Our favourite markets in South America
Visiting markets is a fantastic way to experience the cultural diversity of a city, it is usually the first thing on my list to check out and ask locals the weekly schedule to ensure that I do not miss out. Considering the vast geographical, culturally rich and infinitely diverse continent of South America it comes as no surprise that these countries boast some of the most exciting, sensuous, bizarre, and abundant markets that I have experienced. Here is a compilation of some of our favourites that should not be missed.
This is almost worth setting aside a whole day. It is located in the bohemian barrio of San Telmo and is open all day Sunday. The stools are laid out with vintage clothing, old jewellery, antique furniture and quirky arts and crafts. Once satisfied that you’ve had a good poke around, excavating the best of the treasures, allow yourself to wander off down the narrow cobbled streets. Meander past the antique dealers, tango clubs and restaurants admiring the crumbling colonial architecture before putting your feet up at a café and watch they world go by in this characteristic district: the mix of young trendsetters coming out for an early evening cocktail, and the old timers clustered on the street corners. I am sure this will be one of your most memorable days spent in Buenos Aires.
Bolivians and tourists flock to the witches market located on the calle jiminez and Linares between Sagarnaga and Santa Cruz. Be prepared, entering these streets can be a whirl-wind of an experience and potentially highly disturbing. The smiling witches stand on their doorsteps of their potent caves, the walls are cluttered to bursting point with shelves stacked with bottles of potions and boxed herbs. The most notorious products are the llama foetuses strung from the ceiling and used for Aymara rituals, as are the dried frogs, snakes, owls and turtles that hang above your heads.
Every Sunday starting at around 10 am and closing up 6pm on General Osório square in Ipanema. It provides the perfect activity to follow a lazy morning on the beach. The stalls spill with Art produced by local favela artists, jewellery, bags, clothes and lots more. My personal treasure I brought home was a beautiful Brazilian hammock. I would also highly recommend you sample the traditional North-eastern food from the Bahia stools.
