If you are a professional of the samba or you have a samba school and you want to buy a big number of instruments this is a great option. Very good quality and excellent price when you compares to Europe.
Shopping
A great music shop in the center. Sells all the instruments that the cariocas uses in the percussion section called batería in the samba schools. Even if you are not a musician at least buy a ganzá (an egg full of seeds) with just this instrument you wil be part of the carnaval rhythm.
Whatever you need to find: food, cleaning, swim suits, flip flops, creams, parasols... anything you need and cheap. Very handy! There are few of them across the city.
If you think you're gonna go to Brazil to spend all your money on cheap clothes, forget about it. Brazil is getting more and more expensive when it comes to clothes and shoes. The only thing that is still worth buying is the Havaianas, that you can find anywhere.
Clothes' prices are similar to Europe.
Food, transport, drinks and tobacco are still cheap though.
The Hippie Fair has been an Ipanema institution for more than three decades. You can find all manner of arts and crafts for sale only steps from that famous beach where one can see many girls (and guys!)
