Compra 'til You Drop

Shopping in Latin America

Argentina
Argentina is leather country, and its leather products are good, plentiful and affordable. Buenos Aires is generally considered the shopping capital of Latin America with its multitude of shops selling everything from native handicrafts to designer clothing. Also renowned for their wine-making skill, make sure you buy a bottle to continue savoring the taste of Argentina long after you return home.

The pedestrians-only Calle Florida in Buenos Aires is the ultimate collection of shopping for leather, furs and gems, restaurants and street performances. But for cutting-edge designer clothing head to Plaza Cortazar in the Palermo Hollywood neighborhood. Other shopping areas specialize in antiques and handmade items.

Brazil
Brazil has a wide variety of shopping venues, including upscale boutiques, open-air street fairs and climate-controlled shopping malls. Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers of gold and precious stones, so it is also an excellent source of fine jewelry.

Rio de Janeiro is home to Brazil’s most fashionable stores. There you’ll find exclusive boutiques, souvenir shops, bookstores and upscale jewelry stores. On most weekends, native artists and craftsmen spread out their handmade wares on Avenida Atlantica. The city of Sao Paulo is another major shopping destination, featuring weekly antiques fairs, arts and crafts fairs, and flea markets, as well as a number of high end boutiques.

Costa Rica
Costa Rica is justifiably famous for its coffee and cigars, so load up on both when you visit. It also has a rich heritage in the craft of woodworking. Artisans use native hardwoods to craft bowls, boxes, toys, platters, jewelry and brightly colored oxcarts, replicas of the vehicles traditionally used to transport coffee. Pedestrian malls exist all over the country for local artisans selling their wares.

El Salvador
The Metrocentro in San Salvador is the largest shopping mall in Central America, but discriminating shoppers generally prefer the boutiques of the more affluent areas. Others opt for the exquisite craftsmanship of the earthenware pottery made in villages around San Miguel or the woven goods of San Sebastian. In many places, you can watch craftsmen at work as they fashion their traditional products.

Uruguay
Shoppers in this small South American country can find great deals on leather goods, wool clothing, agates and gems, woodcrafts, and decorated mate gourds. In the capital city of Montevideo, you can find a number of markets that specialize in handicrafts, antiques, books, native foods and more.

Guatemala
City street vendors, with their top-quality handicrafts, offer the most exciting shopping opportunities in Guatemala. Their asking prices can be high, but back-and-forth bargaining is the national pastime, so don’t be deterred. Head to the highlands if you’re looking for the famous Guatemalan hand-woven textiles. Every region in the highlands has a distinctive style for fabrics, ceramics, baskets, toys, statues, bags and hats. Many highland artisans also periodically travel to Guatemala City to sell their work.

Mexico City
The Zona Rosa neighborhood has more shops than any other area in the city with markets, department stores, and other shops specializing in antiques, crafts, jewelry and leather goods. Also check out the upscale boutiques in the Polanco neighborhood.

The La Condesa neighborhood has recently seen an influx of fashionable sellers of jewelry, shoes and trendy housewares. For more traditional shopping, visit Avenida Insurgentes and Avenida Juarez.