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Shopping is one of my favorite pastimes, so it comes without saying that when I am in another country, I love to seek out the local markets for unique souvenirs and crafts.
Quito’s Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal was only a block away from our hotel and after one of our long days seeing the sights of the city, we made a quick visit to see if I could find an addition to my nativity collection. This market was very similar to the ones I had visited in Peru and Guatemala and offered some unique and sometimes similar pieces. Even though I found the Ecuadorian addition to my collection, I held off on making additional purchases.
Having heard of the large open-air market in Otavalo, we decided that we would hire a driver to take us there to see what rare treasures we could find.
The colorful Indian market is the largest in Ecuador and located about a two hour drive from Quito in the Imbabura Province of Ecuador. Market days are held every day, but the biggest days are Wednesday and Saturday and products that are offered are some of the nicest in Latin America.
Built in 1970 on the Plaza de los Ponchos, the market consists of concrete umbrella shaped stalls with benches. A prime tourist destination, the town attracts visitors who not only come to see what exclusive goods they can discover but those seeking a romantic destination or one that offers a wide array of outdoor activities including hiking, crater lakes, volcanoes and parks.
Parking on the street nearby, we decided on a time to meet our driver later and made our way through the rows of vendor’s tables and umbrellas to discover what makes this market one of the most recommended by everyone I had spoken to.
As it was a Saturday, the market was quite busy and had taken over all of the side streets leading to the plaza. We wove our through the rows of vendors, stopping to inspect the different wares offered by each…ponchos, jewelry, sweaters, wall hangings, shawls, purses, jackets, masks, food items…you name it! There were even nativity sets, although I was quite content with what I had purchased in Quito.
After a while, the sheer size of the market and the amount of merchandise available for purchase was quite overwhelming. With so much competition, it was easy to barter with the stall owners, many of which were dressed in traditional outfits of white embroidered blouses with lace sleeves, and black or dark blue over skirts with white underskirts for the women and white trousers and dark blue ponchos for men. Once we had made a few purchases for ourselves and family, I began to really to take note (and lots of photos) of how colorful and beautiful my surroundings were.
With quite a bit of time left before meeting our driver, I was quite content to take a seat near the front of the plaza, people watch and try to photographically capture the excitement and hustle and bustle of the market and its participants.
So, in the end…was the two hour drive worth what we discovered?
I think the market in Quito, though not as colorful and energetic as the one in Otavalo, offered just as much of a selection of goods as what we found there. It was nice, however, to be able to discover something in another Ecuadorian city and see what else this beautiful country has to offer.
And…in the end…I got some pretty cool photos!
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Otavalo Market
- Address: Plaza de los Ponchos, Otavalo, Imbabura 100450
- Hours: Daily, 0700-1800
- Admission: free
- Getting There: By bus, from North Terminal, 2-3 hours depending on road work, $5 per person. By car, take the Pan American highway to the north from Quito.
Mercado de Artesanías El Mariscal
- Address: Reina Victoria and Juan Leon Mera on Jorge Washington Road, Quito Pichincha 170150
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 0930-1830, Saturday, 0930-1900, Sunday, 1030-1730
- Admission: free