In Rio and São Paulo, major shops and markets stay open quite late in the evening. Rio and Salvador specialize in
antiques and jewelry. Special purchases include gems (particularly emeralds) and jewelry (particularly silver). Fashions and permissible antiques, crystal and pottery are a specialty of São Paulo. Belém, the city of the Amazon valley, specializes in
jungle items, but visitors should be careful not to purchase objects that have been plundered from the jungle, contributing to the general destruction. Travelers should also be aware there may be restrictions
on import to their home country of goods made from skins of protected species.
Shopping hours Mon-Sat 0900-1900. Supermarkets are open Mon-Sat 0800-2200. Major shopping centers also open on Sundays 1500-2200. All the above times are subject to local variations and many shops open until late in the evenings, especially in December.
Currency Information:CurrencyReal/Reais (BRL; symbol R$) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of R$100, 50, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are in denominations of R$1, and 50, 25, 10, 5, and 1 centavos.
Currency ExchangeAll banks,
cambios, travel agencies and authorized hotels exchange recognized traveller's cheques and foreign currency. The US Dollar is the most widely accepted foreign currency.
Credit/Debit Cards and ATMsMost major international credit cards are accepted (Visa more so than other cards), though not universally. There is an extensive network of ATMs around the country.
Traveller's ChequesExchangeable at hotels, banks and tourist agencies. Tourists cannot exchange US traveller's cheques for US banknotes but they may, however, benefit from a 15% discount when paying hotel or restaurant bills in foreign currency or traveller's cheques. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, it is advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars.
Banking HoursMon-Fri 1000-1600.
Exchange Rate Indicators| Date | Jan 09 |
| £1.00= | R$3.37 |
| $1.00= | R$2.32 |
| €1.00= | R$3.15 |
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