Very large, full of all kinds of handmade items from Guatemala and absolutely beautiful! 😊
The Mercado Artesanal in Antigua, a market where you can buy handmade items, is, in my opinion, the second largest and second most extensive market for Guatemalan clothing (including for men!), shoes, bags, scarves, jewellery, figurines, paintings and much more. The largest is undoubtedly Chichicastenango. But more on that in another post 😊
The Mercado Artesanal in Antigua is located near the bus terminal, from where the chicken buses depart, relatively far outside the centre. There is actually one in the centre, but it is much smaller, more expensive and doesn’t even come close to offering the same selection. The Mercado Artesanal is not the cheapest either – you have to haggle – but it’s okay and there’s a lot to choose from! And in all colours, shapes and versions. Really just beautiful 😊
And if you need a little break, there is also an open-air courtyard with a fountain in the middle. Oh, and another special feature: the stalls all have fixed locations here. So the whole thing is in a building with an official entrance, etc.

Go in or not? Yes you should definitely go. Even if it’s not your favourite style or thing to do, you’ll get a very good impression of Guatemala, its culture and everything that is made by hand in this country! Really impressive to be honest.