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Are you wondering where to buy gifts and souvenirs in Mexico City?
If you’re not one of those minimalist, never-buy-anything-when-I-travel people, you’ve come to the right place. I personally treasure the souvenirs from my travels and enjoy being able to support artisans across the planet.
If you too are looking to take home hand-made artisan treasures, I can assure you that you will not Mexico City leave empty-handed. Mexico City is a shopper’s paradise! There is surely something for everyone, and every budget.
Read on to find out the best places to do your souvenir shopping in Mexico City, from artisan markets and flea markets to fancy boutiques.
Artisan Markets
Going to an artisan market is the most efficient way to do your souvenir shopping, especially if you are tight on time. These markets are a one-stop shop for traditional Mexican handicrafts and unique artworks. Here are some of my favorites.
Mercado Artesanal de la Ciudadela
If you are short on time, make this your one stop for souvenir shopping in Mexico City. The Mercado Artesanal de la Ciudadela takes up a huge downtown city block, chock full of every kind of handicraft from all over Mexico. They’ve got ceramics, textiles, glass, stone, jewelry, metal—you name it.
Whether you are on a budget or have some cash to burn, you can find something here.
Bazar Artesanal Mexicano in Coyoacan
This market is much smaller than the Mercado Artesanal de la Ciudadela but has a lot of variety. It has two floors, packed to the gills with colorful Mexican handicrafts, but more focused on textiles and jewelry. It’s a great place to get cheaper souvenirs, such as bracelets, magnets, textiles, and small ceramics.
It’s about a 10-minute walk from the Museo Frida Kahlo.
Jardin del Arte / Coyoacan Artist Market (weekends only)
This is a great market if you are looking for unique art that diverges from the typical tourist trinket handicrafts. You’ll get a chance to explore prints and paintings and talk to the artists who make them.
It’s right across from the Mercado Coyoacán, and a short 5-minute walk from the Museo Frida Kahlo.
El Bazar Sábado (Saturday only)
El Bazar Sábado is another great place to find both unique artworks and beautiful handicrafts. The open-air area in the Plaza San Jacinto has artists selling their paintings and prints. There is a nearby tented area with a large selection of jewelry, leather goods, wooden and metal crafts. The offerings are both practical and aesthetic.
If you can’t make it on Saturday, there are also several high-end craft stores right next to the park (like Bazar San Angel, Galería Caracol Púrpura San Angel, and De Corazon Mexico) that are open daily.
Local Markets
Most local markets are focused on food, but typically have some gifts and souvenirs sprinkled in. And if you are looking for dried spices or chilies, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them in almost any market.
Mercado de Coyoacan
If you are only going to visit one market in Mexico City, the Mercado de Coyoacán has it all. It’s a chaotic jumble of food stalls, fruit and vegetable vendors, and a surprising number of handicraft/souvenir vendors as well.
We found the best selection of handicrafts in the northwest corner of the market, just across from the park.
Flea Markets
If you are less into handicrafts and more into vintage, set aside a weekend to explore one of several flea markets that pop up in the city.
Tianguis Cultural del Chopo (Saturday)
Tianguis del Chopo is a massive market with a dark edge. It has a strong heavy metal vibe and is as much fun for people-watching as it is for shopping. Vendors sell vintage and new stuff—but either way it’s marketed to goth and metal types. At the northern edge of the market there is a stage where you can rock out.
Tianguis del Chopo is right next to Biblioteca Vasconcelos, so check that out while you are there!
Tianguis La Lagunilla (Sunday)
La Lagunilla is a huge flea market with allll the vintage/used things for decent prices. They’ve got furniture, books, clothes, albums, glassware, jewelry. Be prepared for crowds and, accordingly, watch out for pickpockets.
To keep you fueled during your shopping venture, there are also plenty of food and drink vendors.
Jardin Dr. Ignacio Chávez (Saturday and Sunday)
This park on the eastern edge of Roma Norte hosts a classic weekend flea market. It’s not too big but has a variety of offerings. You’ll find old albums, signs, books, cameras, clothes, and jewelry—both Mexican and foreign. Some people find the items overpriced, but you can always bargain.
On the south side of the park vendors specialize in old toys, including action figures, cars, and games. You might just find that missing piece to fill out your collection!
Street Vendors
You’ll find street vendors all over Mexico City, eager to take your pesos in exchange for a hand-made trinket or tacky souvenir. Though you will find them everywhere, there are a few places to reliably find a lot of vendors.
Chapultepec Park
On the pathways in Chapultepec Park, where you’ll find mostly cheap tacky souvenirs, such as magnets, t-shirts, and silly monkey things you put on your head!
Zócalo
At the Plaza Manuel Gamio, next to the Catedral Nacional (Zócalo), you’ll find people dressed in traditional Aztec warrior gear, offering smoke purification and selling assortment of Aztec-y souvenirs.
You never know when you might run across a pop-up street festival on any given day—you might just get lucky!
Boutique Shops
Mexico City is quite cosmopolitan and also has a lot of chichi shops catering to the well-to-do. If that’s you, or just want to splurge on a few select items, you’ll find plenty of boutique shops in Mexico City—particularly in Roma, Condesa, and Polanco.
The best way to find great shops is to just wander. Here are a few you might want to check out (even if you don’t buy anything!) but I’m sure you’ll come across others.
Xinu Perfumes
Xinu Perfumes (2 CDMX locations) offers a variety of products using locally-made fragrances, including perfumes, candles, and incense. Just remember to be mindful of liquid sizes if you are traveling carry-on.
Utilitario Mexicano
Utilitario Mexicano is a high-end home goods store selling practical kitchen stuff as well as decorative items.
Querencia
Querencia (4 CDMX locations) is a plant shop that also sells beautiful ceramics from Oaxaca. You can buy anything from a huge plant pot to a tiny cup with a face on it. I like the location on Campeche in Roma Sur.
Karani-Art
Karani-Art (6 CDMX locations) sells fun, colorful t-shirts. If you are into calaveras (skulls) and rhinestones, this store will be your jam.
Bookstores
A local book that you wouldn’t find back home makes for a great souvenir or gift. Lucky for you, Mexico City loves its books and there are plenty of bookstores sprinkled around town.
Cafebrería El Pendulo
The Roma and Polanco locations of the Cafebrería El Pendulo (4 CDMX locations) are already Insta-famous, and with good reason. The interiors with their high ceilings and walls of books are a bookworm’s delight. You can peruse their great selection of books (including English language), journals, and games, and even have a coffee.
Librería del Fondo de Cultura Económica (Hipódromo)
If you are looking for a specific book in Spanish, you’ll surely find it at Librería del Fondo de Cultura Económica. This huge bookstore does not have the charm of the Cafebreria El Pendulo locations but it has so many more books. They have a small selection of books in English as well.
This shop is across the street from the Saint bakery and Molino El Pujol—both great spots for a snack.
Museum Gift Shops
Museum gift shops are an often-overlooked resource for cool gifts and souvenirs. There are a zillion museums in Mexico City; the ones listed below have pretty good gift shops, especially if you are looking for a nice book or artsy gift.
Note: You can go to the gift shops at Museo Nacional de Antropología, MUNAL, and Monumento a la Revolución without paying for the museum. Museo Soumaya is free, but you still have to go through security and store your bags even if you are only going to the gift shop.
Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Anthropology Museum)
The Museo Nacional de Antropología has a spiffy gift shop with a good assortment of both typical hand-made Mexican handicrafts and more modern factory items (mugs, t-shirts, bags, etc.)
Museo Nacional De Arte (MUNAL) (National Art Museum)
MUNAL has a classy gift shop with items you won’t find everywhere. They have a nice selection of art books, puzzles, small paper cutouts and museum swag. This shop doesn’t really have handicrafts, other than a few hand-made jewelry items and things like that. But it’s all very tasteful.
Monumento a la Revolución
The Monumento a la Revolución is all about the Mexican Revolution, and so is its gift shop. This gift shop has items I’ve only seen here, with t-shirts, bags, posters, etc. honoring the Adelitas (revolutionary women) and other heroes of the revolution.
You do not have to have a ticket to the museum to access the gift shop.
Museo Frida Kahlo
The gift shop at the Museo Frida Kahlo is small and, obviously, Frida-focused. It’s about half books and half Frida items, such as mugs, bags, pens t-shirts, cards, etc. I wouldn’t go out of my way to go here, as you can find Frida stuff everywhere in CDMX, but if you are going to the Museo Frida Kahlo, it’s definitely worth stopping in.
You must have a ticket to the museum to get access to the gift shop.
Colegio de San Ildefonso
The gift shop at the Colegio de San Ildefonso isn’t very big, but it has a few unique and beautiful items. They have a small selection of books (including some that relate to the current special exhibits) as well as posters, pens, etc. They also have a select few unique hand-made items that are lovely.
You must have a ticket to enter the museum gift shop, except on Sundays when the museum is free to all.
Museo Soumaya
You can spent quite a bit of time wandering the huge gift shop at the Museo Soumaya. As expected, they have an excellent selection of art books and art-related cards, mugs, bags, etc. It’s all very nice quality and priced accordingly.
The Museo Soumaya is free, but you have to go through security and check any bags in order to access the gift shop.
Tips for Buying Souvenirs
So, now you know where to go to buy the best souvenirs in Mexico City! Here are a few more tips to help you make the most of your experience.
Shopping around
If you see something you really like, get it. Sure, if you are in a market with a lot of options (like Mercado Coyoacán), shop around a little to make sure it’s the best version at a reasonable price before you buy.
But you don’t want to regret not buying that special something—especially something unique like a painting or a print. Chances are you won’t have time to come back, and you might not find it elsewhere, so just buy it.
Cash vs. credit
If you are planning on shopping at markets, bring cash. Some vendors might take credit cards but you shouldn’t count on it—and even if they do, they might charge a service fee.
Most shops in Mexico City (especially the fancy boutiques and museum shops) will accept credit cards.
Bargaining
Bargaining is acceptable at markets and with street vendors, not so much in shops.
Rule number one of bargaining is: don’t be a jerk.
Rule number two is don’t ever begin a negotiation if you don’t have a true intention to buy at the right price. Once you agree on a price, you are morally committed to the purchase.
I have found that vendors will start at a more inflated price at more touristy places with more touristy items (like Teotihuacán), so you can bargain a little harder there. They are more likely to yell a lower price as you walk away from a bad deal.
If you are in a more local setting and you are not sure, take a few minutes to observe what the locals are doing (it helps if you speak the language). If they are engaging in a back and forth that looks like haggling, you’ll know it’s ok for you to do the same).
Generally, you are more likely to get a deal if you are buying multiples of something—I find they will usually offer that option.
Ultimately, no one likes to be ripped off. But if you are comfortable with the price, just consider how much more that dollar you might save would be worth to the vendor before trying to whittle them down to the very lowest price.
Packing and Import Restrictions
Before you run out and buy all those souvenirs, let’s make sure you can get them home! It’s important to know your options, whether you are traveling carry-on only, checking your bags, or planning to send things in the mail.
Restrictions
Here are a few things to consider before you do your shopping:
- You cannot bring meat, cheese, fruits, vegetables, flowers, or plants to the USA (no chorizo for you!).
- You cannot bring molcajetes in your carry-on.
- You cannot have glass or mirrors in shipped packages.
- You have limits on liquids and gels in your carry-on (I know you know this!). But even something like mole paste might not get through the screening for your carry-on.
Shipping
If you do end up buying something that needs to be shipped, you have a few options. If you are shopping at a high-end store, often they will offer to pack and ship it for you.
If you want to DIY it, I recommend going to a place that can help you pack it (assuming you aren’t stocking packing materials in your luggage). Look for a Mail Boxes Etc (we used the one in Condesa and they were great) or Centro de Envio FedEx near you.
The Mexican post office (Correos de Mexico) might also be an option, but will probably not be as helpful with the packing.
If you are shipping anything of significant size, expect to pay quite a bit, and probably more than you paid for the item itself!
Final Thoughts
After umpteen visits to Mexico, I don’t need any more souvenirs from Mexico, and yet I always manage to find something irresistible without even trying!
Honestly, even wandering the markets without buying anything is a visual delight, so I’d encourage you to explore the markets even if you aren’t a shopper.
And if you find something that catches your eye, go for it.Supporting the artists and artisans who keep their culture alive through the arts is a privilege.
You might also be interested in…
7 Off the Beaten Path Things to Do in Mexico City
9 Classic Eateries in Mexico City That Have Stood the Test of Time
