Everyone loves to take a special souvenir home for loved ones or for themselves. Traveling is the perfect opportunity to purchase something unique and representative of that culture and the beach city of Puerto Vallarta has a wide variety of shopping areas to explore and exceptional local art to add to your collections.
First stop on the shopping list, is the famous outdoor markets that showcase Mexican handicrafts at bargain prices. If you like to negotiate, these are the places to visit. Markets are located throughout the city and along the pedestrian friendly Malecon, stocked full of the popular Talavera pottery, which is a Mexican and Spanish pottery tradition, named after the originating region of Talavera de la Reina, in Spain. In Mexico, the origin hails from the town of San Pablo del Monte (in Tlaxcala) and four different cities in the state of Puebla. This is because of the quality of the natural clay found and the tradition of production which goes back to the 16th century.
Over and above the vibrant ceramics, tourists can find traditional Mexican blankets, jewelry, hand bags, clothing and hand-made Huichol art. Indigenous Huichol people live in the Northern mountain ranges of Jalisco and Nayarit. The art they create has a deeply symbolic and religious significance and features beadwork usually consisting of masks and wood sculptures covered in small, brightly colored beads set with wax and resin. Select stores feature their art in addition to what you can find at the markets, and if you are lucky, you can sometimes find them working on their pieces, bead by bead.
Vallarta has a tremendous amount of jewelry stores where Silver (Plata) is the main attraction. Silver is a well-known purchase for travelers to Mexico as they lead in the worlds production of this precious metal. When selecting, be sure to look for “925” or “Sterling” stamped into the piece, as this indicates its level of purity.
In addition, Vallarta truly has a remarkable collection of galleries with beautiful pieces designed by local and nationally renowned artists. Some of the most recognizable names are Sergio Bustamante and Cassandra Shaw. Each have their own boutiques and make exquisite designs that are unique and incorporate the essence of the Bay area.
Regardless of your preference in shopping, throughout the beautiful cobblestone streets and charming neighborhoods, there is a unique item waiting for you.
