Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Santos
at
Puerto Rican Arts & Crafts
Center
Plaza Las Américas
Right
Mundillo
lace slippers
Places to Shop
!
Plaza Las Américas
with shoppers when cruise ships
are in port, so don't expect great
bargains. Barrachina's
(see p63)
serves free rum as you peruse
its arts and crafts, cigars, and
jewelry.
d
Map U6 • Old San Juan
$
Puerto Rican Arts
The largest shopping comp-
lex in Puerto Rico has more than
200 shops, including well-known
names such as Macy's and
Banana Republic. Independent
shops sell everything from cigars
and jewelry to electronics.
d
Map
T2 • Av FD Roosevelt 525, Las Américas
Expressway, Hato Rey • 787 767 5202
& Crafts
This store has a huge selection
of crafts, including a tremendous
range of
santos
and papier-
mâché carnival masks. A
separate section sells gourmet
Puerto Rican food items, while
an art gallery at the rear sells
exquisite silk-screened
serigraphs.
d
Map U6 • Calle Fortaleza
204, Old San Juan • 787 725 5596
@
Moca
The traditional center of
mundillo
lace-making in Puerto
Rico, Moca is the best place to
buy beautiful blouses and table-
cloths. You can see these being
handmade on
telares
(lap boxes)
at family-run crafts stores that
open out on to the street.
November is the best time to
visit, when the
mundillo
festival
is held.
d
Map B2
#
Calle Fortaleza
%
La Calle
This is the best place in San
Juan to buy irresistibly grotesque
carnival masks
(caretas)
, made
of papier-mâché and painted in
gaudy colors. Prices range from
$10 to $2,500, depending on
quality and complexity
(see p63)
.
^
Plaza del Mercado
This cobbled street in the
heart of Old San Juan is lined
with art galleries, boutiques, and
craft stores. It gets crowded
de Santurce
Providing a taste of traditional
Puerto Rico in the heart of the
modern city, this atmospheric
market (known as “La Placita”)
is a great place to haggle over
fresh fruit and vegetables,
handicrafts, and home-made
remedies at
botánicas
(medicinal
stalls). The vendors host street
parties with live music and
dancing on Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday nights
(see p63)
.
A shop at Calle Fortaleza
46
