The Hippie Fair is a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Ipanema. Featuring dozens of local…read morevendors, this outdoor craft market is a great place to find souvenirs, art, clothing, food, and more. Some items are generic imports, but many others are one-of-a-kind originals. We found everything from unique-tooled leather belts to hand-crafted batiks and paintings. Go explore!

When traveling these days, one thing I frequently lament is the inability to go anywhere in the…read moreworld and find something unique to return with, something that can't be purchased on-line while sitting at my dining room table. Brazil though, threw a curve into that train of thought and the Feira Hippie de Ipanema (aka Hippie Fair) was a big part of that curve. The al fresco Hippie Fair happens once each week, on Sunday in Ipanema, and if you like shopping and strolling and eating and eyeing it's worth your time. I spent a couple of hours there before my family forcibly evicted me and even then I sent one of them back to purchase something that I suddenly decided I couldn't live without. It's at the Hippie Fair that you'll find a lot of reasonably priced, uniquely Brazilian jewelry, clothing, artwork, shoes, hair/head pieces, soaps, and more. And when you tire of looking walk to the corners. One corner featured a makeshift samba dance troupe from a nearby favela. Another corner bustled with Afro-Brazilian women in traditional garb dishing out luscious Bahian stews and a cornucopia of delicious desserts. It was here that I stopped briefly to enjoy what was quickly becoming my usual, a giant slice of flan (which probably goes by a different name when in Brazil; I just point at it and nod my head). Aside from the name, there's nothing "hippie" about this place. Prices aren't negotiable but they also weren't unreasonable and most vendors accept credit cards. This sort of thing - an arts fair - isn't going to turn you into a shopper if you're not but if you are, it's a nice diversion a mere block from Ipanema Beach. If you're looking for a uniquely Brazilian souvenir besides the ubiquitous but very welcome Havaianas or anything that might be offered for sale while you're sitting on the beach the Hippie Fair is a good place to start your search.

Great customer service and a unique, high quality selection of home goods. I returned multiple…read moretimes for those memorable items.

This eclectic Santa Teresa gift shop has loads of unique rings, bracelets, ceramics, kids clothing…read moreand art, much of which appears to be produced locally. If an "I (heart) Rio!" t-shirt isn't the kind of souvenir you planned to take home, come here for something special.

So happy to discover they were having a sale! This is one of my favorite shops to get Rio themed…read moreuseful items that also make great gifts. I see these items featured in tourist places like Pão de Açúcar and Forte de Copacabana but they also make items that are great for everyday use. Wallets, keychains, luggage tags, iPod holders, glasses cases, and travel items. Another great thing is that they change their designs every so often so it keeps things fresh and give you a good excuse to keep checking into their store. This also lets them have great sales like the one that's going on now, to clear out older merchandise and make room for the new lines. They have great customer service and are bilingual so its easy to make purchases. They will wrap things if you tell them it's a gift.

Gilson Martins is a great shop for buying unique yet good quality gifts and souvenirs. Their Rio…read moreand Brazilian-themed leather goods are perfect for everyday use (change purses, wallets, card holders, phone cases etc). The sales associates were friendly and they even offered us drinks while we shopped.

Love this place. It has all the greatest Rio designs one can hope for. I usually like picking up…read moresomething to remind my visitors of their great time here. It's a perfect gift for visitors or even friend who never make it out to Rio. I like how innovative the design are and how they are constantly changing so that if you come back later you'll always find something different. Some bags are more about aesthetics than practicality but that's what makes it fun. With three stores in town and features in the Galeão airport and Pão de açúcar gift stores, Gilson Martins is making his name in Rio!

How carioca is this? The staff offered us tea, juice and wait, shots of cachaca while we browsed!…read moreHowever it was 9 am and my stomach held up the stop sign. Rude. But on to the goods...of all the souvenirs I brought back to the US, the change purses from Gilson Martins were hands-down the favorites. The designs are unique and the quality much better than items you would come across at other souvenir shops.