What to Buy in Salta and Northern Argentina: Handicrafts and Gifts

Every trip comes with an old dilemma: do you really need to bring a souvenir for everyone at the office? Does that friend you rarely see deserve a fridge magnet from your trip to the north?

Where to buy handicrafts in Northern Argentina

Souvenirs are part and parcel of travel. We all like to be taken back, even for a moment, to another corner of the country or the world just by holding an object brought from there.

Northern Argentina is famous for its handicrafts, which reflect the rich local culture through art, clothing and food.

The trick is to make that souvenir stand out: a special gift for someone you love, or a treasured object for yourself, so you never forget the places you visited.

Next time, consider a stop in Seclantás, in Salta, where artisans still weave beautiful ponchos and tapestries on their looms, true works of art. One word of caution about wool: the vicuña is a protected species, and its fiber should not be bought in handicrafts.

Something to eat or drink never fails, and the north has plenty of options: from Tucumán sugarcane honey to delicious empanadas you can take home frozen and bake as soon as you land!

Wines from the Calchaquí Valleys or a good craft beer, such as Me Echó La Burra (brewed in San Carlos, Salta), are always a hit.

Sweets are another delicious attraction in souvenir shops. Colaciones, candied walnuts, quesillo cheese, dulce de leche, cayote and cuaresmillo preserves, and alfajores always make great gifts.

A trip through the north stimulates every sense, and a musical instrument can also be a wonderful present: quenas, sikus, charangos and even handmade luthier guitars can be found both in Salta and along the Quebrada de Humahuaca, in Jujuy province.

If you enjoy walking around markets, Salta's Mercado Artesanal (handicraft market) is a pleasant outing: it is housed in an old colonial mansion a little outside downtown. The Sunday street fair on Balcarce Street is another good place to pick up a souvenir, as are the markets in the villages of Purmamarca, Tilcara, Humahuaca and even Iruya.

Of course, the main thing is to enjoy your trip to the fullest, but it never hurts to take a piece of those places home to share with the people who matter to you. On your next trip through the NOA, don't forget to come back with a souvenir that lasts forever… or at least until your next visit!