• Barrio de San Blas (Cusco): Cusco’s most flavorful shopping zone is the picturesque neighborhood of San Blas, which rises into the hills and bursts with the workshops of artists and artisans, art galleries, and ceramics shops. Duck into studios and see artists at work.
  • Chinchero’s handicrafts market: Less known than Pisac’s market, but more authentic and with higher-quality artisanal goods. Sellers from remote mountain populations still wear traditional garments. But be warned: The altitude is as dizzying as the textiles.
  • Mercado de Artesanía (Pisac): Though the country’s most popular market, this lively institution—awash in colorful Andean textiles, including rugs, sweaters, and ponchos—still cannot be missed. It takes over the central plaza and spills across adjoining streets.
  • Mercado de San Pedro (Cusco): It’s only a few blocks from Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, yet few tourists even realize it is there. Cusco’s central market is a wonderland of strange Andean products, especially the rows upon rows of different native tubers. There are also natural medicines, wood kitchen utensils, handicrafts, local cheeses, and juice bars using fruits trucked in from the Amazon.
  • Miraflores (Lima): The upscale Miraflores neighborhood is full of shops stocked to the rafters with handicrafts, silver jewelry, and antiques from around Peru. For one-stop shopping, artesanía mini-malls not far from Parque Kennedy have the country’s widest selection of ceramics, textiles, and art. For contemporary goods, there’s the Larcomar shopping center, hanging off the cliffs of the Costa Verde, with a mix of local and international designer stores.
  • Pablo Seminario (Urubamba): The ceramicist Pablo Seminario operates out of a laid-back place that’s equal parts home, workshop, zoo, and storefront—easily one of the coolest ceramics shops in Peru. His work features funky pre-Columbian motifs.
  • Visiting Surquillo food market (Lima): It’s not the fanciest market, but if you want to get a feel for where Lima’s top chefs and local families shop for fresh produce, seafood, and meats, don’t miss this lively, redolent market at the edge of Miraflores, a fascinating food-shopping and cultural experience.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.