Helpful Veracruz Shopping Guide

Veracruz excels in one area of shopping more than any — souvenirs. Shopping in Veracruz offers a number of different items made by the natives as well as popular global products as well. There are several large shopping malls to visit if you feel most comfortable there, but just about anywhere you go you are going to find souvenir shops.

The large scale shopping malls include the Mocambo Shopping Mall and Las Americas Shopping Mall. If you're looking for something that feels like you're shopping in the states, then these two places should do it for you. If you are looking for clothing, then there are several department stores with internationally known brands in the Port and Boca del Rio area. The Las Americas Shopping Mall is located in Veracruz and is connected to the Puerta del Sol Hotel. You'll find a food court, McDonalds and air conditioned shopping with avant-garde boutiques and high-quality department stores.

The Mocamba Shopping Mall is the oldest Veracruz mall and is located in the south part of the city. It features both local, national and international brands as well as air conditioned shopping.

However, if you are looking for more native items to bring back home with you then you're going to have plenty of options as well. First, you'll find a long row of small souvenir shops across from Café de la Parroquia on the malecon. This area has been called Veracruz's San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, as there are several small shops along here for your shopping enjoyment.

Another area you may enjoy is the city market. It is located at the corner of Madero and Cortez. They have everything from local medicinal shrubs to exotic animals including iguanas and parrots. Even if you can't bring anything home from here, you'll want to stop by and see what the locals are buying!

The streets of Veracruz themselves offer an interesting shopping adventure in and of themselves. There are shops all along the Mercado Hidalgo, Orizaba, and Plaza Acuario that feature a large variety of objects and the majority of them are locally made. There are various handicrafts available for you to take back home including blown glass, tools, hats made from palm leaf, coconut and seashell crafts, wickerwork furniture, embroidery, crochet work and jewelry. The Handicrafts Market will make sure you don't go home with just a t-shirt. Here you'll find Barbie dolls dawning seashells, ashtrays, ocean motifs, feathers and wooden ships. So, if you're looking for something completely out of the ordinary, then you'll find it here.

Shopping is always a part of every vacation and in Veracruz you never know what you're going to find around the corner from your hotel, restaurants and along the beaches. There is a shopping opportunity just about anywhere you visit in Veracruz and you may want to bring an extra bag just to carry back all of your unique findings. There is no doubt going to be something unique for everyone and shopping in Veracruz is an experience unlike any other.