Puerto Iguazu Arts and Crafts Market

There's not a lot to do in the quiet town of Puerto Iguazu, which is just a fraction of the size of Foz de Iguacu in Brazil or Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. Why not relax and do some souvenir shopping at the Puerto Iguazu Mercado Artesanal?

You'll find all the usual Argentine mementos, including T-shirts, souvenir hats, and of course, the ubiquitous yerba mate bombillas. Here, however, in the Guarani heartland, these could be considered something special; the indigenous group was the first to discover mate's invigorating effects. Other Guarani crafts include fine baskets woven with geometric patterns, beautiful ceramics, aho-poi (embroidered linen cloth) napkins and blouses, and carved wooden bowls and utensils. Semi-precious stones, such as agate, topaz, and amethyst, are mined close by, and available at excellent prices either as unfinished geodes or beautiful jewelry.

Practical Info

While tourism is the economic engine, a significant side business in duty-free items takes place here at the confluence of three nations. Puerto Iguazu's glitzy Duty Free Shop is more of a mall, with dozens of different stores. Serious shoppers, however, still head to Paraguay.