Shopping in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a paradise for those who love to shop. The city combines the sophistication of large shopping centres with the charm of artisan markets, the originality of local design with the tradition of antique markets, and the competitive prices of local fashion with the exclusivity of international brands. Shopping in Buenos Aires is always an experience that goes far beyond the transaction.

Local fashion design is one of the great draws of Buenos Aires for travellers seeking something original and distinctive. Palermo Soho is the design neighbourhood par excellence: its streets are lined with shops by local designers offering clothing, accessories, footwear and jewellery with a strongly defined identity. Brands such as Rapsodia, Tramando, Jijí Almacén and dozens of independent ventures make Palermo a fashion destination without equal in the region.

Argentine leather is globally recognised for its quality. Handbags, shoes, belts, jackets and leather goods in general are wise purchases in Buenos Aires: the artisan standard is exceptionally high and prices, compared with Europe, are very competitive. The Mercado de las Luces in the city centre and the specialist shops of San Telmo and Florida Street are the best starting points.

Artisan markets are a shopping experience that goes far beyond the object you take home. The San Telmo Fair on Sundays at Plaza Dorrego is the most celebrated: handmade jewellery, antiques, second-hand books, vintage decorative objects and crafts of every kind blend in a festive and thoroughly porteño atmosphere. The Palermo Fair at Plaza Serrano and the Buenos Aires Book Fair — one of the most important publishing fairs in the Spanish-speaking world — are other unmissable stops.

Buenos Aires’ shopping centres offer a very comprehensive range for those who prefer indoor shopping. Alto Palermo, Abasto Shopping — housed in the historic former wholesale market building — and Dot are the busiest. For a more premium segment, Patio Bullrich in Recoleta is the city’s most elegant shopping centre, with top-tier national and international brands.

For book lovers, Buenos Aires is a city of cult status. The bookshop offering is extraordinary: El Ateneo Grand Splendid, considered one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world; Hernández, Cuspide and Gandhi with their enormous sections; and dozens of independent and second-hand bookshops in Buenos Aires’ book district, on Corrientes between Callao and Pueyrredón, where you can spend hours hunting for literary treasures.

Wine, mate and Argentine regional products are always a wonderful souvenir from Buenos Aires. The wine shops of Palermo and San Telmo hold extraordinary selections from every wine region in the country. Gourmet food shops and country delicatessens offer first-rate sweets, preserves, cheeses and charcuterie.

Shopping in Buenos Aires is discovering the creativity, craftsmanship and flavour of a city that has much to give — and thoroughly enjoys giving it.