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We've compiled the best of the best in Colombia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Right in the heart of the Zona Rosa, Artesanías de Colombia stocks everything from straw umbrellas and handwoven ponchos to intricately carved wooden stools and colorful woven Werregue baskets. There are now several branches around the country and, as it has grown, Artesanías' prices have risen, but you'd be hard-pressed to beat their range of products and the convenience of having everything in one location.
Artesanías El Zaque offers especially good buys on hammocks. You'll also find a good selection of ceramics and jewelry here.
This popular shop stocks unique handicrafts, hats, and clothing.
If you're in Colombia, why not bring back coffee? Family-owned San Alberto is a premium brand, and the whole beans and ground coffee sold at this café makes a handsome gift. For a fee, you can even get a coffee "baptism," an informative introduction to coffee and how to assess it that also includes a tasting; reserve in advance.
Stylish boutiques dominate the chic Centro Andino Mall, an anchor of the Zona Rosa. There's a U.S.-style food court and a movie theater on the fourth floor.
To the north of the center on the outskirts of Usaquen is the upscale Hacienda Santa Bárbara, a shopping mall constructed as an extension of a colonial-era plantation home.
Colombia is famous for its emeralds, and this jewelry store, factory, and museum in Bocagrande lets you learn and shop in one visit. Behind its unprepossessing gates, Caribe has an informative free small museum covering the geology and history of emeralds. The shop displays jewelry in gold and silver at many prices, including some spectacular treasures; you can also order custom pieces. With an advance reservation, you can take a hands-on jewelry-making class ($90).
Located in the Centro Comercial Andino, L.A. Cano sells gold-plated jewelry using striking pre-Columbian designs taken from the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum), where there's an additional location of this shop.
For Antioquian crafts, visit the open-air crafts market held on the first Saturday of every month at the Parque de Bolívar.
Check the outdoor stalls along Pasaje Junín, a pleasant pedestrian street restored to the appearance of its early-20th century heyday, just south of Parque de Bolívar.
In the warren of stalls at the daily Pasaje Rivas indoor market look for bargain-price ponchos, blankets, straw hats, leather goods, and crafts. The structure dates from 1910.
You'll find souvenir shops at Pueblito Paisa atop Cerro Nutibara.
Find both Colombian antiques and colonial art here.
Miami-based, Colombian-born designer Silvia Tcherassi is a powerful force in Latin American fashion with her bold designs for women. Her store in the walled city is a good place to get a look at her latest creations.
White walls and a white floor set off the exquisitely stylish fashions at this well-curated boutique showcasing locally designed men's, women's, and children's clothing, along with jewelry, shoes, and some home items. St. Dom is visually stunning, and prices are high, but so is the quality.
A long-established craftsman in Mompox, Juan Carlos Ortiz Villanueva produces some of the highest quality items in both silver and gold.
The massive Unicentro shopping center in Bogotá's affluent north is one of South America's largest air-conditioned malls, and has 312 stores, a food court, and an eight-screen movie theater.
Sundays see Usaquen bursting at the seams as the streets fill up with stalls and street performers all vying for the attention of tourists and locals alike. Everything from crafts and antiques to organic snacks are on sale; come early, around 9 am, to explore without the crowds. There are two main areas: in the streets around the park, and up near the Seminario Valmaría. Take the time to explore and compare prices.
