The main shopping streets in the centre of the city are near Praça da República , especially the roads running off Avenida Ipiranga: Rua Barão de Itapetinga, Rua 24 de Maio, Rua do Arouche and, between them, Rua Dom José de Barros. Most of the stores around here sell clothes, but you'll rarely find the latest fashions. One particularly curious shopping area can be found on Rua São Caetano, opposite the Parque da Luz, where over a hundred shops sell everything that could be possibly needed for a wedding.

In recent years, the downtown area has been characterized by the huge number of street traders who have taken over the pavements. These have become a major issue in the city, with regular calls to clamp down on their activities