Must-see shopping in Guatemala

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • Libros del Lago

    Panajachel

    Has a refreshingly good stock of books in English and Spanish on Guatemala, the Maya and Mesoamerica, plus maps and Latin American literature in English.

  • Mercado Central

    Guatemala City

    Until the quake of 1976, Mercado Central, behind the cathedral, was where locals shopped for food and other necessities. Reconstructed after the…

  • Doña María Gordillo Dulces Típicos

    Antigua

    If you want to eat your way around some toothsome traditional Guatemalan sweets and pastries, this is the place for you. Try the coconut macaroons, dulces…

  • Tienda Schwan

    Cobán

    If what your Guatemalan journey lacks is a triple-player chessboard, a Rubix Cube in all sorts of sizes/flavors, or puzzles that will keep you entertained…

  • Mercado de Artesanías

    Antigua

    Masses of Guatemalan handicrafts fill the stalls of this building at the west end of town just below the main market. While not at the top end of the…

  • Jade Maya

    Antigua

    Started by a pair of North American archaeologists who were researching ancient jade quarries in the Motagua valley, this shop features a jade workshop…

  • Centro de Arte Popular

    Antigua

    Inside the courtyard shopping arcade Casa Antigua El Jaulón, this shop/museum displays Tz'utujil oil paintings, cedar figurines, masks and other crafts…

  • Mercado La Democracia

    Quetzaltenango

    For one of Xela's more intense everyday marketing experiences, hit the Mercado La Democracia, about 10 blocks north of Parque Centro América in Zona 3,…

  • Mercado de Artesanías

    Lago de Atitlán

    This small but excellent market on the upper level of the town hall displays beautiful huipiles, beadwork, bags and other crafts produced by a cooperative…

  • Grupo Ecológico Teixchel

    San Pedro La Laguna

    This is a Tz'utujil women's collective that sells fair-trade woven goods and offers weaving classes for Q30 per hour (not including materials). It's about…

  • Mercado La Terminal

    Quetzaltenango

    The hectic, sprawling market immediately south of the main bus terminal is an endless labyrinth of stalls piled high with produce echoing with the cries…

  • Sophos

    Guatemala City

    A relaxed place to read while in the Zona Viva, with a good selection of books in English on Guatemala and the Maya, including Lonely Planet guides, and…

  • Ut'z Bat'z

    Chichicastenango

    This fair-trade shop by the plaza's southwest corner displays the work of a local women's cooperative comprising 30 weavers, including scarves, shawls,…

  • Central Market

    Quetzaltenango

    Xela's central market is three floors of reasonably priced handicrafts, as well as everyday items and fresh produce. Souvenir hunters will need to bargain…

  • Mercado de Artesanías

    Guatemala City

    This sleepy official market near the museums and zoo sells fabrics, clothes and other standard souvenirs without the crowds of the other markets.

  • El Reino del Jade

    Antigua

    This shop near the Santa Catalina arch specializes in designer jewelry featuring jade and other gems.

  • Oakland Mall

    Guatemala City

    One of Guatemala City's fancier shopping malls.

  • Plaza El Amate

    Guatemala City

    Less hectic than the central market, the Plaza El Amate features a satisfying jumble of everyday items, clothes, CDs and DVDs mixed in with souvenirs and…

  • Centro Comercial Los Próceres

    Guatemala City

    One of the first malls in Guatemala, this has been surpassed by many others, but is still a standby for fashion boutiques, electronic goods and other…

  • Plaza Santa Fé

    Central & Eastern Guatemala

    Next to the basilica, this shopping market has all sorts of trinkets, souvenirs, clothes, textiles and more.

  • Centro Comercial El Dorado

    Panajachel

    This small shopping center by the main junction contains cafes and a nightclub, as well as a variety of everyday stores.

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