Adriana Degreas is one of the top luxury swimwear brands in Brazil. The boutique sells her glamorous designs, which are known internationally for their intricate styles and cutting-edge look.

Rich hues and strong silhouettes dominate at this tasteful Jardins boutique.

Brazil’s version of Eres, the chic French bathing suit label, Slama sells women’s bathing suits and glamorous beachwear. The swimsuits are stylish and versatile, as are the colorful palazzo pants and beaded caftans.

A pioneer of the revolution in jewelry design that brought Brazilian style out of the heavy, fake-colonial pieces, Bernardo creates delicate designs in silver and gold that have set the standard for modern elegance for three decades.

This fine jewelry boutique sells beautifully crafted pieces using gemstones stones set in gold and silver. Antonio Bernardo has been designing jewelry since the 1970s and has won awards for his bold and stunning creations.

Carioca Samantha Aquim is Rio’s best chocolatier. After extensive research of the cocoa bean an numerous travels to Bahia cocoa farms, she has established partnerships with the best cacao producers (and has influenced their way of producing it too), to make the best local chocolate possible – probably ranging among the best in the world. Closed Sunday.

Brazilian sisters Aline and Alessandra Schiper draw inspiration from native flowers, birds and insects. Top sellers are their multicolored rings, featuring local gemstones.

A popular bathing-suit boutique with extravagant prints and perfect cuts.

The Municipal Market of Rio is all business, busy and filled with a wide variety of flowers, fruits, vegetables and cooking equipment. The action peaks between 2 a.m. and 9 a.m., when virtual forests of tropical foliage are moved from trucks to the waiting stands (where the flowers are sold at cut-rate prices). But CADEG is also loaded with very good restaurants, such as Barsa (Rua Capitão Félix, 110, rua 4, lojas 4 e 6,55 (21) 2585-3743), a casual and cool place serving great lamb and codfish. Open from 1 a.m. to mid-afternoon, Monday through Saturday, and until 2 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Most stalls close by lunch time.

A fine deli and grocery store in a nice atmosphere, with wooden shelves filled with Brazilian and international delicacies. Closed Sunday.

This delightful house in the Jardim Botânico, an insider’s secret, is where many fashionable society ladies shop.

A small atelier in Jardim Botânico with limited collections by new and interesting designers.

This colorful funky beachwear company epitomizes Rio’s vibrant, groovy style. It is ideal for young, flamboyant women. Think palazzo pants in tropical patterns and crocheted boleros and Adidas track suits in tropical patterns.

This hippy, beachy brand from Rio is set in a cool, multi-story villa designed from a sustainable concept that incorporates live plants and mini-waterfalls. The shop (in the Vila Madalena neighborhood) sells colorful, surfer girl fashions and homewares.

One of the most sophisticated and nicest malls in Rio, Fashion Mall in São Conrado is the best option for buying Brazilian bathing suits: Rosa Chá, Lenny and Salinas are all here. Other brands include sophisticated Bo.Bô and Cris Barros (top fashion), luxury department store Daslu, funky Farm and charming Le Lis Blanc. For gifts, head for Granado – beautiful bath and beauty products. Children will love the Happy Kids playroom. There are also a number of restaurants (for Argentinian meat, choose Pobre Juan, or CT Brasserie for more eclectic fare). The mall is bathed in natural light and filled with internal gardens. Open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Sundays and holidays 3 p.m.–9 p.m.

Back in the late ’60s, there were hippies selling their handcrafts at Ipanema’s Praça General Osório. The hippies may be gone, but the open-air market remains: every Sunday, from 8 a.m. to sundown, Feira Hippie de Ipanema attracts cariocas and visitors with a fun, vibrant mix of arts, crafts, jewelry, musical instruments, pottery, clothes and toys. Hidden in the touristy chaos are some terrific finds in jewelry, leather and pottery. Bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of time for browsing and haggling (most vendors speak some English). Indagare Tip: Next door is café and shop Amazonia Soul.

This is where locals go for authentic Brazilian heartland cuisine, plus arts and crafts. The fifty-five-year-old institution started as an informal gathering place of migrants from the arid northeastern states who traveled south in search of work. Made official by the city in the late ’90s, this huge open-air market is a fantastic sample of rootsy Brazilian food, music and arts and crafts. Open Tuesday–Thursday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturday all day and night and Sunday till 10 p.m.

Tip: Try to go during the week, as on weekends the place can get pretty hectic.

This market which takes place on Saturday mornings is part of the Organic market circuit and has booths of local producers (Maniwa's has great tapioca and spicy pepper!). Next to Sao Jose Church in the Lagoa district.

On the first Saturday of every month, the traditional antiquarians of Lavradio Street in downtown Rio open their doors and invite guest vendors from all over town to an event called Feira Rio Antigo. Everything from 18th-century mirrors to Portuguese silverware and Bohemian crystal can be found, but just taking in the street’s colonial architecture is a treat. Open 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

The brainchild of local design celebrities Fernando and Humberto Campana, this home store stocks quirky, unique designs that can’t be found elsewhere.

Like a Brazilian version of Donna Karan, Flavia Aranha has a down-to-earth, neutral color-based aesthetic. The emphasis in this trendy shop in Vila Madalena is on organic, natural materials

Romana’s stylish designs have made her an international celebrity. Using magnificent Brazilian gems in small settings, she creates high-style modern pieces in silver, gold, platinum and vermeil; her bold chunky styles are also sought after. (And her jewelry costs considerably less here than it does on Madison Avenue.) There are also branches in Fashion Mall and Design Barra Shopping.

One of the top contemporary art galleries in the city, Leme represents many of Latin America’s most talented living artists. The gallery seeks to promote diversity in art, exhibiting work in a variety of media in its cube-like space.

Melissa, the famous plastic shoe company, has outlets around the world but its flagship in São Paulo. This concept store is worth a visit just to check out the display, which is treated like a rotating art exhibition.

This art gallery opened by three art dealers—two Brazilians and one American—represents up-and-coming Brazilian talent as well as established artists. The bright, contemporary space is located in the Jardins neighborhood.

One of the city’s top contemporary art galleries, Nara Roesler represents such leading artists as Vik Muniz and Tomie Ohtake. With more than 5,000 square feet of exhibition space with modern, white interiors, the gallery has been promoting both historical and contemporary artists since 1989.

Surf/skate shops sit side by side with boutiques featuring Brazil’s hot new designers at this semi-hidden mall. Stop to grab a bite in new Hare Burger (55 (21) 3518 4968), a veggie burger and healthy snacks joint, beloved by beach boys.