Best prizes and selection on Havaianas. I come here and get what I can before going over to the…read moreofficial Havaianas store not too far away.

If your looking for sandals this is the place! Havianas everywhere in every shade and size. The…read moreprices are the best and you won't get a better price then here. Every time I'm in Brasil this is where I come to get sandals.

I was out to lunch with a stylish Estonian when I noticed her beautiful bag. Soft leather with…read morebright blue against supple black. After a compliment, she walked me in the direction of Via Mia (the store where she bought the bag). Upon entry, I was enamored with the colorful shoes (if you're a fan of Camper, you'll really like their varied selection of similarly styled sneaks, flats and heels). On the walls, decently priced bags of all sizes hung in their colorful display. While I left empty-handed, my co-shopper and I tried on a few things. Definitely worth visiting if you're searching for a day/night purse and a sweet pair of kicks.

Osklen is a high-end Brazilian brand where one can find chic and trendy casual clothing, shoes and…read morebeach/surf gear. This Ipanema location is a beautiful, big, two-storey store. We went in looking for a specific pair of men's swim trunks and they brought out the right sizes straight away. The sales associates spoke limited English but were pleasant.

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.

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.