In Miraflores, the most cosmopolitan district of Lima and one of the most favored areas by tourists is where there is located the artisan galleries, known as Mercado Inka.
The handicraft galleries of this area of Miraflores are a large extension of land, in which are distributed rows of small stands, side by side; In this case, in these galleries, the stands have an average size of 2.80 x 3 m, where merchants in their ingenuity exhibit ceramics, textiles, handicrafts and jewelry from all regions of Peru in the most colorful, orderly, and taking full advantage of space.
You can find small key rings, magnets for the kitchen, purses of different kinds, wallets, etc.; Cuddly toys, llamas, hairless dogs; masks of the jungle and the mountain range, wooden figures of the central mountain range, tumis made in different materials, bulls of Pucará of Puno; altarpieces, embroidered looms and figures carved in stone of Huamanga from Ayacucho; bottles containing Pisco – export quality from Arequipa and Ica; scarves, blankets, sweaters, and many more clothes made with Alpaca wool, and fabrics of the same material. You can even see a design artist plastering his inspiration on the shirts to be sold. The common, mix with the exclusive, at reasonable prices and it is better if you know how to haggle.
Most pieces of jewelry are made of silver, some with onyx, jade, and other stones, also delicate pieces of filigree from Chulucanas; gold jewelry is also a sign of that ancestral knowledge of goldsmithing; the prices although they are not cheap, you can always lower by haggling.
“What do you want lady, mister or friend, come in and look” are words you can hear from almost all the sellers, mostly young people in their twenties and thirties, guiding their customers with good treatment; moreover that the area is quite safe.
The Inca market is an area full of art at a good price, and although some objects are repeated in the various stands, there is also a lot of variety and quality things, it is just a matter of taking the time to look for something special or to be surprised with what which can be found.
