As Calle Florida became an elegant shopping district in the late 19th century, Francisco Seeber and Emilio Bunge were the main shareholders in the proposed Bon Marché Argentino, inspired by Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle II. Unfortunately, their French investors backed out, but Seeber resurrected the project by 1894 as the Galería Florida.

Six days a week, Plaza Dorrego is a quiet shady square where porteños sip cortados and nibble lunches from nearby cafés. On weekends, though, it swarms with Argentine and foreign visitors who stroll among dozens of antiques stalls at the Feria de San Pedro Telmo, the most famous and colorful of the capital’s numerous street fairs. Items range from antique soda siphons to brightly painted filete plaques with piropos (aphorisms), oversized antique radios, and many other items.

Nearly encircling Plaza Pagano, buskers, bakers, candle-makers, flower arrangers, and other crafts workers have transformed Bolsón’s street fair from a once-a-week gathering to a Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday event (and in summer there is a smaller version on Sunday).

Forgo a restaurant lunch and snack to the max on the Belgian waffles, empanadas, sandwiches, sausages, and sweets, and wash them all down with fresh-brewed draft beer. It starts around 10 a.m. and winds down around 3 p.m. or so.

Weddings, honeymoons, and anniversaries often inspire a quiet retreat. Sunset beach walks, couples’ spa treatments, shopping for fine art or jewelry, dinner by candlelight, and movies on the beach are just a few of the ways to celebrate the occasion. With swim-up bars, private soaking tubs, and full-service spas, several resorts along the Los Cabos Corridor excel in creating that intimate setting. Farther afield, bohemian Todos Santos adds a layer of art and culture to the romance.

Travelers with a week or more can experience the many dimensions of the lower Baja peninsula by making a circular route around the Cape Region via paved highways Mexico 1 and Mexico 19. Extending a total distance of approximately 564 kilometers (350 mi), this route takes visitors along the lower slopes of the Sierra de la Laguna, through the sierra’s former mining towns, across the plains of La Paz, and along the coastlines of the East and West Capes as well as the Corridor between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.

From souvenirs to collectible furnishings, you can find a little of everything along the streets of San José. And unlike in Cabo San Lucas, here you can browse at a leisurely pace without worrying about aggressive shop owners encouraging you to make a purchase.

Arts, Crafts, and Souvenirs

A handicraft market has opened on Boulevard Mijares near Plaza La Misión. About a dozen vendors sell reasonably priced arts and crafts, including hammocks, handmade toys for children, T-shirts, ceramics, sombreros, and more.

The streets of Cabo San Lucas are chockablock with places to buy souvenirs, apparel, fine art, tequila, cigars, and more. A number of upscale shops line the Plaza Fiesta, near the Marina Fiesta hotel, and most of the luxury stores inside the Puerto Paraíso mall are open for business.

Arts, Crafts, and Souvenirs

Across from the main dock, the Marina Mercado (Cabo San Lucas Marina, Lot 4, 9 A.M.–5 P.M. daily) is an arts and crafts market with dozens of vendors selling embroidered dresses, carved ironwood figures, ceramics, and jewelry. Sellers expect to bargain. Inquire about prices at several places before you decide to buy.

Cancún has five major malls, a handful of open-air markets, and hundreds of independent shops, so you can buy just about anything. Most mall and independent shops accept credit cards, but plan on paying cash at the markets.

Shopping in Cozumel is aimed straight at cruise ship passengers—and it’s no wonder, since they tend to spend a lot of money quickly. Avenida Rafael Melgar is where most of the action is, with a succession of marble-floored shops blasting air-conditioning to entice sweaty passersby in for a refreshing look around. Overpriced jewelry, T-shirt, and souvenir shops see the most buyer traffic, although here and there are a few shops worth checking out.

This itinerary tours Chile’s favorite vacation area, the lakes and volcanoes south of the Río Biobío. All along the route, it offers a wide range of outdoor activities, including hiking, climbing, cycling, mountain biking, and white-water rafting. The weather here is fickle and you may need to be flexible in organizing your activities to take best advantage of the finest days.