Patio Bellavista Souvenirs, Santiago

What to buy here: Copper crafts and jewelry | Crin figurines | Hand-made leather crafts | Lapis lazuli jewelry | Mapuche Woven fabrics | Prensado de Flores y Frutas | Rapanui (Easter Island Moai statues).

Easter Island is the most remote inhabited place on earth and has been part of Chilean heritage since 1888. The Moai represent ancestral chiefs who were believed to be descended directly from the gods and whose supernatural powers could be harnessed for the benefit of humanity. The massive stone figures were generally erected facing inland to keep watch over the local community.

The Moai are characterized by long sloping noses, strong brows, deeply inset eyes, and prominent chins. Some examples also wear a hat-like cylinder made of red stone on their heads. While the original moai are made from volcanic rock, gift moais’ are made from copper, wood, lapis lazuli, and many other beautiful stones. Keyrings with Moai statues start around $2. If contemplating a life-size Moai statue, be careful with your weight limit while traveling, the original Moai’s weight is over 10 metric tons.

The best place to buy a Moai statue is on Easter Island itself, however, in Santiago we recommend Patio Bellavista, a wonderful mix of 20 trendy restaurants and 50 fine crafts shops.