Shopping Overview

Quito's best shopping area is the New City's Mariscal district -- bounded by Avenidas Amazonas, 6 de Diciembre, Patria, and Colón -- which has a tightly packed collection of boutiques and crafts stands. The specialty and crafts stores are reasonably priced, and although they don't rival the outlying Indian markets for bargains, the quality of the merchandise is often superior. Look for brightly painted balsa-wood birds made in the Amazon region and cedar statues from highland villages. Wool and cotton sweaters, shawls, and tapestries vary in quality and price, as do items made of leather. Stores throughout Quito are generally closed Saturday afternoon and Sunday.