Shopping in Antigua, Guatemala

Guatemala has a rich and ancient tradition of weaving using all-natural materials. You can find the best prices for traditional textiles at Antigua’s souvenir markets. The downside, though, is it can be hard to tell how an item was made and its quality and value if you’re unfamiliar with textiles, and getting the best deal can require bargaining. The souvenir markets are Nim Po’t, Mercado Municipal de Artesanías by the Central Market, Mercado de Artesanías El Carmen, and the smaller Mercadito de Artesanías by Cafe Condesa. I recommend checking out Nim Po’t, which has set prices, and one of the three craft (artesanía) markets where bargaining is part of the process, as they are all similar.

Colibrí is one of my favorite stores in Antigua. It has a wide selection of artisanal products made by over 500 local artisans. You’ll find all kinds of handwoven textiles in traditional and modern styles, including tableware, bedding, clothing, and handbags. The shop also sells hand-carved wooden utensils, handmade beeswax candles from Edén, which provides employment opportunities to the disabled, and so much more. The store is full of color, and the staff are super friendly and happy to help, whether you buy something or not. It’s a fun place to shop, with something for everyone.

Guatemala has exceptional coffee produced in eight different regions of the country. If you’re interested in learning about the coffee-making process, consider a tour of a local coffee farm where you can buy coffee directly from the farm. Otherwise, buy from an artisan coffee shop if you like their coffee! They source the highest quality coffee from small, local producers. I loved the coffee I bought at El Gran Café. Not only was it the strongest coffee I had in Guatemala, but it’s sold in a beautiful tin that’s great for gifting (coffee is often sold in air-sealed bags), with all the info you’d want printed on it, like toast date, variety, flavor profile, region, farm, and any awards.

Cacao has been central to Mesoamerican culture for thousands of years. My go-to place for quality chocolate is Maya Cacao Chocolateria. They sell truffles, chocolate bars, and cacao in different forms. You can also order hot chocolate or do a chocolate workshop. Another option in the main square is ChocoMuseo. It’s not a Guatemalan company but produces chocolate locally. You can buy chocolate, order chocolate-based drinks, or take their popular bean-to-bar chocolate workshop.

Guatemala is the world’s leading producer of cardamom. Since it’s produced almost entirely for export, you won’t find quality cardamom for sale in Antigua. You can buy the best, single-source Guatemalan cardamom on the market from Burlap & Barrel online. They’re a fantastic company working to make the spice trade more equitable for farmers and transparent and traceable for consumers while bringing the highest-quality spices to market. Burlap & Barrel partners with Don Amilcar, a small-scale, independent farmer in Alta Verapaz. Learn about him and the cardamom trade in Saveur’s article “Meet the Farmer Shaking up the Guatemalan Cardamom Trade.”