Shopping in Peru

It’s not easy to define Peru in one word. Its culture, nature, jungles, tombs, and what not. Peru is the embodiment of all things spectacular in a traveler’s mind. When it comes to shopping in Peru, you should expect nothing less!

You’ll find eccentric handicrafts, leather, clothes, shoes, rugs, and so much more in the bustling markets of Peru. The country Lima is popular for shoes and clothing shopping. Soles or Dollars are accepted as currency for payment at shopping centers. Also, master card and visa are accepted as method of payments. The shopping hours are from 9 am to 6 pm. Bargain is the way to go at any market in Peru.

If you’re looking for branded stuff, then head for Oechsle, Ripley and Saga Falabella. Here you’ll find branded and local clothes, shoes, perfumes, beauty products, electrical appliances, home decoration etc. Ceramics are found in the Pablo Seminario in Urubamba. Pre-Columbian style motifs are the show of this market.



Plazas in Lima

Plaza San Miguel is a medium sized mall which was opened up to the public in 1970s. It still exists today more modernized and extended. It is located in the largest city of Peru, which is Lima. You’ll find a lot of variety over here and fabulous dining options as well.

Besides shopping, you can also watch a movie, fill your car with gas, get a taxi etc. Sometimes, there are concerts going on in this mall too. The shopping is quite economical here and it’s even great for window shopping and just hanging out with friends.

Besides that, Centro Commericial and Jockey Plaza are also big malls in Lima. Centro Commercial is an extravagant indoor shopping center on Camino Real in Lima. Jockey Plaza is one of those upscale malls built in 1997. It is a huge complex with departmental stores, boutiques, movie theatres, bowling arena, and restaurants. It is in Santiago de Surco in Lima.



Souvenirs and Handicrafts

You can find great souvenirs in artisan markets in Minaflores and La Marina. You’ll find amazing handicrafts including silver jewelry, silverware, clothes made of alpaca, t-shirts, pottery, paintings, gem stones etc. Other places where you can find handicrafts are Chinchero, Pisac Sunday Market, Aguas Calientes, and Puerto Maldanado. The cheapest handicrafts are however available at Indian Handicraft Stores in Lima.

Pisac’s Crafts Market is extremely famous amongst tourists for its high variety of souvenirs and great prices. The vendors come in their local dress which itself is a fascinating sight to see. You’ll find local cultural clothes over here like Andean textiles, including rugs, alpaca sweaters, and ponchos.



Wool Fabrics and Textiles

If you’re looking for wool fabrics or silver jewelry in Cusco, you should head to Barrio de San Blas. The neighborhood of this market is full of artisans and galleries beyond compare. You can artists live in action in this market.

Isa Taquille sells the best textile in Peru. Embodied waistbands are wool stocking caps are more famous amongst tourists than anything else from this market. It’s a bit expensive than usual textile markets but it’s definitely worth it.

Have you gone shopping in Peru? Feel free to share your tips and recommendations.

Photo Credits: Fabric Shopping by Itenerant Tightwad/ Clothes by Itenerant Tightwad/ Shopping by comicpie/ Lima by Yotut

Five Must Visit Spots in Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu is the site of an ancient Inca city located high up on the Andes Mountains of Peru. Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and because of that the site is a very famous tourist destination. This would probably be one of the most visited place not only in South America but in the whole world as well.

There are many places to see and explore in Machu Picchu and the way to do that is on foot and just take a walk around the site and enjoy the ancient ruins and marvel at the jaw dropping beauty of the surrounding landscape. You can also take a guided tour to provide a deeper insight and learn more about the ancient city.



Here’s a list of Five Must Visit Spots in Machu Picchu, Peru:

1. Sun Gate (Inti Punku) – if you‘ve taken the Inka Trail this is ruin will be the first one you’ll experience. The Sun Gate is one of the most important archaeological structures that connects with Machu Picchu and was dedicated also to the cult of the INTI’s Sun god.

2. Intihuatana – It is a carved stone so that on certain days, at dawn, the sun makes a certain shadow, thus working as a sun dial. Some archaeologists believe that the stone was used for making astronomical observations and calculating the passing of time.

3. Temple of the Condor – The temple is a breathtaking example of the Inca’s craftsmanship. It is a natural rock formation and the Inca shaped the rock into outspread wings of a condor in flight.

4. Temple of the Sun – The temple is located near the summit of the main city and the stonework on the temple is very amazing and if you take a close look you will see that there are a variety of stone walls throughout the ancient city. The Temple was used to honor Inti, the Sun an important Incan deity.

5. Temple of the Moon – The temple is an Incan ceremonial temple on Huayna Picchu. The purpose of the temple is not exactly known yet but it is still a must see because of the beauty of the place.

Have you been to Machu Picchu? Feel free to share your tips and recommendations.

Photo Credits (Flickr Creative Commons): Machu Picchu by quinet