Ayacucho is one of the best places in Peru to shop for handmade crafts such as wooden figures and ceramics. The best place in the city to find these things is the Mercado Artesanal Shosaku Nagase, five blocks north of the main plaza. This large facility is two buildings housing a variety of stalls where the government operates training sessions for local artists who want to become expert craftsmen. Their works are displayed for sale in the numerous stalls.
Another good place in this are for shopping is the Barrio Santa Ana, located 10 blocks southwest of the main plaza. This Barrios has a very strong Quechua culture. The main square is called Plazuela de Santa Ana and has several family run galleries surrounding it. Like in the Mercado, you can watch at the goods are made by hand by craft experts. This area is particularly famous for its rugs. One of the most famous rug makers in the world lives here. Gregorio Sulca is known around the world for his rug work based on Quechua culture. His work is beautiful, but also very expensive.
The absolute best place, however, to buy artisan pieces in slightly outside of the city. The little town of Quinua is 23 miles northeast of Ayacucho and known as the handicraft capital of Peru. The houses and plazas of this town are beautiful and picturesque. Artisans from this town export their work around the world, but very few visitors come to the town itself. You can shop at the touristy stall near the may road, or you can venture future back in to the heart of the village and the streets behind Plazuela de Armas. Here you'll find other art galleries, pottery firing stations, and houses where people are hand painting their ceramics. One place to check for good shopping deals is Galeria Familia Sanchez on San Martin. This studio is owned by Waler Sanchez and he makes some of the best ceramics and tiny church figurines in town.
To get to Quinua from Ayacucho, you should take a small bus or van, called a colectivos, from the corner of Jiron Salvador Cavero and Jr. Ciro Alegria. This corner is in the eastern portion of the town. Expect the trip to take about an hour and will cost around a dollar. Colectivos tend to depart about once an hour. This is also a good way to see more Andean countryside.
This article about shopping in Ayacucho was written by a Peru travel expert at Peru For Less, specializing in Peru packages.
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