Maracaibo Shopping and Districts

(Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela)

The best shopping in Maracaibo is where the eateries and hotels are based, which is generally around Calle 77, to the north of the city centre. There are many malls based here, while markets are scattered about the city and include local items from the Guajira tribe.

Jewellery is generally a reliable buy if you know what you are looking at, and hammocks and dark wooden handicrafts are all the rage, making good souvenirs. The Centro Lago and Centro Comercial Galerias (CC Galerias) shopping centres are amongst the best in Maracaibo and come with decent eating and entertainment options.

When to Shop and Where

Maracaibo is one of the top spots in Venezuela for picking up handicrafts and the main market has a vast supply of wooden objects, not all of which are hastily done and tacky. Dark wooden handicrafts in Maracaibo are particularly well received, as are the revealing painted statuettes.

Located on the corner of Calle 96 and the Avenida El Milagro, the Mercado Artesanal San Sebastian is an especially lively market in Maracaibo. Lying to the south of the bustling Paseo de las Ciencas and next to the Plaza Baralt is Las Puglas, a popular flea market with much to spend your holiday money on.

The huge indoor Centro Sambil Maracaibo shopping complex is a fun place to spend an afternoon while the sun beats down on the streets outside. Not only does it have some unique attractions for all the family, it also has many shops and eateries. The Centro Sambil (Sambil Centre) is situated on the Avenida Goajira and is home to the likes of Zara and Lacoste fashion boutiques, along with Venezuela's biggest movie theatre.

The Centro Lago Mall, on the Avenida El Milagro, also gets busy and lies next door to the Hotel del Lago, while the Doral Centre Mall boasts a cinema and an excellent food court. The Centro Comercial Galerias and the Mall Delicias Plaza are good shopping choices too.

Calle 77 also comes with many standalone department stores and boutiques, where you can have both the latest fashions and everyday items. In addition, Maracaibo's colonial areas of Santa Lucia, Santa Rosa de Agua and Calle Carabobo also have lots of souvenir shops.