Must-see shopping in South America
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil's largest health-food retailer, Mundo Verde sells organic products including salgados (bar snacks) and other snacks, jams made from Amazonian…
Chiloé
Castro's waterfront Feria Artesanal is by far the island's biggest, but be wary here – much of the merchandise is secretly imported from China, India,…
Rio de Janeiro
Copacabana's response to Ipanema's widely popular Hippie Fair, this smaller weekend market features handicrafts and souvenirs, soccer jerseys, jewelry…
Rio de Janeiro
One of Rio's first malls, this quirky shopping gallery packs in an intriguing mix of stores in a no-nonsense parking-garage-like interior. Scattered…
Incalpaca Factory Outlet Tahuaycani
Arequipa
This outlet for the Kuna brand of alpaca woolen goods also has a small petting zoo out back to amuse the kids; it houses four types of American camelid…
Huaraz & the Cordilleras
A few hundred meters along the road to Huari, Centro Artesanal CEO Chavín sells locally made textiles, alpaca weavings and stone carvings – visit in the…
Lima
You’ll find rechargeable and lithium batteries, as well as computer parts, supplies and replacements at CompuPalace, a block-long electronics arcade.
Rio de Janeiro
Paintings, drawings, jewelry, clothing and a fair bit of tourist junk make up this Copacabana market. It's located on the median along Av Atlântica.
Supermercado Cooperativa Chortitzer
Paraguay
The rambling cooperativa contains everything from locally produced cold cuts and vegetables to hiking boots and farming toys for children.
Asunción
Stocked with ao po'i or lienzo (loose-weave cotton) garments and other indigenous crafts, it expands considerably on weekends.
Manaus
This large downtown supermarket is a good place to buy batteries, rain ponchos, toiletries, and so on.
Lima
A huge, upscale mall bursting with department stores, boutiques, movie theaters and a food court.
Ayacucho
A rather tame handicraft market is open here during the day offering clothes and souvenirs.
Venezuela
Cumaná is renowned for its export-quality cigars, and at this company, founded in 1893, you can stroll the factory and watch the workers sort and hand…
Pará
This is the modest shop of ceramicist Carlos Amaral, who combines traditional Aruã and Marajoara ceramic traditions with award-winning results. You can…
Caracas
To pick up the obligatory hammocks, papier-mâché devil masks or stuffed piranhas, check out the biggest craft shop of them all at Hannsi, in El Hatillo,…
Venezuela
Artesanía Morgado, one block down from the museum, is run by noted local artisan Juan Morgado – a ‘living Unesco site, ’ as he calls himself – and a mask…
Venezuela
The best CD shop in town. Run by friendly Argentinean and Uruguayan staff, it has a wide choice of Latin rhythms, Venezuelan gaita and joropo, jazz and…
Venezuela
You can stop by workshops manufacturing devil masks to see the production process and buy masks at good rates. Artesanía El Mocho, led by Manuel Sanoja,…
Caracas
For legitimately produced CDs (rather than the pirated versions that abound on the streets), try the small but well-crammed Comercial Carrillo, with a…
Venezuela
This is one of the best places to see (and buy) crafts. The center stocks crafts made in Quíbor and in the nearby towns and villages, such as Tintorero,…
Caracas
Stunning wares here, all fashioned from exotic hardwoods. The high-quality stock includes beautiful picture frames, boxes and bowls, especially from the…
Caracas
A below-street-level corridor of stalls just west of Plaza Chacaíto offers a mixed-bag of Orinoco crafts (woven hammocks and bags, carved blowguns,…
Venezuela
A small family-run shop on the corner of Plaza Bolívar selling milk chocolates wrapped in colorful recycled government pamphlets, chocolate ice cream, hot…
Venezuela
This small, arty crafts market sits just opposite the Parque Las Heroínas, near the teleférico, and is home to a dozen stalls selling arts and crafts.
