If you're going to watch a soccer's game in Maracanã, São Januário (Vasco da Gama's Stadium) or…read moreEstádio Municipal João Havelange (Engenhão/Botafogo's Stadium), here's a good place to park and take a bus/taxi/metro.

We haven't been back out to Zona Norte in a while and last time we checked out Norte Shopping. This…read moretime we went directly out of the metro station into the Nova America complex. We heard that it had a serious fire that burnt down a majority of the mall last time we were out here, nearly three months ago but they must have done a good job repairing most of it because it was unnoticeable. It has a strange layout of segmented levels and the food court with movie theater inside made a huge traffic jam when trying to get between the two sections of the mall. The food court also has a unique covered outside patio area where there are fancier sit-down restaurants which look quite nice. We were so hungry we just grabbed something inside before exploring our options outside. The shops here are a little different than in other areas. It seems that they have quite a few outlet stores (Nike, Adiadas, Mizuno/Timberland) and other adorable local brands. The discounts were decent, depending on what was on sale. The mall was very crowded and most stores had their winter sale on. At one of the bigger department stores, Riachuelo, the lines for the cashier were so long and the attendant became so rushed that for our purchase, he forgot to take out the magnetic security tag and we didn't discover it until we got home! The ATM near the metro exit was miles long! It seems some the restaurants in the food court were cash only and the food stands (like for nuts) were also cash or debit card only. Of course, (we learned the hard way) the metro is also cash only too! And despite waiting in long line for the cash machine we were unable to withdraw anything. In effort to get a couple of reais that we were short on for the metro fare, we offered to buy a lady's purchase on our credit card so we could get some cash for the metro ticket home. Luckily she was a Good Samaritan and helped us get home. So all in all we had a good experience in Zona Norte.

Now one of our favorite malls, first because it's close by and easy to get to, but also because…read moreit's clean and classy but not over pretentious. They have a good combination of classic chain stores like Taco, Velha Bahia, Imaginarium, Alphabeto, Track and Field, Mr. Cat and a mix of unique stores that sell house decor or gifts you couldn't find anywhere else. One party store had bobbleheads of famous American TV characters and super heros. Another had multistory wooden dollhouses and fun toys any kid would love. This also houses several live theaters spread out on the second and third floors and a movie theater on the fourth floor. They have a variety of good quality restaurants to choose from (Xi Bistrô, Balada mix). There's a convenient taxi stand in the front of the mall for easy transportation and a parking garage on the top floors. Plus the bus lines run a block away towards PUC.

Without a doubt my favorite mall in Rio de Janeiro. That said, I think it's important to set your…read moreexpectations right before coming. As one of the other Yelpers wrote, this is not your typical mall where you come to shop and maybe grab a bite to eat along the way. It's as though shopping is the sideshow here, with plays, movies, a gym, and great restaurants being the main attraction. There are plenty of stores, but for the most part they aren't chains. The stores also don't focus on clothes. Instead, you're likely to find something unique for your house, maybe a gift for a friend, or something completely unexpected. The most unique attractions for me are the theaters and restaurants. Every floor has at least one live-action theater, both for adults and kids. It's common to see costumed princesses or pirates walking around and taking pictures with kids. I haven't personally seen a play there yet, but I have heard good things from friends. The movie theater is unique too. Smaller than the typical theater, it offers more of a feeling of community for those watching the film together. We also saw an advertisement that they will be showing old-time movies with live piano accompaniment in the near future. The restaurants are all top notch. Lunch, supper, ice cream, coffee, chocolate, whatever it is you are looking for, they have a place in Shopping da Gávea that will meet or exceed your expectation. Definitely give this place a visit, just don't expect anything like you've seen before in a mall.

2.5 stars for the potential is has to become a better mall. This new mall is in an ideal location…read moreto capture the transit of people to and from the airport. A few stores have a nice store front and the strong air conditioning is welcoming in the hot Rio weather. However, it seems to have opened with only a few stores in place. I assume the hope is to fill the mall with other stores but it seems like they would have already signed the leases. Forever 21 and Le Lis Blanc are the first stores you see when exiting the airport and have a modern welcoming storefront. The other stores either weren't open or were harder to find. The food court, again aesthetically pleasing with open natural lighting, really only had two restaurants: Subway and Burger King. There the coffee shop Katz and a VIP airport lounge and a kiosk of super paletas but hardly more than that. There were a lot of "coming soon" signs that showed the mall has a lot more potential. It's really not worth visiting now but maybe later when more stores are actually open.

This place is still in need of a lot of work. The idea itself is great: a fancy shopping mall…read moreconnected to Rio's Santos Dumont airport. As of the moment I'm writing this though, there is still a lot of construction. In fact, not even all the stores/restaurants listed on the mall's website are open yet. The mall also houses a VIP lounge for the airport, but as we weren't flying we didn't have a chance to check it out. For now, the saving grace of the mall is that it has a Forever 21. As far as I know, that's the only one in this area, with the next closest being located in Barra Shopping. The food court and other options aren't that great. Maybe as the mall develops and brings in some revenue it will start to attract other businesses and really bloom, but for now, only go if you're looking for something at Forever 21.