Bought a large and a small carry-on luggage just before my flight. The staff were very helpful and…read morefriendly and stayed with me from the moment I walked in until I checked out to ensure I got what I wanted. I spoke no Portuguese and they spoke no English, and it still worked out. We did fine one shopper who was fluent in English to help us for part of it.

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.