion finds and Carnival costumes, head to the maze of shopping streets behind the Uruguaiana metro station known as 'Saara.'

Feira da General Glicério

Laranjeiras Fodor's Choice

Browse for local crafts, enjoy delicious snacks, sip a caipirinha, and listen to the delicate sounds of live choro at this laid-back Saturday street market in the leafy residential neighborhood of Laranjeiras. Vendors selling fruit and veggies set up stalls on the streets surrounding a small neighborhood square, but the main focus of attention is on the clothing and crafts stalls on the square, as well as on food and drink sellers and the famous Barraca do Luiz—a tent selling caipirinhas and rare music CDs—as choro bands perform nearby. Come early: the market opens at 10 am and the fun is over by midafternoon.

Market Free Fodor's Choice Family
Rua General Glicério, Rio de Janeiro, 22245–120, Brazil

Something incorrect in this review?

Feira do Rio Antigo

Centro Fodor's Choice

Vendors at this outdoor fair sell antiques, rare books, records, and all types of objets d'art every Saturday. New and vintage fashion is also a strong suit, although cheaper fashion has sadly begun to take over. Live samba music and capoeira performances create a festival-like atmosphere, and the pavement bars and restaurants buzz with locals and visitors.

Feira Nordestina

São Cristóvão Fodor's Choice

The crowded, lively Feira de São Cristóvão, better known as the Feira Nordestina, is a social hub for Brazilians from the country's Northeast who live in Rio. They gather to hear their own distinctive music, eat regional foods, and buy arts, crafts, home furnishings, and clothing. With two stages for live music, the fair takes on a nightclub vibe after dark, and there are some seriously impressive displays of forro dancing. This fair is at its busiest and most exciting on the weekends. It's best to take a taxi here.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Feira Hippie

Ipanema

The colorful handicrafts street fair takes place on Sunday between 8 am and 6 pm. Shop for high-quality jewelry, hand-painted dresses, paintings, wood carvings, leather bags and sandals, rag dolls, knickknacks, furniture, and samba percussion instruments, among many other items. It's fun to browse here even if you're not looking to buy anything.

Village Mall

Barra da Tijuca

There are some 600 stores here, ranging from high-street names such as Renner to small and seriously chic boutique fashion, jewelry, and lingerie stores. A branch of the legendary bikini store Lenny Niemeyer is here, and there's a wealth of good dining options and one of the city's most luxurious cinemas.