Chile » Shopping in Santiago

Modern Japanese supermarkets are organised much in the same way as their western counterparts. They offer all kinds of goods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, meat, tofu, pickled, dried and canned food, bread, dairy products, snacks, ready-to-eat meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and household articles.

Shopping in Santiago is thrilling whether traditional downtown shopping in the numerous shops on Huerfanos and near the Hotel Carerra, fashionable uptown shopping on Providencia, or in one of the best residential area malls, a marvellous selection of shops, boutiques and markets are within your reach.

The Bellavista District is known for its "Lapis Lazuli" shops and factory. The "Lapis Lazuli" is a semi-precious stone found in the high Andes north of Santiago. Small, highly polished, deep blue stones are the most expensive; larger stones are used in high fashion jewellery in sterling silver or 18k settings. The Blue Stone is dedicated only to jewellery made from the Lapis Lazuli stone and other handicrafts.

Leather goods, including hi-style shoes and boots, are expensive but are good buys compared to State side prices.

If you are in Santiago over the weekend be sure to visit the "Los Dominicos" Handicraft Village located uptown by the Church of Los Dominicos. It resembles a typical village of the central valley and artisans and craftsmen from all over the country work and sell their handicrafts here. You'll find works in materials such as clay, wicker, stone, wool and leather, jewellery with the gemstone Lapis Lazuli and other native stones, as well as Chile's traditional copper art objects.

The best place to purchase pottery is at Pomaire, approximately 40 miles west of Santiago. This old, one-time Indian settlement nestles among small hills and is the source of the special clay used for the primitive pottery made in almost all homes.