Must-see shopping in South America

  • Galería 5ta Avenida

    Recoleta & Barrio Norte

    Looking for vintage or secondhand clothing? This old shopping gallery is an obligatory stop. Used retro wearables are sold here at several shops, and…

  • Havaianas

    Rio de Janeiro

    If you're out of ideas for gifts to take home, head to this sizable Havaianas shop, where the ubiquitous Brazilian rubber sandal comes in all different…

  • Alto Las Condes

    Santiago

    As well as top-end Chilean and Argentine clothing brands, this mall has a branch of department store Falabella and a cinema complex. There are also…

  • José Chávez Franco

    North Coast & Lowlands

    Here you can snatch up high-quality straw 'Panama' hats for under $100, but check them closely. None are blocked or banded, but they’re cheaper than just…

  • Casa del Artesano

    Caribbean Coast

    It’s very difficult to hang around Mompós watching the residents sway away the days in their distinctive rocking chairs and not want one for yourself…

  • Galeria River

    Rio de Janeiro

    Surf shops, skateboard outlets, and shops selling beachwear and fashions for young people fill this shopping gallery in Arpoador. Shorts, bikinis, swim…

  • Centro Artesanal Santa Lucía

    Santiago

    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…

  • Mercado de Pulgas del Bajo

    Rosario

    A small handicrafts market by the tourist office where dealers sell everything from silverwork to leather goods. There are several other weekend markets…

  • Centro Commercial y Artesanal La Bombona

    Cali & Southwest Colombia

    A covered market selling warm clothes, souvenirs and handicrafts. If you're after the ultimate in cheesy gifts it's hard to go past the model guinea pigs…

  • Feria Municipal Achao

    Chiloé

    In a clearly half-hearted attempt at competing with Dalcahue's excellent crafts market, Achao has built a small crafts market on the water. It's decent…

  • Shopping Barra

    Salvador

    If you need a break from the sun, duck into well air-conditioned Shopping Barra, just a few blocks from the beach. There are clothing boutiques,…

  • La Plazuela

    South Coast

    The local wine industry is evident in the shops that line Av Benavides between the square and the bus stations. La Plazuela will pour a few gratis mini…

  • Artesa

    Cuenca

    Artesa is a big Ecuadorian ceramics company that incorporates old Andean ceramic styles into high-quality, hand-painted pieces. If you just can’t live…

  • Mercado de São José

    Recife

    As well as traditional Pernambuco handicrafts, such as lace and leather goods, palm baskets and clay figurines, this bustling city-center market sells all…

  • Zona Franca

    Punta Arenas

    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…

  • Arlequim

    Rio de Janeiro

    Bossa nova plays overhead at this charming cafe, bookstore and music shop. As well as new books (including a few eye-catching photo books on Rio),…

  • Nova Livraria Leonardo da Vinci

    Rio de Janeiro

    Boasting one of Rio's best foreign-language book collections, da Vinci also has a wide range of art and photography books, as well as coffee-table books…

  • Wild Life

    Buenos Aires

    If you’re looking to buy outdoor gear or camping equipment, this is the place to do it. Crampons, knives, tents, backpacks, climbing gear, all-weather…

  • Mercado Fermín López

    Bolivia

    The impressive Mercado Tradicional in the middle row of Mercado Fermín López has more dried llama fetuses and amulets than a voodoo master has pins. The…

  • Osklen Surfing

    Rio de Janeiro

    The famous Brazilian beachwear brand sells its well-made board shorts, T-shirts, sungas (Speedo-sized male swimsuits) and a few bikinis from this…

  • El Arcón

    Cartagena

    This impressive place housed in a handsome colonial mansion is the best antiques shop in the walled city, a veritable treasure trove of art, furniture and…

  • Feira de Artesanato

    Fortaleza

    A bustling beachside handicraft market on Praia do Meireles. The small stalls sell similar items to those found in the central market: leather goods,…

  • Quevedo Libros y Antiguedades

    Bogotá

    Swapping books in hostels might not always lead to a good read. Improve your options browsing the shelves of this crammed bookshop, home to a rather…

  • Brasília Shopping

    Brasília

    This weird building looks like half a soda can (from some angles anyway) and contains restaurants, upmarket clothes stores and cinemas. The food court has…

  • Centro Comercial Palacio Nacional

    Medellín

    This city center palatial building from 1925 has been transformed into a shopping mall with more than 200 budget shops (most selling clothing and footwear…

  • Polvos Azules

    Lima

    Need a socket wrench, a suitcase and a T-shirt of Jesus Christ wearing an Alianza Lima soccer jersey? Then Polvos Azules is the place for you. This…

  • Talabartería Crespo

    Córdoba

    Leather goods made from carpincho (the Spanish word for capybara, a large rodent whose hide makes a beautifully spotted leather) are the specialty here…

  • El Mercado Artesanal Loja

    Guayaquil

    This large artisan's market has a huge variety of crafts from all over Ecuador, including Otavalo-style sweaters, plus Panama hats, carved chessboards and…

  • Forum

    Rio de Janeiro

    Much-touted Brazilian designer Tufi Duek reigns over this Barra store. You'll find stylish polos, snug-fitting button-downs and one-of-a-kind graphic T…

  • La Feria de Chillán

    Middle Chile

    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…

  • Himalaya

    Cuzco

    Crammed with new gear and rentals, this gear shop is a handy stop for all your trekking needs, including repellent, equipment and some clothing. There are…

  • Livraria da Travessa

    Rio de Janeiro

    Rio’s best-loved bookstore chain now has a Botafogo branch. With an appealing cafe, a music section (CDs, vinyl reprints) and a small but decent foreign…

  • El Atril

    Mar del Plata

    A fun and funky book shop with an in-house cafe, and a collection of beat-up, overpriced English-language pulp fiction in the basement. Still, it's a fun…

  • El Mundo del Vino

    Santiago

    This revamped location of the high-end wine chain (look for other branches throughout Santiago and Chile) features 6000 bottles from around the world – or…

  • Cooperativa Fernheim

    Paraguay

    It's worth a trip to the gigantic, well-stocked Cooperativa Mennonita supermarket. It's amazing how much you can fit under one roof, but you may find…

  • Pasaje Artesanal

    Baños

    At this outdoor crafts market, you’ll find endless quantities of locally made baubles and a regional craft called tagua-carving – white, golfball-size…

  • Arandu

    Recoleta & Barrio Norte

    Arandu is a high-end (this is Recoleta, after all) talabartería – a traditional Argentine shop selling gaucho gear, ponchos, mate gourds, silver, leather,…

  • Espacio Urbano

    Salta

    Espacio Urbano is a gorgeous courtyard boutique trading in hip styles from international brands. Think Bensimon swimwear, Bolivia chinos and much more…

  • Via Parque Shopping

    Rio de Janeiro

    With 200 stores, a huge multiscreen cinema and an abundance of restaurants, this shopping center is the heart of Rio's thriving consumer culture. The…

  • Mercado Artesanal

    Córdoba & the Central Sierras

    Dominican friars at the mercado artesanal, next to Iglesia de Santo Domingo, sell gorgeous handmade wool rugs as well as ceramics, onyx crafts and…

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