Who loves to travel and to shop at the same time? When we travel it is nice to discover new things that we can display at home to remember our trip. On a trip to the South American country of Peru, you will be delighted at the range of color on offer, vibrant colors made from vegetable dyes feature in all the markets around the country.
Shopping in Peru could be one of the highlights of your travel so remember to set aside some money to buy some wonderful souvenirs. When you arrive in Peru you will land in the capital of Lima, a vibrant city with a fabulous mix of old and new to keep you occupied for days on end. There are several types of shopping here from markets to trendy upscale shops that will set back the budget.
The best shopping in Lima delivers when it comes to shopping, both for sophisticated shoppers looking for designer goods, and for those in search of textiles, ceramics, woolens, and crafts from makers in Peru.
Exploring both ends of the shopping spectrum helps provide a balanced picture of daily life in Peru. As a part of its process of growing and becoming a large, commerce-booming and tourist-friendly capital, Lima has many new shops, boutiques, commercial areas and shopping malls, suitable for almost any budget; from the very affordable street fairs to the most exclusive malls.
Many international brands and boutiques have a presence now in Lima’s shopping scene, but we are sure that you will prefer those places that focus on original, local creations, so you can get most stuff original from Peru.
Most tourists are looking for some small, easy to carry, and affordable gifts for friends and family. If this is your case, you may want to explore the wide and almost ubiquitous world of street fairs, flea markets, and Indian markets, where you can find stuff like souvenirs, handicrafts, decor objects for your desktop or home, and many more, as well as alpaca clothing.
However, there are certain spots especially recommendable due to their location, quality, and prices; Mercado Indio (in Pueblo Libre), Indio’s Market (Miraflores). In these places, you will find most of the traditional handicrafts from all over Peru, at very reasonable prices.
All in all, as mentioned earlier Peru is a great place for handicrafts and when you shop in the markets, remember all prices are negotiable (see above for haggling tips!).
And do not worry if you do not have time during your travels through Peru to buy presents and souvenirs, as you will find plenty in Lima in the district of Miraflores (which is probably where you will stay as most of the hotels are in this area.
RocApply Tips:
- As with other facets of life in Peruvian, food, and grocery are also sold in their local currency, so ensure to make all the necessary conversions and move around with a little local cash on you. Many of the establishments only accept the dollar.
- The market is a very popular and crowded place to, so it is important to watch your wallet.
- As a newcomer, some of the names of the items might confuse you, please use any online translator services to check the correct Spanish word for whatever you are searching for.
- Always ask for help or directions from fellow students and if you can't find any around you then ask even the locals they are always happy to assist foreigners and visitors.
"I enjoy shopping and I found it affordable but some of the clothes are definitely not of the highest quality." - Hassan from Turkey
