25 Best Places to Shop in The Highlands, Guatemala

Artesanías Innova exhibits and sells beautiful textiles and ceramics created by nine highlands artisan cooperatives.

Bazar de Café sells fine roasted coffee from here in the highlands (fair-trade, of course).

Named for its location, the Bus Stop Bookshop has many used books in English.

Purchase coffee from area cooperatives at Café Conciencia, as well as peanut butter and macadamia nuts.

You'll find the best selection of traditional handmade masks at Casa de Máscaras Santo Tomás just down the street from the Santo Tomás church. These folks stay open every day of the week.

Casa Maya has a distinctive array of quality T-shirts.

Near Parque Centro América, the Centro Comercial Municipal has a more limited selection of souvenirs.

The best-known buy-at-the-source purveyor of hand-blown glass is the artisans' cooperative COPAVIC. Come to watch works being created from recycled glass weekday mornings at its showroom/factory 10 km (6 mi) south of town.

Creaciones Utzil manufactures small dolls that wear more than 100 varieties of typical Guatemalan dress. (Barbie never had a such a wardrobe.)

Bucking the trend and staying open every day of the week, De Colores deals in woven and embroidered textiles, sweaters, and blouses. Check out the selection of cute oven mitts and pot holders.

El Guipil is a large boutique with a varied selection of handmade items from highland villages.

Literary- and politically-minded Quetzaltenango has several fine bookstores, three with good selections in English. El Libro Abierto deals in used books, as well as postcards and organic coffee.

Galería de Artes Pintores de Chichicastenango exhibits primitivist paintings created by a cooperative of 12 local artists.

The Gallo Store sells T-shirts, caps, and mugs with the logo of Guatemala's best-known beer, as well as the complete line of beer itself.

A few blocks to the east is the Mercado Central, where you can purchase local handicrafts.

Artesanía from most of the villages in the region can be found in the Mercado La Democracia. Since there are relatively few shoppers, prices tend to be lower than elsewhere in the city.

The bustling Mercado Minerva, next to the main bus terminal, is the best of the city's markets. There are plenty of interesting handicrafts to be found here. But watch your pockets—groups of skillful thieves prey on tourists coming to and from the buses.

North & South Bookstore is strong in works dealing with history and politics.

Ojalá Antiques has a small but excellent selection of antiques.

We especially like the hand-painted Nativity scenes at Tashe Artesanía among all the other ceramics for sale.

An outdoor market called Tinamit Maya is easily the best place for reasonably priced artesanía.

Típica Maya offers a good selection of women's clothing—in particular, woven huipils and cortes.

Trama Textiles exhibits scarves, bags, and tablecloths woven by a local women's cooperative.

Vitra is one of the city's most noted stores. You'll find excellent hand-blown glass at affordable prices.

Vrisa Bookstore has many used books in English.