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Ipanema © Evgenia Kononov
Ipanema
Immortalised in a popular song, 'The girl from Ipanema', this
part of Rio offers not only its legendary beach, but numerous
excellent hotels, bustling nightlife, sophisticated shopping
opportunities and quality restaurants, all within walking distance
of each other. Ipanema (the name, incongruously, means 'bad water')
is famous for setting fashion trends, particularly in the line of
skimpy swimwear, and fashion fundis should look out for the famous
bikini boutiques like
Salinas, Blue Man
and
Bum-Bum. Also do not miss exploring the Rua
Garcia D'Avila to shop for designer fashion, jewellery and
furniture. Visit the Amsterdam Sauer Museum of Gems here for a
workshop tour. There are numerous other streets in Ipanema to
explore as well, including the attractive commercial street
Visconde de Piraja that is lined with speciality shops, bars,
restaurants and some of Rio's best boutiques. Visit the hippie fair
at General Osorio Square on Sundays for wooden sculptures,
handcrafts, exotic musical instruments and artworks.