Saturdays are buzzing with market activity in Diamantina, which is quaint and reminiscent of old times.

Our Diamantina shopping guide below will tell you all you need to know about shopping in Diamantina. If you get hungry or wish to take a break whilst shopping, you should try one of the relxing and tasty Diamantina restaurants. Also, taking a look at our Brazil shopping guide will give you some more shopping ideas.

Diamantina Shopping Guide

Diamantina plays an important role as a vital economic hub for the Jequitinhonha Valley. As a market town, it serves as a stock yard for wares sent in from far flung towns of northeastern Minas before they are shipped to Belo Horizonte.

Just a few yards from the cathedral is the stunning building of old Mercado dos Tropeiros on Praça Barão do Guaicuí, which is the hub of trade in Diamantina. Built in 1835, it is a beautiful tiled wooden structure constructed by the Brazilian army. It looks elegant with its numerous beautiful arches and rustic exterior. The famous architect Niemeyer, who lived briefly in Diamantina in the 1950s while building Hotel do Tijuco, was so inspired by this building that he later used the shape and exterior to model the Palácio da Alvorada, the presidential palace in Brasilia.

Diamantina Markets

Saturdays are buzzing with market activity and make for a great Diamantina shopping experience. Saturday markets are quite quaint and reminiscent of old times. With a distinct northeastern influence, you can see ponies and carts bringing in blocks of salt and mounds of sugar. Various types of local cheeses and doces are also on display. If you have a strong digestive track, you may even dare to try the food stalls serving sizzling hot mineiro sausages or linguiça.

On other days of the week, the Diamantina market place wears a cultural and literary look, hosting exhibitions and book stalls. The ground floor shops in Diamantina are open for business everyday as usual. The views from the market place are enticing. You get a fabulous view of the market square from here, with beautiful colonial window frames and classic balconies displaying intricate iron work.

Local Handicrafts

Shopping wise, the most typical offerings of the Jequitinhonha Valley are its charming clay pottery and figurines. If you are looking for artefacts and collectibles specifically from this area, you may not find the artesanato collection as wide or varied. For better prices and friendly customer service, you could browse some of the options listed below.

You can also find some sturdy hammocks, arraiolos carpets, traditional wall hangings and long lasting cotton garments here. Actually, there are many carpet stalls all around the town, which display a fine collection. If jewellery is what you're looking for, you'll find indigenously mined semiprecious stones set in some unique ornaments by local craftsmen.

Money

While making your purchases, it is best to carry cash in small denominations. You'll realise that not many business establishments in these small towns can offer change for large notes, so it is better to be equipped accordingly. Though by law, all shops in Diamantina are required to tender exact change to customers, in reality it is not always possible for small tradesmen to do so.

If you are carrying traveller's cheques, you may not come across any exchange bureaus except at the international airport. The recommended option is to exchange them at the major cities, such as Belo Horizonte, São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.

It is good to get familiar with the Brazilian currency - you'll find two different kinds of R$10 bills. One is blue and made of polymer (nowadays are hard to find), while the other is red and made of flax paper like the rest of the bills.