What Souvenirs to Buy in Rio (and Where to Find Them)

What Souvenirs to Buy in Rio (and Where to Find Them)

Every week our guests ask us the same thing at the end of a tour: “What should I bring home from Rio?” After more than 14 years showing travelers around our city, we have a pretty good answer. Here are the souvenirs we actually recommend, and the places where we send our own guests to buy them.

What to buy

A Flamengo soccer jersey

Soccer is serious business here, and Flamengo is the most popular club in Rio (and in Brazil). Wear the red and black shirt around the city and you will feel like a local right away. Expect a few smiles, a few high fives, and maybe some friendly teasing from fans of rival clubs. For the real thing, buy it at an official store. The cheap versions sold on the street are usually copies.

Brazilian premium coffee (not Nescafé)

Brazil is one of the biggest coffee producers in the world, so please don’t go home with instant coffee. We recommend stopping at a Zona Sul supermarket, a local chain spread across the South Zone, where you’ll find great Brazilian brands on the shelves. Another good option is to buy directly from one of Rio’s specialty cafés, where you can take home beans or ground coffee, and usually taste it first.

Havaianas flip-flops

No doubt about it, Havaianas are the face of Brazil. You’ll find stores all over the city and even at Sugar Loaf Mountain, so they are easy to grab and perfect to gift a friend back home.

If you want the full experience, don’t miss the Havaianas concept store in Ipanema. It has four floors of options, from classic colors to designs you won’t find anywhere else.

While you’re in Ipanema, it’s also worth visiting Farm and Gilson Martins. Farm is a beloved Carioca fashion brand with colorful prints inspired by Brazilian nature, and Gilson Martins makes bags and accessories with Rio’s landmarks as their design. Both are great for gifts that feel special.

Cangas

A canga is the Brazilian version of a sarong, and every Carioca has at least one. We use them as beach towels, wraps, and even as decoration. They’re light, cheap, colorful, and easy to pack.

Artisanal cachaça

Cachaça is our national spirit, and small-batch artisanal bottles are a lovely gift. Just one important tip: check your airline’s rules and your home country’s customs allowance before buying. Pack the bottles well wrapped in your checked luggage, since liquids won’t pass security in your carry-on.

Brazilian chocolate

Cacau Show is one of the most famous chocolate brands in Brazil, and you’ll see its stores all around Rio. Pick up a box to try our cacao and bring some home for the people who stayed behind.

Where to buy souvenirs in Rio

Nau Cultural and Veredas

If you want the most beautiful gifts and souvenirs in Rio, these two shops are a must. Nau Cultural, in Santa Teresa, and Veredas are two of the best places in the city to buy Brazilian art and handmade crafts. You won’t find the usual tourist trinkets here, but pieces with real character.

Galeria Pé de Boi

Galeria Pé de Boi is also worth a visit while you’re in Rio. It sells beautiful Brazilian folk art, and it’s the kind of place where you can easily spend an hour looking at every piece.

Near the Selarón Steps

There are two souvenir shops right by the Selarón Staircase. When you visit the steps, take a few minutes to check them out. You’ll find pins, magnets, T-shirts, hats, mugs, and more, all easy to carry home.

The Copacabana night market

Every night from 8 pm to midnight, a street market sets up on Copacabana’s beachfront, in front of the Rio Othon Palace hotel. It’s a fun walk after dinner, with plenty of souvenirs to choose from.

Our advice: when buying from street vendors, always pay in cash. Use your credit card only at official stores.

The Hippie Fair in Ipanema

The traditional Hippie Fair happens every Sunday in Ipanema, and it’s always a good option for visitors looking for gifts. You’ll find handmade jewelry, leather goods, paintings, and crafts from local artisans. Cash is the way to go here too.

Final tip from us

The best souvenirs in Rio are the ones that tell a story. A jersey you wore to a Maracanã game, coffee from a café you loved, a painting from Santa Teresa. If you’re joining one of our private tours, just tell your guide what you’re looking for, and we’ll point you to the right place.