The Best Peru Shopping List

Textiles

Peruvian clothing is one product that generates the most interest in shopping around the country. Your eyes will be drawn to great, intricate ponchos, the woolen sweaters called "chompas," the hats, gloves, scarfs and whatever else can be knitted! The best place to get these products is in the Andean region, where most of them are manufactured. For example, in the small artisan shops of Arequipa, Huaraz or Cusco, many women still use these unique colorful garments. Some of the clothes are made with wool from the first shearing and are somewhat cheaper. Also, tapestries are another of the items most sought after by travelers. These can be found in many of the mountain villages, as well as in any Peru shopping mall. Textiles also include wall hangings, tablecloths, blankets, bags, and many other items that will brighten up your home on your return.

 If you find yourself turning into your grandma on your visit to The Andes and are obsessed with weavings. Buy a hand-made, colorful Peruvian rug or wall hanging. The imagery is woven into every fiber and often tells a folk tale from the place it came, and the person who wove it. Beware, these incredible textiles are somewhat heavy and you may want to ship them home. Once you see it on your wall, decorating your floors, or as a sofa throw, it will be all  be worth the effort. Discover the modern process of peruvian textiles in the Mundo Alpaca Factory Tour if you are in Arequipa!

Weaver in Chinchero

Alpaca Products

The camel's South American cousin, Peruvian cultures, have woven delicate garments from alpaca wool for thousands of years. "Baby" alpaca, the first shear of the young camelid, is the most valuable, and sweaters, hats, and socks woven from their soft wool range from a few USD to hundreds. There are many Alpaca stores in Lima and Cusco for your Peru shopping list. Traditional Andean knitwear such as ponchos and sweaters are quintessentially Peruvian. There are an endless number of colors, that are hand-made, warm and snuggly, and usually made of Alpaca or baby alpaca. They will always remind you of those cold days in the Andean highlands and the llama you hugged!

Alpaca Jumpers

“Chullo” Hat

These wonderful long-eared beanies form an important part of any Andean outfit.  Vital for the highlands to keep your face and ears toasty warm! These knitted or woven accessories are usually made from alpaca wool and will be a life-saver on those cold winter nights. Either in Cusco or when you return home.

Boy Wearing a Chullo Hat

Ceramics

Ceramics are another typical Peruvian product to look for in stores in Peru. Peru has a rich pottery-making tradition, with groups like the Chavín, Moche, Nazca and Wari preserving their techniques over hundreds of years. Replicas of the Moche "huacos eróticos" (erotic vessels) and Bulls of Pucará are among the most common souvenir-related ceramics. Still, there are plenty of other types from which to choose.

Peruvian Ceramics

Paintings

Peruvian paintings are characterized by their vivid colors. Many of them are watercolors, and others have geometrical patterns and designs. They are one of the most original and sought-after products for travelers and can be found both in the Andean regions and in most stores in Lima, Peru. In the Central market, there are some art stalls. Also, several art stores and galleries are selling Peruvian paintings in the Fevacel market in the capital and in the Miraflores neighborhood. In Cusco, every street corner has original pieces of art on sale, and they will even help you ship the paintings back home. Andean paintings are unique and have a distinctive history in Cusco, often depicting the eclectic diversity of Catholic and Andean traditions. These original and unique art designs are not usually found outside of Peru and will offer some original decoration for your home when you return while promoting the creativity of people in The Andes.

Paintings in Cusco

Musical Instruments

Peru is the home of many distinctive musical styles with roots in Indigenous, African, and European traditions. These unique sounds are made possible thanks to many homegrown instruments that cannot be found outside the region. The most famous of these is the Andean flute or quena, but the charango, zampona, and cajón are other interesting instruments used in Peruvian musical traditions. Then there is the  “cajon” (wooden box drum) from the coast. Originally made from orange boxes and played by African slaves of the Spanish conquistadores. each instrument has changed little over time. An excellent item to purchase if you are looking for an authentic Peruvian keepsake.  If you are interested in music, don't miss the chance to buy a unique instrument in specialist stores in Peru to add to your collection.

Peruvian Musical Instruments

Silver Jewelry

Jewelry is another product traditionally found in Peru. The best place to buy jewelry is in Lima, the capital. The Central Market, located in the center of  Lima next to Abancay Avenue, has a variety of reasonably priced shops. In craft fairs such as La Marina or Nazca, you can also find a diverse array of jewelry, often with intricate designs and colored beads. To confirm that they are original pieces, always ask for a guarantee. You can also find top-grade silver jewelry with different gemstones in the Pisaq market and other traditional markets in The Sacred Valley.

Superfoods and Herbs

Peruvians are famous for their cuisine, partly due to the incredible array of natural herbs and spices available in the country. Huacatay, coriander, cumin, palillo (turmeric), lemongrass, chinch, cloves and coriander are just some of these tasty additions to the signature dishes from Peru, so why not bring home some of the ingredients, to recreate the perfect Peruvian plate. Nutrient-rich crops like quinoa, kiwicha, and sacha inchi have been staples of Peruvian diets for, well, ever! Locally grown, organic edibles make for great gifts… And, the colorful packaging on many a superfood means no need to gift wrap!

Sacha Inchi

Chocolate

Peru is the home of sublime chocolate. There is even a local chocolate bar of the same name! (Sublime).  Locally produced cocoa can be found in any market and can be sweet or bitter and is pure, organic chocolate. Drink it, eat it, or smell it, this incredible product from the high jungle, can be found midway between the jungle and the Andean region and is the perfect, delicious keepsake to savour once you return home. You can enjoy a chocolate creation experience in the Half-day Chocolate Making class in Peru tour! Peruvian beans-to-bar chocolate is gaining momentum, and exports of this delicious product have increased steadily since 2001. Dark, milk or white, coconut or coca-filled, handmade or made-by-you, the choices of Peruvian chocolate are seemingly endless. Peru produces some of the purest cacao in the world, and you can find this sweet delicacy in most stores in Peru.

Peruvian Chocolates

Ceremonial Masks

Peruvian masks are usually used in traditional celebrations since they are linked with Peru's rich cultural heritage. Most of the dancers in parades or folk festivals of the country wear them. Many of them are made by hand with wood, cloth, plaster, tin, copper, silver, or gold. The latter is typical of the Chimú and Mochica cultures and can be found in cities such as Trujillo or Chiclayo. Puno, located on the shores of Lake Titicaca, is another well-known place for mask selling, where you can find unique masks made from totora reed.  

Masks at Paucartambo

Coffee

Locally produced, organic Peruvian coffee is some of the finest coffee in the world. Not as dark as Colombian coffee but with incredible aroma and taste, the Arabic grain that grows like wildfire, is also native to the “seja de selva” and is the perfect wake-me up on any given morning! You can buy it ground or in bean form, the latter being the purest version as it is not mixed with other ingredients. Peruvian coffee beans feature an aromatic, flavorful coffee with a hint of natural acidity. Bright and vibrant in flavor, Peruvian coffee beans are perfect as hot morning brews to start the day. The taste notes and body are distinct per region, and you can experience the flavors in every cup. People can enjoy this great-tasting South American blend in different ways. It can be purchased in any Peru shopping mall or any Cusco shop, especially products from the Quillabamba coffee-growing region. Peru is the top producer of organic coffee beans and is Fairtrade coffee-approved. The coffee beans are cultivated by people who experience coffee as part of their national identity and form an essential part of Peruvian culture. 

Peruvian Coffee
 

Mineral Salt

We have all heard about the health benefits of reducing the salt in our diets. However, if you are a salt addict, the healthier option is the pink mineral salt of Maras, found in the Sacred valley of the Incas. For thousands of years, local people have extracted the salt from the earth, providing a natural salt, much lower in sodium than regular salt and the perfect addition to any dish. You can visit the Maras salt mines in many of our programs, or in the specific Cusco Maras Moray Half Day Tour.

Maras Salt Mines