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Brazil

No matter where you go on holiday you should never return home without a souvenir or two and Brazil is no exception.  In the larger cities you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to shops and souvenirs although if you travel to some of the smaller towns you can still find some beautiful items that it would be a shame to leave behind.

In the major cities the larger shops and markets tend to stay open until quite late in the evening.  They are filled with large shopping malls where you can shop in air-conditioned luxury and enjoy a meal or a movie at the same time.   However, these are not normally the cheapest places to shop.

In Rio de Janeiro and Salvador the perfect souvenirs are jewellery, handcrafts and antiques.  If you want to find a few Afro-Brazilian art pieces then arrange car rental and head to Bahia, where you can also pick up soapstone carvings and handmade musical instruments.

Jewellery is a popular souvenir with tourists to Brazil and you can find a bargain if you are looking for emeralds and diamonds or silver and gold pieces.  Consider a trip to Minas Gerais for some of the best bargains.  Items specific to the Amazon area can be found in places like Manaus, Santarem and Belem, although it is very important that tourists make sure that they are not buying items that have been taken from the jungle illegally.

Look out in Brazil for fair-trade products.  These are just becoming more popular in the region and fair-trade souvenirs include hand-crafted items, cosmetics and eco-friendly products.  Take care if you choose to purchase items made from animal skins as there are various restrictions on taking these home.

If you go shopping in the smaller towns then be prepared for the shops to close earlier than they do in the larger cities – a hire car would be useful to help you to beat the rush!  Opening hours tend to be 9 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday, but in the cities many shops will open later than this.  December opening hours also tend to be later.

In most shops credit cards are accepted but again, if you are shopping outside the main cities you may find that some of the smaller shops prefer cash.  It is also common for charges to be added if you use a credit card and both your own bank and the local banks will do so.  To get some of the best bargains, go shopping in the markets where you can haggle over the price if you are paying by cash.