El Mercado, San Antonio

One of the neatest things about San Antonio shopping is the opportunity to buy great Mexican-made items. Although there are scores of small boutiques and shops throughout the city that sell Mexican goods, you may want to shop where virtually every conceivable kind of Mexican handicraft is represented. If that's the case, you'll want to head to the largest Mexican market in the United States: El Mercado. Located in Market Square, a few blocks from the River Walk, San Antonians have come here for generations to shop at the Farmer's Market and to El Mercado, a traditional Mexican marketplace.

What to Buy: Clothing and textiles are always best-sellers at El Mercado. The traditional Mexican dress, complete with an embroidered bodice and short sleeves, starts at about $35. When choosing a quality garment, look for tight embroidery stitches. Men's shirts, called guayaberas, are found throughout the stores as well. These solid-color, short-sleeved shirts, decorated with pleating and stitching, are worn outside the pants.

Blankets are another popular item. Many stores sell striped ones in a variety of sizes and colors, most made from a wool blend.

Piñatas are found throughout Market Square. At Mexican birthday parties, one of these colorful paper creations is filled with candy and hung from a tree. Blindfolded children take turns swinging at the vessel with a stick until someone finally breaks it and the loot spills all over the ground. Look for piñatas in the shapes of watermelons, clowns, donkeys, and even parrots.

Cascarones, dyed eggshells filled with paper confetti and covered with tissue paper, are sold in many stores. They're especially popular during the annual Fiesta, when children break them over the heads of their friends (or sometimes complete strangers).

Location: 514 W. Commerce

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