15 Best Flea Markets in Brazil

Share

71

Brazil has a reputation for passion and colorful street life, so it is no surprise that there are a lot of flea markets.

Many of them live up to their reputation and beyond, from traditional rural markets to flashy city markets in Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo.

Some flea markets cater to tourists with antiques and souvenirs, while others are more traditional and serve the needs of the population more.

There is perhaps no better way to explore the culture of Brazil culture than to visit any of its flea markets.

1.Ipanema’s Hippie Fair

Ipanema’s Hippie Fair is one you would not want to miss if you are in Rio.

It is at the Praca General Osorio every Sunday and is crowded with people selling souvenirs, jewelry, leather, t-shirts, bikinis, and various handmade artifacts.

There are photos and paintings of various Rio scenes that are affordable.

There are also plenty of food vendors selling Acaraje, a deep-fried mixture of shrimp, mashed black-eyed peas, and onions.

It is one of the more famous flea markets and lives up to its reputation.

2. Feira de Antiguidades da Praxa XV

Feira de Antiguidades da Praxa XV is a huge Rio market and is widely regarded as the best flea market in all of Latin America.

There are nearly 400 stalls over several blocks selling antiques, homemade items, used and new items, artwork, and food.

You may find vintage cameras, antique furniture, and just about anything you can imagine.

Bartering is welcome and considered part of the fun of shopping here.

It has been open every weekend since 1976.

It is protected by security guards.

3. Feira de Antiguidades da Gavea

Feira de Antiguidades da Gavea is a Rio market that focuses on antiques and other used items.

It is more like a traditional market in the United States.

It is open every weekend, and hundreds of people bring used items to sell.

It is in one of the oldest parts of the city, which gives the antiques even more of a sense of authenticity. 

Here you will find Persian carpets, silverware, china, ceramics, watches, books, and many other items.

This market focuses on high-quality antiques.

Prices are a little higher than in other places, but there is no junk sold in this market.

4. Feira da Praca Benedito Calixtro

Feira da Praca Benedito Calixtro is one of the larger flea markets in Sao Paulo.

There are more than 300 stalls stretching over several blocks in the downtown area, selling all kinds of used items.

There are vinyl records, silverware, vintage clothing, toys, telephones, radios, and many other used items.

Several food vendors serve great Brazilian food, and there is also live music during the day.

As with most flea markets, it is good to get there early.

The best items sell fast, and it gets more crowded as the day goes on.

This is a great shopping area in general with lots of interesting shops in the immediate area.

5. Feira Do Rio Antigo

Feira Do Rio Antigo is one of the older markets in Rio, started in the early 1900s.

It is open only one weekend per month and is popular with locals as well as tourists. 

It is also known as “Rio’s Old Fair,” and was a run-down area until 2004.

That is when people who owned the fair started bringing in more antique dealers.

The idea worked and today the market brings in as many as 20,000 visitors in a single day.

There are antiques of all kinds, as well as almost any kind of used item you can imagine.

There are also a lot of collectors, so if you are looking for a rare coin, for example, you might find it here.

There are also a lot of homemade items, as well as home decorations.

6. Feira de Antiguidades do MASP

Feira de Antiguidades do MASP is a small Sao Paulo market under the National Museum of Art.

It has about 40 dealers, and they are selling more antiques than anything.

There are antique clocks, radios, jewelry, household items, toys, weapons, coins, and arts and crafts.

It is a little touristy, prices are a little higher as a result, and vendors are not as open to bartering as in some other areas.

Still, the antiques are of very high quality.

Across the street is another small market selling local food and drink, as well as arts and crafts.

7. Rio Food Markets

Rio Food Markets pop up all over the city in various locations.

They are easy to find.

They are open at random times too.

They lay out food displays with bold colors.

The food displays are a work of art in themselves. It’s mostly fresh vegetables and fruit.

It is a chance to try some new exotic fruit you have not heard of.

Some of them also sell jam, honey, goat’s cheese, milk, and yogurt.

8. Feira dos Importados

Fiera dos Importados is in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia.

It is a different kind of fair in that it has dealers who are importers.

Most of the items sold are new, and you can get things from around the world.

There are shops with computers, cameras, electronics, clothing, food, accessories, and even classes you can take.

It has been in business for 25 years, and that is old considering that the city itself was started in 1960.

9. Mercado Ver-o-Peso

Mercado Ver-o-Peso is in Belem, on the north coast of Brazil. 

The market is on the water’s edge and takes in several blocks of territory, some of it is on floating docks literally on the water.

It has been in operation for many years and started beside the tax collectors post in colonial times.

Today it sells all manner of seafood, fruit, vegetables, as well as arts and crafts.

You can also buy live fish and animals here.

Fruits and other natural products used in folk medicine are also popular.

This market was started in 1625 during the colonial era and has a lot of buildings from that era in the immediate area.

10. Feira de Artesanato da Pajucara

Feira de Artesanato da Pajucara is an outdoor flea market in the coastal town of Maceio, about 100 miles north of Rio.  

This market features handmade items like woodworking and souvenirs of all kinds.

Artisans from the region bring their art to sell here.

Bartering for a lower price is traditional and expected. 

Many of the vendors accept credit cards, which saves you exchange fees.

As is the case with most markets, there is plenty of food available at the market and in nearby shops.

It is a great way to experience the local culture as well as find some treasures. 

11. Mercado Modelo

Mercado Modelo is in Salvador, another east coast town with a lot of colonial cultures.

There is a strong Afro-Brazilian culture here, as well as colonial Portuguese architecture.

It is a very old market with roots in the colonial period, and it is a traditional market in every sense of the word.

There are lots of souvenirs, handmade crafts, food, and the usual assortment of new and used items.

It is a very touristy area, but you will meet tourists from all over the world in this town and in this market.

It is in a building that once was the customs house.

This is a stop for cruise ships. 

12. Natal outdoor market

Natal outdoor market in a coastal tourist area on the northeast tip of the country.

The area is known for beautiful secluded beaches and huge sand dunes.

Natal is a place Brazilians like to go on vacation.

The open-air markets have the usual plethora of souvenirs and handmade craft items.

There is fresh food, prepared food, new and used clothing, household goods, artwork, and many other items.

A common feature of the artwork is a chicken with three small chicks, which is supposed to be a good luck piece. 

13. Feira da Liberdade

Feira da Liberdade is a unique market in Sao Paulo with a Japanese twist.

The largest group of Japanese people living outside of Japan live in this area of Sao Paulo, creating a sort of a Japantown.

The whole area has a Japanese or Asian feel, with a solid representation of Chinese and Koreans in the area.

The fair is open every weekend, with the usual antiques and arts and crafts, but just about everything here has some sort of Japanese flavor attached.

There are lots of food stands as well, and many of them are Japanese or Korean.

14. Passado Presente

Passado Presente is another unique flea market in Sao Paulo.

This one is inside the Our Fino Shopping Gallery on Rua Augusta.

It specializes in clothing from the first half of the 20th century.

There are fur coats, hats, fancy clothing, and all the rest from before 1950. 

You can buy authentic cowboy attire, or suits from the 1900s, 1920s, or 1940s. 

There is another area in the same center with antique typewriters and cameras and other antiques.

15. Feira da Praca Benedito Calixto

Feira da Praca Benedito Calixto is a more traditional flea market in Sao Paulo.

It is in the Benedito Calixto Square area and is open every Saturday.

It has a wide variety of items, from clothing to toys, to antiques of many kinds.

There are new and used items of many kinds, as well as household items and tools.

There is live music in the background.

The whole area is good for shopping with a lot of quirky shops in the neighborhood, in addition to the public outdoor flea market.

There are plenty of food vendors selling local specialties as well as a lot of small restaurants in the immediate area.

The 15 Best Flea Markets in Brazil – Summary Table

Brazil Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Brazil Safety Review

Safety Index:

52

• OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
• MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
• TERRORISM RISK: LOW
• SCAMS RISK: HIGH
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM