Must-see shopping in Central America

  • Galería de Helio Gutiérrez

    Masaya & Los Pueblos Blancos

    The recipient of more international awards than any other master in the village, Helio combines geometric, traditional and contemporary design elements in…

  • Papayas on market

    Feria Verde de Aranjuez

    San José

    For a foodie-friendly cultural experience, don't miss this fabulous Saturday market, a meeting place for San José's artists and organic growers since 2010…

  • Garden Shop

    Granada

    A fantastic addition to the popular Garden Café, this sustainably minded boutique offers crafts, jewelry, clothing and artwork produced through NGOs and…

  • Luna Azul

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    In a new home next to Pensión Santa Elena, this cute gallery and gift shop is packed to the gills with locally made jewelry, clothing, soaps, sculpture…

  • Bisha Cra

    Southern Costa Rica & Península de Osa

    Near the entrance to Boruca village (coming from Curré), this excellent shop stocks a wide range of local crafts, including some superb examples of…

  • Galería de Arte Casa Congo

    Portobelo

    A wonderful gallery with museum-quality pieces made mainly by Afro-Caribbean craftspeople and artists. Helpful displays explain the cultural background of…

  • Jagua Arts & Crafts

    Puerto Jiménez

    A terrific, well-stocked crafts shop, featuring local art and jewelry, a wonderful collection of colorful Boruca masks and black-and-ocher Guaitil pottery…

  • Karavan

    Panama City

    An excellent place to find original Guna embroidery with modern designs and Congo art from Portobelo, Karavan commissions local artists, works closely to…

  • Nostalgia de Nicaragua Cigar

    Managua

    Step inside the humedor to choose from Nicaragua's finest cigars, hand-rolled in Mombacho and Estelí. Look out for Joya de Nicaragua, Padrón, AJ Fernández…

  • Artesanias Togopala

    Western Honduras

    This little shop just east of Parque Central has a huge selection of gorgeous, handwoven Lenca ponchos, shawls, scarves and more. You'll likely find one…

  • Red Clay

    Masaya & Los Pueblos Blancos

    This stellar shop mostly stocks high-end pieces by Miguel Maldonado, winner of national and international awards, which blend traditional, geometric and…

  • Galería de Arte Ortíz

    Masaya & Los Pueblos Blancos

    Internationally renowned José Ortiz produces very distinctive contemporary pottery known for its cubistic forms reminiscent of Picasso and its use of bold…

  • Market

    Antigua

    Antigua's market – chaotic, colorful and always busy – sprawls north of 4a Calle Poniente. The best days are the official market days (Monday, Thursday…

  • Masks, Handicraft Market, Antigua, Guatemala, Central America

    Nim Po't

    Antigua

    This brilliant, sprawling depot has a huge collection of Maya clothing, as well as hundreds of masks, wood carvings, kites, refrigerator magnets, assorted…

  • Beermarkt

    Beermarkt

    Panama City

    German owned and run, Beermarkt is the go-to place for beer lovers in Panama. Located in the expat area of Clayton, it offers a great range of brews ($2…

  • Artesanías Reinaldo Quirós

    Coclé Province

    The workshop and residence of one of La Pintada's most famous hat makers is in the center of town on the west side of the soccer field. He'll gladly show…

  • Sololá Market

    Lago de Atitlán

    Sololá's market is one of the most vivid in the highlands. The sprawling Mercado Mayoreo (wholesale market) uphill of the Parque Centroamérica serves the…

  • Hecho a Mano

    La Fortuna

    There’s no shortage of souvenirs for sale in La Fortuna, but this shop is something special, carrying an excellent selection of arts and crafts by local…

  • Biesanz Woodworks

    San José

    Located in the hills of Bello Horizonte in Escazú, the workshop of Biesanz Woodworks can be difficult to find, but the effort is be well worth it. This…

  • Crafted for Connaisseurs

    Managua

    Mostly a gourmet food store, Crafted for Connaisseurs sells boxes of handmade Nicaraguan Momotombo chocolates, superb Cielo Isla coffee, plus other single…

  • Goodlight Books

    Central Valley & Highlands

    Book-a-holics, rejoice! Alajuela has one of the best English-language bookstores in the country (if not Central America). Well-organized Goodlight offers…

  • Samaritan Xocolata

    The Road to Chirripó

    This artisanal chocolatier transforms Costa Rican cocoa beans into rich, dark, creamy, spicy, nut and fruit-filled temptations. Its secret is organic…

  • Monteverde Art House

    Monteverde & Santa Elena

    You’ll find several rooms stuffed with colorful Costa Rican artistry here. The goods include jewelry, ceramic work, Boruca textiles and traditional…

  • Cocotales

    Playa Sámara

    Carlos Caicedo travels around South America to procure gorgeous semiprecious stones, which he crafts into fine jewelry right here in the back of his shop,…

  • Sin Domicilio Fijo

    San José

    In downtown Escazú, this art and design shop is ensconced in a 150-year-old house with adobe walls, near the southwest corner of Escazú's church. It's…

  • Esperanza En Acción

    Managua

    An excellent selection of fair-trade crafts from all over Nicaragua, made by 31 groups of local artisans. There is exquisite pottery, woven bags, jewelry,…

  • Mercado del Carmen

    Antigua

    Next to the ruins of the Iglesia El Carmen, this excellent market is a good place to browse for textiles, pottery and jade, particularly on weekends, when…

  • Queso Canaán

    The Road to Chirripó

    After a trip to Switzerland, Wilberth and Katia Mata turned their Canaán dairy farm into an artisanal cheese facility, specializing in the creamy, holy,…

  • Artesanías Jacobo

    Masaya & Los Pueblos Blancos

    Young artist Jacobo Potosme specializes in traditional pottery styles, combined with fine geometric detail. Some of his pieces combine several patterns in…

  • Neptune’s House of Hammocks

    La Fortuna

    On the road to La Fortuna Waterfall, Rastaman Daniel been watching the tourist traffic come and go for more than a decade while he and Yesenia weave magic…

  • Cerámica Miguel Ángel

    Masaya & Los Pueblos Blancos

    Miguel Ángel Calero, known locally as Michelangelo, is well-known for his finely detailed geometric pieces, as well as pottery influenced by pre-Columbian…

  • La Casa del Jade

    Antigua

    More than just a jewelry shop, the Casa has a small museum displaying dozens of pre-Hispanic jade pieces and an open workshop where you can admire the…

  • Oxlajuj B'atz'

    Panajachel

    Supporting an NGO for the empowerment of indigenous women, this fair-trade shop features beautiful naturally dyed rugs, handbags, handwoven goods and…

  • Pixan

    Quetzaltenango

    Outlet shop for the women's empowerment association AMA (highland women's association), Pixan sells beautiful high-quality textiles and clothing produced…

  • Maya Arte Nativo

    Antigua

    This long and narrow shop has a superior selection of bright local handicrafts and home decorations, from flocks of miniature birds to hang from Christmas…

  • Pasaje Enríquez

    Quetzaltenango

    On the west side of the park, Pasaje Enríquez is an imposing but gorgeous arcade built in 1896 after a structure in Florence, Italy, and houses an…

  • Organic Market

    Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

    Don't miss the weekly organic market, where local vendors and growers sell snacks typical of the region, particularly tropical produce and chocolate…

  • Artesanía Bribrí

    Bocas del Toro Town

    This centrally located and heavily stocked shop sells hammocks, clothing and local handicrafts, such as jute bags made by indigenous Ngäbe people, molas…

  • Lulu Berlu Gallery

    Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

    On a backstreet parallel to the main road, this gallery carries folk art, jewelry, ceramics, embroidered purses and mosaic mirrors, among many other one…

  • Librería La Casa del Conde

    Antigua

    Bookshop with a good selection of English as well as Spanish titles, including books on Central American history and politics, plus nature guides,…

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