Travel advice
Travel advice
Travel advice
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Money
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Personal safety & security
Personal safety & security
Shopping
A few ideas of what and where to buy on a trip to Peru
Shopping locations
Lima is a modern city, so traditional handicrafts are slightly more difficult to come across. There are a few markets on Petit Thouars street in Miraflores. Also, on the clifftops of Miraflores is the Larcomar shopping mall; here you will find international brands as well as a few local shops. The Barranco suburb is the bohemian hub of the city, where you can find several art galleries, although prices can be expensive. The Dedalo complex on Saenz Peña Street #295 is an interesting small shopping complex with a couple of handicraft shops and cafe. Not far away, is the interesting local handicrafts shop calles Las Pallas, on Cajamarca street #212.
In Arequipa, you can find good quality woolen goods made from yarn sheared from herds of alpacas living in the surrounding highlands. There are a few alpaca wollen textile shops in the attractive courtyards of the Claustros de la Compañia on General Moran street #118, just steps from the main square. The are also several shops in the Patio del Ekeko shopping center, on Mercaderes street #141. And the Casona Santa Catalina is a similar small shopping center found at #210 on Santa Catalina street. You can find cheaper local handicrafts at the market Fundo el Fierro, in the courtyard next to San Fancisco church. Also try locally made chocolates at the Iberica shop on Jerusalem street #136.
Similarly in Puno, local handicrafts tend to concentrate on woollen textiles, but with typical designs from the Lake Titicaca region. But it is a much smaller town and most shops are concentrated on Lima street, a pedestrian way between the main square and the Parque Pïno.
You might find the most varied shopping opportunities in Cusco, with its many shops and markets selling items from all over the country. In the San Blas suburb, you will find small shops and studios, many sell their own creations made in small numbers. Around the main square, there are many larger boutiques and galleries selling expensive textiles, ceramics and jewelry. At the Traditional Textiles Center located on the Avenida del Sol street #603, you can find authentic woven products made in local communities using the most traditional techniques. A company called Kuna has various shops in the main square and Regocijo square, they sell top quality knitwear including exclusive baby alpaca and vicuña products. Xapiri is a shop located on Garcilaso street #210, here you can find products, including textiles, made in the Amazon region of Peru. There are many small courtyard markets in the city, where you can find cheaper knitwear, although the lower prices equates to a poorer quality of product. In markets, you can bargain a better deal and often get the stall-holder to lower their price by around 20-30%. In nicer shops, they do not tend to haggle, although you might get a better price if you offer to pay in cash.
Textiles
Commonly found on sale in the highlands, particularly Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa. You can find an endless number of rugs, ponchos, mats and wall hangings. With a little knowledge, you should be able to distinguish traditional hand made designs from mass produced imitations, which in turn will give you an idea of its value.
Which fiber? Acrylic fibers became popular since the 1980's due to the low cost and availability in a wide range of colours. It is difficult to spot artificial fibres at a glance, but they often have a shiny appearance in the sunlight, whereas natural fibres should have a dull finish. Also, stronger neon colours might suggest the fabric is made from acrylic fibers. Once you suspect that you have a textile made from natural fibres; then you might be able guess the source of the fiber by softerness of the textile. It should be one of the following;
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Llamas produce wool with the thickest fibres, it produces a course textiles which are tough to the touch only suitable to rugs.
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Alpaca wool is much finer but more expensive, it produces soft fabrics suitable for finer products. The fibers sheered from baby alpacas are the best quality and more expensive; they should feel very soft to the touch.
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Vicuñas are a small camelid which have never been domesticated and live wild in the peruvian Andes. They have an incredible fine/soft wool which can be woven and knitted into the most expensive of items.
Natural or chemical dyes? Even the most traditional of Peruvian weaving comunities turned to chemical dyes in the last 30 years, they liked the low price, convenience and bright colours. So you can still consider the bright coloured red and orange ponchos of Cusco as being legitimatly traditional items. But in the last decade, international interest in ancient dying techniques means that many weavers have gone back to use of natural dyes. You might think that you can spot natural dyes by their less vivid colours, although international dye makers now produce a range of antuiral looking shades, so it is difficult to differentiate. One possible give away is the consistency of colour over a larger area. Chemical dyes manage to give a consistent colour whereas there might be small variations of shade when using natural dyes.
Hand or machine made? It is difficult to tell, but an uneven weave might suggest it was made by hand. But in either eventuality, you should look at ther tightness of the weave in order to give you an idea of the quality. Also a well finished edge without loose threads will also point to a well made cloth.
Knitweat
A peruvian jumper or woolly hat has become a favourite sourvenir to buy. Prices range enormously from the cheapest markets to the most explusive boutiques. In general, when considering the quality of the product, you could assume that you get what you pay for. You will probably be assured of a better piece of clothing if you buy it in a well established shop. Products made from vicuña fibre are expensive and only found in the most exclusive shops. Most other products are either made from synthetic fibers or natural alpaca wool, baby alpaca is even better. Identifying the exact fiber can be tricky, so you often have to rely on the word of the vendor and the location where you buy; nicer shops tend to be a more reliable option.
Ceramics
Peru has a long history of pottery manufacture, over 2000 years ago the Mochicas in the north of the country made monochrome ceramics moulded into realistic portraits of contemporary figures or depictions of local life. Whereas the Inca and the Paracas peoples painted finely coloured vases and drinking vessels with geometric and abstract designs. modern day imitations are on sale in many shops, although the practicalities of getting them home can restrict purchase. Modern day versions of traditional favourites are becoming more poular handicrafts to buy. Pucara bulls have been placed on the roofs of houses for centuries in Peru, in order to bring good look to the household. But now they are sold in various sizes and colourful designs. Retablos started as a traditional in the town of Ayacucho. Depictions of local life in a decorative case were given as gifts as a loving reminder of home, now they have evolved hundreds of distinct designs, showing often amusing depictions of Peruvian life.
Jewelry
In Cusco, you can find several local jewelers around the main square and on the way to up to the suburb of San Blas. Work in silver is more common, they can be good value and are often made into locally inspired designs. Gold is less common but can be found in the more expensive shops, but designs may be a more international in style. You can find H.Stern in the lobbies of the Marriott and Monasterio hotels in Cusco.
