Markets of Guadalajara
When shopping in Guadalajara, you’re sure to hear about the city’s traditional covered markets. San Juan de Dios is arguable the most famous and is the largest in Latin America. Others include el mercado de Abastos, and mercado del mar. There is a delightful antiques market held every Sunday in Avenida de Mexico in Chapultepec. If interested in going ask about el mercado de trocaderos de antiguades. We suggest you visit these places to browse for economically priced souvenirs. They are also fascinating because they are crowded with local tourist from Jalisco, especially on weekends. If you prefer to browse for beautiful handcrafts however, there are arguably better options.
Artisanal Towns Around Guadalajara
The Guadalajara metropolitan area includes two municipalities famous for the production and sale of handcrafts. Tlaquepaque and Tonala have a long history of artisanal excellence, and each in its own way offers a unique experience.
Tlaquepaque – A Shopper’s Paradise
Take our Tlaquepaque Walking Tour and spend the afternoon and evening enjoy the world class offerings of this town. Tlaquepaque is internationally recognized for the quality and variety of its handcrafts. Many of the items are produced in nearby Tonala, another artisanal town with hundreds of years of pre-hispanic tradition in artisanal excellence. What separates the shopping experience in Tlaquepaque from both Guadalajara and Tonala, is its more tranquil ambience. Most the shops are located in two main thoroughfares, calle Juarez and calle Independencia. Here within an area of only about 10 square blocks, shoppers are thoroughly spoiled for choice. Shops sell ceramics, leather goods, jewelry, artwork, clothing, blown glass, stained glass, and even artisanally packaged Mexican sweets and other specialty snack items.
Shipping Mexican Handcrafts Home
With so much from which to choose, you might quickly exceed the amount of purchases you can add to your luggage allowance. There are several local companies who can assist you with packaging and shipping of their items to the USA, Canada and most other countries. Take our walking tour of Tlaquepaque and we will be happy to help you connect with one of them.