La Serena Shopping

It's the mall in La Serena, it has 70 stores, 2 Department Stores, 6 movie theatres and 9 restaurants, located in front of the beach and with no parking problems.
Its architecture follows the typical La Serena colonial style

What to buy: Clothes, music, electronics, or go to the movies or dinner.
It also has videogames for kids and a library.

Totora means in English "Cattail" a sort of fiber wich you can make different types of hand-crafts with.
This guy is always sat outise the Recova's Market selling his stuff. I have seen him for years!!.

What to buy: As you see in the pic, he has different stuff, bags, woolsticks container, etc...

What to pay: Depending on the piece, but they are always very cheap. For a big bag you pay $1.500 (US$2.10).

Inside La Recova's Market, there's a small shop with silver jewelry.
Here you can find very nice Lapizlasuli pieces for a reasonable price.

What to buy: Necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets.

* Something useful to know when you're buying Lapislazuli pieces, is that while bluer the stone is, without grey or white seams, the quality is higher ;o)

What to pay: Depending on the piece.
But for example, for the necklaces you see in this pic, you pay $58.000 (US$81.00) each one. You can find some like these for $38.000 (US$53.00), depending on the size of the "pearl".
There are beautiful earrings for $15.000 (US$21.00).
You can also buy cheaper pieces.

This is the only Mall you'll find in La Serena, and as every typical Mall, you'll find a bit of everything.
There are: Boutiques, farmacies, photography shopes, music shops, restaurants, a wine shop, coffee shops, hairdresser's shop etc...

What to buy: Clothing, shoes, Chilean wine, music...

What to pay: Depends on the item you're going to buy

This one of the few stores that sell dried fruit, as well as different types of raisins, nuts and some spices.

What to buy: What I really like to buy here are dried quinces and apples...hmm!. You can also find dried apricots, peaches and pears. There are different types of raisins, my favourite ones are the "Corinto" raisins, tiny and acids (perfect to mix them with yoghurt!).

Dried fruits are always an excellent energy supplement, specially when you go camping, walking etc. And it's natural!!!!!!!

What to pay: Depending on what are you buying and how much quantity of course, but it's very cheap, these small plastic bags that you see in the pic, are dried quince (left) and apple (right), I paid US$1.00 for both of them. (300gr each bag) :o)

This is a local market, where you can find hand-crafts mostly from Perú, Bolivia, Ecuadro and Chile of course.
Products like hand-made sweaters, hats, mantles, socks, t-shirts, pottery, food and what I like the most: Lapiz-Lazuli jewelry.
Here you can also purchase nice postcards from Chile.

What to buy: One of the typical fruits of this region is the well known PAPAYA. YOu can find lot of products derived from this fruit at La Recova, like dried papayas, juice (delicious! :o), honey, syrup, candies, jam etc...

What to pay: For a tray of dried papayas for example, you pay US$1.50 which is very cheap and it worths!!!!.

Also at La Recova's Market...

What to buy: Woolen mantles, Peruvian sweaters, hand made bags, purses (leather and fabric) and also alpaca's wool products!.

What to pay: Depending on the product, from US$1.00 up to US$100.00