Shopping in Northern Chile
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
Poblado Artesenal
On the outskirts of Arica, near the Panamericana Sur, is this more full-on shopping experience: a mock altiplano village filled with serious craft shops and studios, selling everything from ceramic originals to finely tuned musical instruments. The village even has its own church, a replica of the one in Parinacota, complete with copies of its fascinating murals. A peña folclórica (folk-music and cultural club) meets here irregularly, usually on Saturday nights. Taxi colectivos (shared taxis) numbers 8, 13 and 18, and U pass near the entrance, as do buses 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9.
reviewed
-
A
Terminal Pesquero
Perched on the north end of the old port, Terminal Pesquero hosts around 24 stalls that peddle tasty fresh shellfish and other pungent offerings); get there by early afternoon, before all the fish are sold. There's also a piecemeal market for historical goodies from nitrate oficinas.
reviewed
-
B
Zona Franca
Created in 1975, Iquique’s zona franca is a massive monument to uncontrolled consumption. The entire region of Tarapacá is a duty-free zone, but its nucleus is this shopping center for imported electronics, clothing, automobiles and almost anything else.
reviewed
-
Paseo Artesanal
The shaded Paseo Artesanal, a poker-straight alley squeezing north from the plaza, is the place to hunt down novel cardón carvings, llama and alpaca woolens and other curious trinkets.
More artisanal outlets are strewn throughout town.
reviewed
-
C
Taller Artesanal San Marcos
Operated by the Gendarmería de Chile and selling a hotchpotch of prisoners’ crafts. Where else can you get a cotton bikini handmade by Chilean women prisoners? Knock on the door if the Gendarmería cabin is shut.
reviewed
-
D
Mercado La Recova
Head here for a feast of dried fruits, multicolored jams and other sugary concoctions from the Elqui Valley. There are also plenty of woolens, soapstone ashtrays and musical instruments on offer.
reviewed
-
E
Sabores de Arica
If you’d like to literally take home a taste of the region, this place sells neatly packaged local produce, from juicy olives and wicked Mayacuyá liquors to organic quinoa.
reviewed
-
F
Mercado Central
Fish, as well as meat, vegetables and fruity fare, is available at the attractive old Mercado Central, which is between Maipú and Uribe.
reviewed
-
Mercado Central
Cater your own takeaway beach meal or eat at the family-friendly food stalls in the old central market.
reviewed
-
G
Feria Modelo de Ovalle
The town’s enormous market is a hive of activity bursting with scores of different fruit and veggies.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Lider
Lider is a huge supermarket perfect for self-caterers; it’s north of the center.
reviewed
-
H
-
I
Books and Bits
All-English bookstore stocking mostly children’s books and classics.
reviewed
-
J
-
K
-
L
-
M
