Shopping in Chile
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Feria Municipal
There are an abundance of craft markets in the Feria Municipal. It also contains a municipal tourist office.
reviewed
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Main Market
The city’s main market is split into two sections on either side of Maipón between Isabel Riquelme and 5 de Abril. On the north side is a covered section known as the Mercado Central, which contains cheap eateries and butchers stands festooned with strings of the longaniza (a spicy salami-type sausage) that Chillán is famous for throughout Chile. The open-air stalls on Plaza de la Merced form La Feria de Chillán and are taken up with a mix of fresh produce and local arts and crafts. Simple ceramics, leather huaso (cowboy) gear and wickerware are good-value buys.
reviewed
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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
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Fundación Chol-Chol
Unfortunately, the best and most responsible spot to buy Mapuche gear is 16km out of town. This nonprofit, Fair Trade organization works with 600 rural Mapuche women to offer top-quality weavings and textiles made entirely by hand. Throw rugs, wall hangings, bags, shawls – nothing is cheap, everything is simply gorgeous. To get here, take any bus towards the towns of Nueva Imperial, Carahue or Puerto Saavedra from the rural bus terminal and ask to be let off at the Fundación. If you can’t make it, a few of their wares are available at the gift shop in the museum.
reviewed
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B
Feria Libre
Feria Libre is a colorful Mapuche produce market taking up several blocks along Barros Arana. Along the streets more practical wares are sold, while in the Feria itself vendors hawk everything from apples and artisan cheeses to honey and bags of merquén pepper. There is also a fair amount of vibrant hot peppers, though it’s unclear who buys them, as the cuisine in Chile is far from spicy.
reviewed
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Ñandú Artesanía
With shops all over town, Ñandú has crafts, postcards, local maps and any other tourist items that you may desire.
The main thing to shop for in town is outdoor gear. There are a number of shops lining Arturo Prat, Manuel Bulnes and Eberhard; however, prices are higher here than larger towns, and you'll be better off picking up gear in Punta Arenas or in Argentina.
reviewed
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C
Pueblito de Melipulli
This being a regular stopover for tourists and cruise ships, Av Angelmó is wall-to-wall with souvenir stands selling crafts from throughout the country and an amazing amount of stuff (some junk, some decent) from more northerly countries. Try the labyrinthine waterfront market Pueblito de Melipulli, opposite the bus terminal, or the crafts fair at Angelmó.
reviewed
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Feria Artesanal
Castro's waterfront Feria Artesanal has a fine selection of woolen ponchos and sweaters, caps, gloves and basketry. Note the bundles of dried seaweed and the rhubarb-like nalca, both part of the local diet, and the blocks of peat used for fuel. The market contains several inexpensive seafood restaurants which are worth a try.
reviewed
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E
Lapiz Lazuli House
Bellavista is traditionally the spot for lapis lazuli jewelry (only Chile and Afghanistan have major deposits of this semiprecious gem). Shop around if you can, but Lapiz Lazuli House is one of the most established shops in the area; and you could also try the market between Avenida Bellavista and Pio Nono.
reviewed
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F
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
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Zona Franca
The duty-free zone is a large, polished conglomeration of shops that is worth checking out if you’re looking for electronics, outdoor gear, computer accessories or camera equipment. Colectivos (shared taxis) shuttle back and forth from downtown along Av Bulnes throughout the day.
reviewed
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Pueblito Los Dominicos
Next to the twin white domes of Los Dominicos church in Las Condes, this small market sells a mix of quality crafts made onsite and brought in from throughout Chile. From Escuela Militar metro station take orange bus 401 or 407 (they leave from stop 4) along Av Apoquindo.
reviewed
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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
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Bories
Punta Arenas is a great place to shop and stock up on everything, from electronics to hiking and camping gear. Bories is the main clothes shopping strip, with stores that sell casual street clothes and hardcore expedition gear. Some of the stores can be rather expensive.
reviewed
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Emporio Nacional
Room after wooden-shelved room is stacked high with delectable goodies from all over Chile. Weigh your suitcase (or yourself) down with ostrich pâte, pickled walnuts, merquén (a smoky local spice mix), bottled seafood, and more jams than you knew existed.
reviewed
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K
Vicki Johnson
Anyone who tries the ginger chocolate here would be hard-pressed to argue against this being Chile’s best artisanal chocolate. There is also a wealth of high-end rauli-wood kitchen utensils, jewelry, chutneys, olive oils and other tasty take-home treats.
reviewed
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L
Feria de Chillán
The Feria de Chillán has a reasonable selection of crafts. Especially good are ceramics from the nearby village of Quinchamalí, but you’ll also see rawhide and leatherwork, basketry, weavings and the typical straw hats called chupallas.
reviewed
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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
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Centro Artesanal Santa Lucía
It’s a stretch to call this market’s mass-produced weavings and leather goods ‘crafts,’ but it’s certainly a good place to go for cheap souvenirs. Panpipes, silver jewelry and Andean-style sweaters are some of the been-there-bought-that products available.
reviewed
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Feria Artesanal
Local and regional crafts are sold at the Mercado Central and Feria Artesanal. The best things to look for are woolens, basketry, ceramics, wood carvings and leather goods. Knitters will notice an abundance of shops selling yarn (sometimes alpaca).
reviewed
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Feria de Antiguedades y Libros La Merced
This famous market takes place on weekends and holidays. Despite its reputation, it's a little disappointing. There's a surprising amount of unpolished tat on offer. It's definitely the place to go for good-value second-hand books, though.
reviewed
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Persa Bío Bío
Antiques, collectibles and fascinating old junk fill the cluttered stalls at this market between Bío Bío and Franklin. The origins of some items – like secondhand bikes – may be a little sketchy, but sifting through it all is loads of fun.
reviewed
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Emporio de la Pampa
Attached to a Northface boutique, this wine and cheese shop has goodies galore for the trail. Treats include fresh coffee, hearty brown bread and regional goat cheese. A tasting (CH$10,000) will help you get your bearings.
reviewed
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Casa de la Mujer Mapuche
Run by a cooperative of Mapuche women this sells a wide selection of traditional indigenous crafts, most notably textiles and ceramics. Profits benefit members of the cooperative which comprises nearly 400 local artisans.
reviewed
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Q
Feria Fluvial
The Feria Fluvial is the lively riverside market south of the Valdivia bridge, where vendors sell fresh fish, meat and produce. Sea lions come right up to the side and beg for handouts – Sea World–style.
reviewed