Shopping in Valparaíso - authentic goods, best outlets, malls and boutiques

Valparaíso perfectly preserved the atmosphere of old Chile. There are no major shopping centers here. The market at Muelle Prat Pier is the best place to purchase everything, as it was a century ago. Today it is a truly unique place where almost everything that you can buy in Chile is sold – from local delicacies to socks or a bicycle. Handmade goods from local artisans, memorable tourist souvenirs like magnets with a panorama of the city or baseball caps with ocean views are also sold in abundance in the market.

If you are planning to buy goods from leading American and world brands, coming to Valparaíso, it will be better to choose the time of departure so as to go shopping in Santiago. Otherwise, you will hardly find anything worthwhile. Small shops like La Dulceria or Pulso Taller deserve attention in addition to the market in Valparaíso. You can suddenly buy a beautiful thing for a little money here. Cashless payment is available in hotels, cafes, and many souvenir shops. But it is worth exchanging at least part of the currency for the local pesos in advance at the Bank or at the Casa de Cambio exchange office. The exchange rate of the dollar is much more profitable than the Euro.

It is worth haggling in local stores, and especially in the market. There are few shops with a fixed price tag in the cit. So it's better to try to bring down the price anywhere you decide to buy anything. However, this does not apply to grocery supermarkets, of course. Both sellers and buyers bargain with pleasure in Valparaíso. But it's common to see entertainment in a price dispute here. So do not be too persistent in trying to outbid the seller. Local sellers are not too intrusive. They are often willing to give in to the price, especially if they feel the real excitement of bargaining. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

You can buy excellent handmade woolen things in the city. If you want something cheaper, you should look for products made of goat wool. If you are willing to spend a huge amount, then pay attention to hats, mittens, and jackets made of llama or alpaca wool. It should be admitted that the wool of local animals is quite rough. But things from it are obtained very warm. You can buy a Chilote cap with a pompom as an original headdress or just a souvenir. Such a headdress of goat hair will cost about six thousand pesos, and Alpaca wool – two and a half times more expensive.

If you want to buy jewelry in the Chilean style, then you should look for earrings, rings or pendants sold in the Valparaíso shops. These things are made of silver using lapis lazuli, which is very popular in the local area. Bluestone is sometimes combined with gold, but much less often. Silver jewelry is also quite inexpensive. You can find them for seven thousand pesos. If you want to buy something for interior decoration, you should pay attention to the carved painted figurines. Painted plates and mugs made of specially treated wood are for those who like more practical gifts. All these things are handmade.

Mapuche – items related to the heritage of the Indians are present in a wide range both in the market and in stores. Masks, dream catchers, amulets, musical instruments, dolls are only part of the goods that are traditionally associated with the indigenous peoples of Chile. You can find quite cheap handmade ceramics in Valparaíso. You can buy a large pot for cooking, and a souvenir plate or a clay statuette for interior decoration. Copper products are also popular. Most often it is dishes or trays, rarely – boxes. You can also find clothes with the addition of the finest threads of copper in the local markets. It is not cheap, but a unique thing.

You can buy fruit in Valparaíso. These can both usual mango and exotic cherimoya or Andean papaya. You can buy dried fruit or jam from something exotic. Be sure to buy chili peppers in Valparaíso. It's used everywhere here. Such quality and variety of tastes cannot be found anywhere else. However, it is necessary to clarify in advance about the hotness of a particular instance in order to avoid hot surprises. You can only determine by the appearance that the small thin red peppers definitely have a bright taste. You can buy seasoning with red or black pepper.

Avocado oil or Aceite de puta will be an interesting choice. This is a very useful product. It is also worth buying palm honey. This product is popular with locals. It is not manufactured anywhere else outside of Chile. You can pay attention to local canned. Where else can you see a sea urchin or mussel pate? Any sea creature can be bought canned in coastal Valparaíso. It is also worth paying attention to the quality local wines. Red and white varieties are very good. Be sure to buy at least one bottle of Pisco liquor, which is famous for its strength and should be used with soda.