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Caraqueños are style-conscious, which accounts for the city's numerous modern shopping centers. Jewelry (especially gold) and leather goods (including shoes, handbags, and luggage) are some of the best purchases in Caracas, but don't expect a steal. Prices are often high in the wake of sobering inflation.
One area that continues to draw crowds, even if it is somewhat seedy and unsavory, is the Bulevar de Sabana Grande. Once a main traffic thoroughfare, this is a bustling promenade where Caraqueños converge to browse in the tiny shops or chat over a marrón grande (large coffee) in one of the many cafés that line the streets. The area can be crowded, so beware of pickpockets.
The Central Comercial Ciudad Tamanaco, east of Las Mercedes in the suburb of Chuao, attracts crowds with its upstairs cinemas, fast-food restaurants, and swanky boutiques.
Centro Sambil, the largest mall in South America, is a five-level behemoth packed with more than 500 shops, restaurants, theaters, and even amusement-park rides.
El Buzcón is a fantastic book shop in the basement of the Paseo Las Mercedes Mall. You can find used art books, reading material about Venezuela, calendars with photographs of local animal life, and even colorful journals.
El Recreo is the newest of the large-scale malls and boasts the best food court in the city.
On the same floor of the mall you'll find a great little chocolate shop called Kakao —choose an artistic little box emblazoned with artwork by local artists, and fill it with the elegant chocolates behind the counter. Flavors range from Earl Grey to parchita (passionfruit), ron (rum), and even culo de bachaco (literally "ass of the ant"), a spicy concoction that really is filled with ground-up ants—a traditional delicacy in some parts.
Besides its restaurants and clubs, Las Mercedes is overflowing with fancy boutiques and fashionable shops. The most exclusive are often tucked into side streets. Avoid its main strip, Avenida Principal de Las Mercedes, which has an overwhelming collection of cheap clothing stores.
One of the most popular markets is the Thursday- and Saturday-morning Mercadito de Chacao, where you can stroll through the stands overflowing with fruits and vegetables. It's a block from Avenida Francisco de Miranda in the Chacao district.
Las Mercedes has its own sprawling shopping complex, Paseo de Las Mercedes.
San Ignacio is a mall in La Castellana with fine shopping (such as Merrell, Dockers, Swatch, and Guess, plus much more interesting boutiques) and even better nightlife.
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