Very nice shop with vibrant colors for swimsuits! They were all super friendly & helpful. Prices…read moreare a bit high! Una tienda muy bonita con colores vibrantes para los trajes de baño. Todos fueron muy amables y serviciales. Los precios son un poco altos!

Best rock and roll local hipster + hot gringos spot to hang out and see hot down to earth ppl with…read moreamazing tans and bodies all having super interesting conversations and bonding. Ever since I was a teen I've been going there and it never disappoints!

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.

What a great store. We actually found this place by accident after getting lost in Botafogo, but we…read moreare so glad we did. If you are recently moved to Rio, or if you are just looking for something for your house, they have it all. The store is good for both tourists and locals alike. As foreigners in Rio, we were ecstatic to find regular household items that were distinctly Brazilian without being overly touristy (i.e. laptop/food lap pad featuring "Classic lanche no sofá" or a cutting board displaying all the different cuts of a cow in Portuguese). That said, they have a variety of everything, so if you do want that pillow with the Brazilian flag, you're in luck. The other great part about this store was the staff. This was one of the rare instances where I didn't feel like my presence as a customer was a burden for the staff. Paula was very helpful for us, making several trips to the register to confirm prices for us and belong answer any questions we had. She was quite friendly as well. Whether you're on Botafogo or not, make a trip to this store. You're bound to walk out with something.

So glad we found this store on our search for the Botofogo metro station, which is actually just…read moredown the street, so it'll be convenient to return. The store has stationery supplies to kitchen items and everything in between. We needed a few essential items for our new apartment and found some great things here. The also have some items that are uniquely Brazilian if want something that aren't too touristy. They had Cristo and Pão de Açúcar bookends, a glass cutting board with the Portuguese names of the cuts of meat (even useful if you know Portuguese), a cute espresso set (machine and cups). They also had a good selection of bath supplies (toothbrush holders, soap dispensers, tub mats) and decorative pillows. We got a lap desk (soft replaceable bottom filler) with hard light weight board with cup holder that can be used for a desk when you're working on the couch or as an eating tray. They had more unique things than just the ordinary home supply store. Apparently they're opening up a few more stores like this around Rio so check them out!

Granado is a traditional soap, hand cream, lotion, make-up shop. Their shop in Downtown Rio is very…read morespacious and carries the full range of their products plus items from the Phebo brand. You can get liquid soaps or the bar soaps (that are glycerin based) of various different scents. Many of which are traditionally Brazilian, such as Açai and Castanha do Brasil. They sell hand creams, liquid soaps, nail varnish, products for pets and a special line of products for babies. Totally recommend checking them out and taking a few products home with you!