Before all those tourists descend on Rio for the 2016 Olympics, Lonely Planet guidebooks in hand,…read moreI'm putting this out there: Despite what the Rio book says, Feira de São Cristóvão is NOT "not to be missed". First things first: Lonely Planet refers to this place as "Feira Nordestina" but this listing, the outside of the structure which houses it, and their web site make clear that Feira de São Cristóvão is the actual name. Still, if you ask your cab driver to take you to "Feira Nordestina" you'll be taken here so perhaps the monikers are interchangeable. Essentially, you're asking to be taken to that giant swap meet with food, drink, music, and tchotchkes; the one that's open non-stop from Friday morning until Sunday evening plus a lot of additional hours Tuesday thru Thursday. There's a small per person fee to enter and just inside is your first cachaca tasting booth. Not a bad way to begin. After that, there's row after row after row - over 600 stalls in all - of shops, bars, restaurants, and music. The fair, apparently, showcases Brazil's Northeast, meaning that the food and live and canned music are largely Bahian. As a tourist, I have these observations: * The stuff for sale here is not, by and large, the stuff you want to bring home with you. There's a lot of everyday, utilitarian products (e.g. children's backpacks) that hold no tourist appeal. * At one place, in the center, people sit on benches watching televised bullfighting. Okay then... * Come hungry and find a restaurant near to the live music on the perimeters. Interesting people-watching. * Walk the interior rows and spy some couples dancing in poorly lit bars or friends doing the karaoke thing (in Portuguese). * You're definitely in a different part of Rio here (Zona Norte), more gritty and not catering to tourists. I didn't feel uncomfortable here but I also didn't feel like I fit in. I took a cab here and back (available just outside the gates) and felt glad to get back to the part of Rio that was a better fit for me. If you want to see an authentic slice of Zona Norte and maybe get a taste of Brazil's Bahian culture you might enjoy this. To me, it was just a giant swap meet and I beg to differ with Lonely Planet. I could've missed it without regret.

I love outdoor markets! Fiera de São Cristóvão is a nice place to refuel before partying during…read moreCarnaval. There are plenty of shops with souvenirs and other miscellaneous items, so keep your eyes peeled for that gifts for those back home that are not blessed to be there with you. I had my first açaí here and it was great. If you are a fan of live music, there were at least 3 different stages where bands were playing and people were dancing. If you enjoy people watching, this is a great place for that as well. I only bought a few items and did bargain with one of the vendors, I don't know if that's expected but did save a few reais. If you go during a busy time, and when isn't it?, expect crowded stores and it being hard to walk through. Keep your valuables protected as pickpockets are probably in this place. Plan on paying to park your car nearby.

This is an average mall. If you happen to be in the area it's got the basic stuff (food court,…read morecinema, kids play area and basic stores) but it's not worth going out of your way just to check it out. They have some of the same Rio brand clothing stores you can find at the other major malls and a few smaller shops that aren't a chain store. It has a confusing layout to get to the cinema, upstairs different from the escalators used to go downstairs to the food court. It seemed difficult to get a table to sit at in the food court during the lunch hour. They don't have enough and many are made to seat four so often strangers ask if they can sit at an empty seat at your table.