SHOPPING:

Cusco is a great place to go shopping. In Cusco you can find a great variety of handicrafts, all of which are tempting. We advise that you let yourself be guided by the colours and forms, since the prices are to your advantage. Among the products of which there are plenty everywhere, you can find the famous sweaters, ponchos, gloves, caps, shawls, blankets, and vests, of Cusco known for their outstanding high quality and beautiful designs.

You can find these clothes almost everywhere, but it is best to buy them in the centre or in different craft centers like the Centro Artisanal in Cusco, or in one of the many districts in the Sacred Valley, particularly the craft market in Pisaq.

There are many shops which sell products made from 100% alpaca wool. Clothes made with "baby alpaca" (the wool from the first shearing) are always natural colours, like coffee, grey, black and white. In the market at Pisaq, you can also find the best offers in hats, upholstery, sweaters and handmade jewellery amongst other things. You can also buy quilts and rugs made from alpaca skin. Pottery is another terrific product of Cusco and is again something you can buy everywhere.

The pottery comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Normally with Inca motifs painted on the exterior. These motifs usually take their forms from the environment, as forest designs are based on old beliefs and myths.

The quilts and blankets made in Cusco have a good reputation. Generally they are made from sheep’s wool, although some are made from alpaca, but these are a lot more expensive. Their designs are outstanding, especially the ones which portray Andean women from poor mountain villages or Inca monuments. They come in many different sizes, and without doubt, the most beautiful ones are those that imitate the fine fabrics of the Inca culture.

The altarpieces that can be bought in Cusco are also superb, usually they are of several figures made from plaster and painted in a wide variety of colours.

As for jewellery, there are many places which reproduce the designs of jewellery found in Inca tombs- bracelets, necklaces and earrings. In Cusco you can find a variety of jewellery shops. If you are shopping for gold pieces, such as earrings and bracelets, it is advisable to patronize known establishments that offer the appropriate guarantees.

Finally, let yourself be captivated by watercolour paintings of Cusco. There are excellent works available at affordable prices

MARKETS

El Molino

Molino is Cusco's largest black market, tolerated by the authorities - you won't see many tourists, but you shouldn't have a problem -- just hang on to your wallet, as you would anywhere.

Don't try to walk here, as it's pretty far from the Plaza and main tourist areas of the city. Just get in a cab and ask for "Molino". Here, you can find imported and imitation backpacks, electronics, toys, games, CDs, DVDs, clothing, shoes, household items, jewelry...all at incredibly low prices. I went to get supplies before I hiked the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu and found a flashlight for $1, a backpack for $8, and a fleece jacket for $4. CDs and DVDs are $2-$3 usually. Wow!

A word of caution -- while you can often bargain prices down in Cusco, they don't really like it here, and you probably won't get too far.

San Pedro

Near the San Pedro rail station. Cusco's famous, Mercado Central has an array of products for sale, mostly produce, food, and household items. Even if you don't come to shop, this rich tapestry of modern and yet highly traditional Cusco shouldn't be missed. If you're an adventurous type who doesn't mind eating at street stalls (which are generally pretty clean), you can get a ridiculously cheap lunch for about $1. Don't take valuables and be on guard because the market is frequented by pickpockets targeting tourists. The market is open daily from 8am to 4pm.

Mercado Mollina

Mercado Mollina is a shoppers Valhalla. Forget Machu Picchu logo t-shirts, watercolor paintings and llama postcards because you won't find a single souvenir or craftsy trinket in any of the mercado's several hundred stalls. Instead, you'll find nearly anything you may ever want to buy. Underwear, socks, jeans, shoes, sandals, belts, electronics, shirts, winter coats, plates, appliances, make up, toiletries...and of course, heaps and heaps of obscenely underpriced DVDs and CDs. Sprawled over the space of several city blocks and densely inhabited by temptations for all consumers, Mollina is the kind of shopping experience that dares to suggest that if you can't buy it at Mollina, then it can't be bought. Collectivos run from Choquechaca ($0.25) and taxis from the city center cost less than $1.

PISAC

Pisac's famous three-times-weekly market draws the shop-'til-you-drop crowd, local and tourist alike. Fruits, vegetables, and grains happily share the stage with ceramics, jewelry, and woolens on the central plaza and spill over into the side streets. Sellers set up shop about 8 AM on market days (and a few set up on nonmarket days as well), and start packing up at about 3 PM. Those in the know insist that vendors, anxious to minimize the load they cart back home, offer their best bargains around closing time. By 5 PM even the hangers-on have filtered away from the plaza. Though the Tuesday and Thursday markets will not disappoint, go on Sunday if your schedule permits; you'll have a chance to take in the 11 AM Quechua mass at the Iglesia San Pedro Apóstolo and watch the elaborate costumed procession led by the mayor who carries his varayoc, a ceremonial staff, out of the church afterward. Sunday afternoon sees bands and beer tents -- this is small-town Peru at its best.

PERU NEW DISCOVERY

Calle Triunfo, 392 Off.210

Arte Inka Shoping Center - Cusco - Peru

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