Shopping · San Juan · Puerto Rico
Shopping in San Juan
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Old San Juan has local crafts, art and souvenir shops, Condado's Ashford Avenue has luxury brands, and Plaza Las Américas in Hato Rey is one of the biggest malls in the Caribbean. Best souvenirs: Vejigante masks, Santos and Puerto Rican coffee.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Vejigante masks
Where to shop
Calle Fortaleza and Calle del Cristo
Old San Juan's main streets for crafts, jewellery, art and souvenirs.
Ashford Avenue, Condado
Designer boutiques and resort-wear shops.
Plaza Las Américas
Large mall in Hato Rey with department stores and local chains, a short walk from a Tren Urbano station.
Markets
Plaza del Mercado de Santurce
Produce market at La Placita with fruit, herbs and juice stalls.
Plaza del Mercado de Río Piedras
A large, traditional market hall in Río Piedras for produce, botanicals and cheap eats.
What to buy
Vejigante masks
Colourful horned papier-mâché or coconut masks from the festival traditions of Loíza and Ponce.
Santos
Hand-carved wooden figures of saints, a traditional Puerto Rican folk art.
Puerto Rican coffee
Beans from the central mountain region, sold in cafés and shops.
Puerto Rican rum
Bottles from the island's distilleries, including aged rums.
Güiro
A gourd scraper used in Puerto Rican folk and salsa music.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Street · Santurce
Santurce murals and Calle Cerra
Large-scale murals by Puerto Rican and international artists cover buildings around Calle Cerra and Calle Loíza, many created during the Santurce es Ley street-art festival.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Market · Santurce
La Placita de Santurce
The Plaza del Mercado is a produce market with fruit stalls and juice bars by day, and at night the surrounding square fills with crowds dancing salsa and reggaetón outside bars and restaurants, especially at weekends.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Iconic
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Tostones, Piña colada, Quesitos and Puerto Rican coffee. As a side or starter in nearly every restaurant. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Condado | $$$$ | Hotel-lined Atlantic beach strip along Ashford Avenue |
| Isla Verde | $$$ | Resort and condo strip on a long beach next to the airport |
| Santurce | $$ | Murals, the art museum, La Placita's market and the city's best restaurants |
| Miramar | $$$ | Leafy residential district of early 20th-century houses on the bay |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in USD. Tip 15–20% at restaurants unless a service charge is included, $1–$2 per drink at bars, 15% for taxis, and a few dollars a day for hotel housekeeping.
- Cover up when leaving the beach; swimwear is not worn in Old San Juan's streets and shops.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in September; the busiest months are December–February.
- January: Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián — street festival in Old San Juan (usually mid-to-late January)
- December: Christmas season with parrandas and lights in Old San Juan (December)
Staying near the shops
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in San Juan?
Vejigante masks, Santos, Puerto Rican coffee and Puerto Rican rum.
+Where is the best shopping in San Juan?
Calle Fortaleza and Calle del Cristo: Old San Juan's main streets for crafts, jewellery, art and souvenirs.
+What are the best markets in San Juan?
Plaza del Mercado de Santurce and Plaza del Mercado de Río Piedras.