Favorite Peru Souvenirs?

CaliforniaGirl09

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 4, 2009
We are off to Peru next week on a non-ABD Machu Picchu hiking trip (I will post when I get back in the Other Options thread), but I would love to have souvenir ideas from previous Peruvian travelers. I used to be a big shopper while traveling, but I've become much more ruthless about buying tchotchkes since we are hoping to downsize soon. I saw this list: https://howtoperu.com/top-peruvian-souvenirs/ but was looking for anything you all thought was really special. I'll definitely be buying one of the hats :)
 
Oh my gosh - the markets have these striped baggy cotton/linen pants. They are kind of like loose joggers. We got them ten years ago and still wear them weekly as pajama pants. So soft! They wash and dry great and have held up really well.

Also cute knit hats. There is a ton of alpaca wool stuff but we are all allergic so can’t tell you about that. Happy shopping!
 
Oh my gosh - the markets have these striped baggy cotton/linen pants. They are kind of like loose joggers. We got them ten years ago and still wear them weekly as pajama pants. So soft! They wash and dry great and have held up really well.

Also cute knit hats. There is a ton of alpaca wool stuff but we are all allergic so can’t tell you about that. Happy shopping!
Those pants sound perfect!!! I love things like that and I was debating as to whether to bring a second set of PJs. Two birds with one stone! Thanks so much. I'll be on the look out.
 
We got a piece of that pottery! Fell in love with it in Cusco and couldnt resist.
We went to a weaving center and got a beautiful table runner.
 


Are you hiking the trail to Machu Picchu?! Regardless I can't wait to hear about your trip and your experience with the tour company!

We have the ABD Peru booked for December, 2019 -- it's been very high on my list for a long time, but I am prone to altitude sickness. I guess if I do get altitude sickness (which I will do everything in my power to avoid), I'm in good hands with ABD (I hope!).

The hat is adorable! I'd definitely get one of them and also a piece of beautiful pottery. A few nice things that will remind you of your amazing trip!

I have also taken to enlarging pictures and displaying them in strategic places around my house.
 
THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD STUFF TO BUY IN PERU! Bring your wallet. We spend more here than on any ABD and we wish we had bought more. We visited a pottery artist in Cusco and we bought a lamp and picture. He has BEAUTIFUL and very expensive stuff but it is some of our most cherished items. I am sure you could probably go there OYO.

All the woven goods are amazing! We bought pillow cases and a tapestry (which now hangs on our wall). My husband also bought a really cool wallet and belt. My son got an Inca Cola T-shirt (he drank it by the gallon) and some cool items at a market. There is fun jewelry, too! Enjoy Peru! We really, really loved it.
 
Our prize souvenirs are alpaca sweaters and scarves. We picked up a few items from the textile tour while on ABD trip but my wife found another must have item at the airport before leaving Cusco. There are lots of places around but we were warned by our guides to only buy from a reputable shop and expect to pay accordingly for them. If it looks too good to be true the in most likely is.
 


You guys are getting me so excited!!! Thank you all for the great ideas and things to be on the look out for. I can't wait. I didn't realize about the pottery. I'll have to be on the lookout. Thanks also for the warning @RebelHawk Super helpful. So much for downsizing, LOL!!
 
We usually don't get much in the way of souvenirs; Peru did us in. In the markets we got some amazing old style weapons - perfectly round baseball size stones fitted inside leather attached to a short woven leather rope, a hide covered stone club, etc for about $7 each; amazing textiles and alpaca wool runners at the center for textiles, pottery, woven bead and leather belt, jewelry for the ladies, music pipes, beautiful storyboard carved gourds, and everyone in the family had to have the hat, which after 8 years we all still wear all the time. ACNDIS says it all - this is the place if you like "stuff."
 
1. Gorgeous alpaca wool clothing at Kuna inside the Libertador Palacio del Inka hotel in Cusco where we stayed. The offerings were pretty reasonably priced (20 percent discount if you're staying at that hotel), but the clerk advised us to wait one more day to buy anything, because there would be a half-off sale the next day. Sure enough, when we returned the following day, nearly everything was 50 percent off. I bought a beautiful, colorful cape, and my daughter got several items. They are real treasures.

2. Ceramics at the Pablo Seminario studio in Urubamba. (I think he has an outlet in Cusco as well.) The large items are very expensive, but smaller things like mugs and bowls are reasonable. These are my favorite souvenirs of all.

3. The market in Pisac has a lot of tourist-friendly items. Strangely enough, one of my best souvenirs is the colorful potholder I got there. Be careful, though. My daughter bought some cute llama earrings. There were two pairs in the box, but when the seller packaged them, she included only one pair. Our bad--we should have been watching more closely--but it was still disappointing.

If you don't get quite all of your shopping done until the last minute, there are some nice stores in the Cusco airport. Shop away!
 
Wonderful, you guys!! Thank you so much for the info. It sounds as if I'm going to have a lot to choose from! I really appreciate the responses!
 
2. Ceramics at the Pablo Seminario studio in Urubamba. (I think he has an outlet in Cusco as well.) The large items are very expensive, but smaller things like mugs and bowls are reasonable. These are my favorite souvenirs of all.
We bought an original sculpture by Seminario and had it shipped directly home. We even got him to pose for a photo with it while were were there.

My other favorite souvenirs from Peru were an alpaca blanket that I picked up at one of the markets (probably not high quality, but I have 3 dogs who also enjoy my throw blankets, so I was going for more practical) and some other alpaca scarves and sweaters I picked up along the way.
 
We bought an original sculpture by Seminario and had it shipped directly home. We even got him to pose for a photo with it while were were there.

My other favorite souvenirs from Peru were an alpaca blanket that I picked up at one of the markets (probably not high quality, but I have 3 dogs who also enjoy my throw blankets, so I was going for more practical) and some other alpaca scarves and sweaters I picked up along the way.
The sculpture sounds fantastic and how cool about the pic! I’m leaving tomorrow and can’t wait! I usually don’t do much shopping but sounds as if this trip might be the exception :)
 
Oh my gosh - the markets have these striped baggy cotton/linen pants. They are kind of like loose joggers. We got them ten years ago and still wear them weekly as pajama pants. So soft! They wash and dry great and have held up really well.

Also cute knit hats. There is a ton of alpaca wool stuff but we are all allergic so can’t tell you about that. Happy shopping!
E5589B68-B6BA-47D8-9D80-C92F9E3D127A.jpeg
Omg thanks for the fantastic rec on the pants! DD and I are in love! Lounging in the Marriott Cusco right now :) I think we paid $7.50 a piece!

You guys didn’t lie about the shopping! There are so many wonderful things. We’ve been having a blast. Cusco is an amazing city, and we’ve loved the hotel. This is a pretty awesome Marriott!
 

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