Casa del Artesano
You'll find top-quality, locally made goods near the Plaza de la Constitución at Casa del Artesano, where independent artists sit in their tiny shops working on their respective crafts.
3 Best Shopping in Huancayo, The Central Highlands
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Huancayo and the towns of the surrounding Valle del Mantaro are major crafts centers. The region is famous for its mates burilados (large, intricately carved and painted gourds depicting scenes of local life and historic events), many of which are made 11 km (7 miles) outside town in the villages of Cochas Grande and Cochas Chico. Silver filigree and utensils are the specialties of San Jerónimo de Tunán, and exquisite knitwear, woolen sweaters, scarves, wall hangings, and hats are produced in San Agustín de Cajas and Hualhuas. You will find better prices outside town, especially when buying from the artisans directly.
Mercado Mayorista
Stretching around the blocks near the train station is the daily produce market. You'll need several hours to wander through the stalls of local crafts and foodstuffs, where you'll find traditional medicines and spices among such local delicacies as gourds, guinea pigs, fish, and frogs.
Sunday Market
The city's main shopping venue is the Sunday mercado, which is spread down one of the city's main thoroughfares and its side streets for about a kilometer. It is one of the largest weekly markets in the country, yet it sees few tourists. In particular, look for mates burilados, mantas, straw baskets, and retablos (miniature scenes framed in painted wooden boxes).
