Shopping in Cuenca
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A
Barranco
This old hat factory has an interesting museum where you can see how panamas were made over the years and witness them being made in the present. Upstairs there’s a nice café and a cheesy exhibit where you can dress up as a chola cuencana – hat, skirt and all. Plenty of hats are for sale, and you can even custom order a panama (especially important if you have a big head).
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Hat Shopping
Cuenca is the center of the panama hat industry and one of the best places to buy straw hats. Cuenca's hat tradition - and its haberdasheries - can be roughly divided into two types: hats for export (panama hats) and hats made for and used by local indigenous people.
Visit one of Cuenca's traditional hatters on Tarqui and you'll see hundreds of refurbished white straw hats, tagged for their owners and hanging everywhere. They usually have a few top-quality hats for sale, too. Other hat shops are tourist oriented.
Check out: Casa del Sombrero Alberto Pulla, Sombreros Don Migui (Tarqui near Calle Larga), Barranco, Homero Ortega P & Hijos, and La Paja Toquilla, This small…
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Craft Stores & Stalls
There are several good craft stores along Gran Colombia and on the blocks just north of Parque Calderón. The best place for a serious spree, however, is the Casa de la Mujer , which houses over 100 craft stalls and makes for hours of shopping fun.
The Thursday Plaza Rotary market (Mariscal Lamar & Hermano Miguel) is mainly for locals (which means pigs and polyester, fruit and furniture), but there are a few craft stalls. You're best off heading to the nearby craft market, which has an odd but interesting combination of basketry, ceramics, iron-work, kitchen utensils, bright plastic animals, gaudy religious paraphernalia and guinea pig roasters (great gift for mom, but…
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Markets
Thursday is the main market day and there's a smaller market on Saturday. The two main market areas are Plaza San Francisco and Plaza Rotary. The San Francisco market is mainly for locals, though there's a row of stalls on the north side with weavings and sweaters from Otavalo. The market at Plaza Rotary is mainly fruits and vegetables. Both markets are lively and interesting, and continue on a smaller scale throughout the week.
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Plaza de San Francisco Market
The Plaza de San Francisco Market has an interesting combination of basketry, ceramics, ironwork, wooden utensils, plastic trinkets, gaudy religious paraphernalia and guinea pig roasters (great gift for mom, but tough to get home). It also has a large contingent of otavaleños (people from Otavalo) selling sweaters and weavings on its north side.
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Eduardo Vega
Just below the Mirador de Turi is the home, workshop and studio of Eduardo Vega, Ecuador’s most important ceramic artist. His colorful terracotta and enamel murals grace walls all over Cuenca and the rest of Ecuador. Sculpture, vases and plates are for sale, and the affable artist is often hanging around and ready to chat.
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Casa del Sombrero Alberto Pulla
The hats of Cuenca’s most famous hatter, the charming 81-year-old Alberto Pulla, have graced the noggins of presidents, celebrities and hundreds of local indigenous women. In the early days he worked with chemicals that damaged his throat and has since lost his voice, but he still welcomes visitors into his shop with a smile.
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Artesa
Artesa is a big Ecuadorian ceramics company that incorporates old Andean ceramic styles into high-quality, hand-painted pieces. If you just can’t live without a dinner service, they will happily ship it home for you. Tours of the factory may be available, especially if you are with a group.
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Craft Market
The craft market has an odd but interesting combination of basketry, ceramics, iron-work, kitchen utensils, bright plastic animals, gaudy religious paraphernalia and guinea pig roasters (great gift for mom, but tough to get home).
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Casa de la Mujer
On the west side of the Plaza de San Francisco Market is the Casa de la Mujer, which houses over 100 craft stalls selling handmade musical instruments, embroidered clothing, baskets, jewelry and more.
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F
Homero Ortega P & Hijos
More akin to a hat emporium, this is Ecuador’s best-known hat seller. The company exports around the world and has a huge selection of high-quality men’s and women’s straw hats.
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Sombreros Don Migui
A hatter that works more with the local market, this old place sells panamas from $15, including durable dobles, which are double woven.
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Plaza Rotary Market
The Thursday Plaza Rotary market is mainly for locals (which means pigs and polyester, fruit and furniture), but there are a few craft stalls.
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La Paja Toquilla
This small store sells some stylish straw hats in both men's and women's styles.
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Acción
An outdoor supplies shop for camping, fishing, mountaineering, knives and more.
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Artículos Deportivos
An outdoor supplies shop that sells butane for stoves and a few other supplies.
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Explorador Andino
Sells camping, fishing and mountaineering gear, and more.
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