Shopping in Buenos Aires Argentina
A Stylish and Extremely Well Priced Shopping Experience
Sep 18, 2008
High quality leather goods, jewellery, designer fashion, antiques, art as well as wine, liquores and chocolate are some of the goodies waiting to be picked off the shelves in Buenos Aires.
As well a good prices the experience is also pleasurable. Buenos Aires (pop 12 M) is the third largest city in South America and boasts elegant architecture, atmospheric old suburbs and lively markets.
What to Buy in Buenos Aires
- Leather - locally made shoes, belts, bags and wallets. Quality ranges from cheaper market items to high European fashion and artistc designer pieces.
- Jewellery - Working mainly in silver local crafts people produce a stunning range of imaginative designs. Jewellery makers draw their inspiration from northern Argentina's Andean culture, the art deco period as well as producing some extremely modern creations. They will also design a special piece.
- Fashions echo those of Europe, although a season behind. The usual chain store fashions are available as well as trendy designs in equally trendy boutiques.
- Books and music shops are numerous and sell an enormous range of tango, classical and jazz music as well as new and second hand books.
- Original art ranging from landscapes to typical Argentinian scenes to contemporary works.
- Antiques stores in San Telmo are like an Aladdins cave selling anything from the past be it Edwardian, Victorian or Retro; jewellery, light fittings or clothes.
- Food and Wine - upmarket supermarkets and delicatessens sell Argentinian wine, smoked cheeses, salmon and meats as well as artesan chocolate and alfajores (chocolate covered soft biscuits filled with dulce de leche).
- Beauty treatments, facials, massages, manicures etc
- Any locally made goods are well priced; items like sunblock, cosmetics, skin and haircare. A visit to Pharmacity, a pharmacy supermarket, is well worth while.
Where to Buy in Buenos Aires
- The pedestrianised La Florida and nearby Avenida Corrientes are lined with chain stores selling everything from fashion to homeware to leatherwear. Galerias Pacifico at Florida 750 is a beautiful building housing fashion boutiques, food and wine and homewear.
- San Telmo's Plaza Dorrego is the place to shop for antiques, particularly on Sundays when the street market is full swing. The market stretches along the main street, Defensa which is fringed by design stores selling high quality art and crafts. The markets themselves are a fascinating browse and items for sale, mainly jewellery and leatherwear, are imaginative and good quality. In the streets a few blocks either side of Plaza Dorrego are high fashion boutiques.
- Palermo Viejo, also known as Palermo Soho, consists of a few blocks radiating from Plaza Cortazar (also known as Plaza Serrano). The elegant buildings in these cobbled streets have been converted into trendy restaurants and boutiques selling very high quality goods. Prices are higher in this exclusive area but still very reasonable.
- Contemporary art can be found in galleries in Retiro and Recoleta especially in Avenida Alvear as well as in San Telmo.
Getting the Sales Tax Refund At some stores, usually the more expensive, overseas visitors will be given a docket stating the amount of sales tax paid, 42.33% of the purchase value. This docket must be presented at the airport customs office located in the check in area before entering the boarding area. There a customs official will stamp the docket and the refund is paid on the other side of the boarding gate.
Without the stamp no refund will be paid and travellers are not permitted to return to the check in area after passing through immigration and security, however you have 12 months to claim the refund.
Getting Around Buenos Aires The metro is cheap, only 90 centavos (USD0.60) for a journey and is easy to understand. However the network is not extensive and is often crowded. Luckily taxis are plentiful, cheap and just the thing for returning from a successful days shopping. Journeys around town should cost between ARS10 (USD3) to ARS15 (USD5).
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