We ended up here after learning that the museums do not provide guests access on Mondays. The…read moreshopping center has 3 levels with a multitude of stores and eateries. We just glanced around mostly. We ate at a place on the 3rd floor. They had these large slices of pizza that were so tasty. I cannot recall the name but they are located to the right off the escalator. They also had a nice looking display of desserts near the register.

Rio de Janeiro is, in some ways, a vertical city, and you will find many shopping areas that go up…read moreas opposed to outward -- Edificio Avenida Central is one of them. Not simply that, it's also your go-to spot if you need to find anything for electronics. You have the main floors with handfuls of normal stores, but there is one particular corner of the building where you enter, and it's a multitude of stalls and kiosks for a good 3 floors, with any range of whatever you need: screen repairs, cables, phone cases, new merchandise...I first got to know it when I was looking to get my iPod screen fixed, but now place it in my mental filing cabinet for anything I need. If you're getting something repaired and have some time to kill, head downstairs and grab a burger or a beer at any of the variety of other businesses that occupy the building aside from electronics stores. Right next to Carioca metro/subway station, you can't miss it!

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.

I went to the Santa Teresa neighborhood with no idea what to expect. This little shop pleasantly…read moresurprised our entire group. There were lots of little items at different price points. For example, we got some woven doormats for $2.50 USD and other people got handmade dolls. Great place for off the beaten path souvenirs. Who really wants the Brazil magnet made 1/2 way around the globe? The best find here was the local unframed art. They had lots of options with the prices listed on the back. We got a large painting for about $40 USD. It was very simple, but fit our tastes. There were much more intricate pieces up to several hundred USD. Such a fun place to get lost in the sites and smells.

Saara is one of the best places to go looking for practically anything you might need -- it's like…read morehaving a huge complex of stores around, without the ticket price of a fancy mall or the like. Rio de Janeiro's biggest flea market of sorts, SAARA is a fun, busy, sometimes crowded place where you can wander the streets, alleys and side streets to peruse, schmooze and window shop -- and then really shop your heart out! It's worth setting aside a few hours if you can, as it's something enjoyed best when you can sort of wander aimlessly -- but never be afraid to ask where something in particular might be; there are some streets that specialize in given items. And if you get hungry on your urban travels, stop and grab a juice, churro, yakisoba, or whatever strikes your fancy -- chances are you'll find it there too!

It's not a flea market! Totally not. It's a market area where one gets and finds thousand practical…read morethings if you actually live in Rio. It's not for tourists. Yes they too can find all kind of things but the market is for locals. You need some fabric, some electrical wire, some computer cable, a new bikini or some lingerie or a t-shirt, flowers, shoes and so on - you all get that there. It is not high fashion, it is cheapy-ish. It's great. Way better than the fake 'hippie market' in Ipanema ;-)

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.