San José
For a foodie-friendly cultural experience, don't miss this fabulous Saturday market, a meeting place for San José's artists and organic growers since 2010…
Must-see shopping in Central America
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Granada
A fantastic addition to the popular Garden Café, this sustainably minded boutique offers crafts, jewelry, clothing and artwork produced through NGOs and…
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Monteverde & Santa Elena
In a new home next to Pensión Santa Elena, this cute gallery and gift shop is packed to the gills with locally made jewelry, clothing, soaps, sculpture…
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Southern Costa Rica & Península de Osa
Near the entrance to Boruca village (coming from Curré), this excellent shop stocks a wide range of local crafts, including some superb examples of…
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Portobelo
A wonderful gallery with museum-quality pieces made mainly by Afro-Caribbean craftspeople and artists. Helpful displays explain the cultural background of…
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Puerto Jiménez
A terrific, well-stocked crafts shop, featuring local art and jewelry, a wonderful collection of colorful Boruca masks and black-and-ocher Guaitil pottery…
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Panama City
An excellent place to find original Guna embroidery with modern designs and Congo art from Portobelo, Karavan commissions local artists, works closely to…
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Managua
Step inside the humedor to choose from Nicaragua's finest cigars, hand-rolled in Mombacho and Estelí. Look out for Joya de Nicaragua, Padrón, AJ Fernández…
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Western Honduras
This little shop just east of Parque Central has a huge selection of gorgeous, handwoven Lenca ponchos, shawls, scarves and more. You'll likely find one…
Antigua
Antigua's market – chaotic, colorful and always busy – sprawls north of 4a Calle Poniente. The best days are the official market days (Monday, Thursday…
Antigua
This brilliant, sprawling depot has a huge collection of Maya clothing, as well as hundreds of masks, wood carvings, kites, refrigerator magnets, assorted…
Panama City
German owned and run, Beermarkt is the go-to place for beer lovers in Panama. Located in the expat area of Clayton, it offers a great range of brews ($2…
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Lago de Atitlán
Sololá's market is one of the most vivid in the highlands. The sprawling Mercado Mayoreo (wholesale market) uphill of the Parque Centroamérica serves the…
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La Fortuna
There’s no shortage of souvenirs for sale in La Fortuna, but this shop is something special, carrying an excellent selection of arts and crafts by local…
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San José
Located in the hills of Bello Horizonte in Escazú, the workshop of Biesanz Woodworks can be difficult to find, but the effort is be well worth it. This…
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Managua
Mostly a gourmet food store, Crafted for Connaisseurs sells boxes of handmade Nicaraguan Momotombo chocolates, superb Cielo Isla coffee, plus other single…
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The Road to Chirripó
This artisanal chocolatier transforms Costa Rican cocoa beans into rich, dark, creamy, spicy, nut and fruit-filled temptations. Its secret is organic…
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Monteverde & Santa Elena
You’ll find several rooms stuffed with colorful Costa Rican artistry here. The goods include jewelry, ceramic work, Boruca textiles and traditional…
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Playa Sámara
Carlos Caicedo travels around South America to procure gorgeous semiprecious stones, which he crafts into fine jewelry right here in the back of his shop,…
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San José
In downtown Escazú, this art and design shop is ensconced in a 150-year-old house with adobe walls, near the southwest corner of Escazú's church. It's…
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Managua
An excellent selection of fair-trade crafts from all over Nicaragua, made by 31 groups of local artisans. There is exquisite pottery, woven bags, jewelry,…
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Antigua
Next to the ruins of the Iglesia El Carmen, this excellent market is a good place to browse for textiles, pottery and jade, particularly on weekends, when…
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The Road to Chirripó
After a trip to Switzerland, Wilberth and Katia Mata turned their Canaán dairy farm into an artisanal cheese facility, specializing in the creamy, holy,…
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La Fortuna
On the road to La Fortuna Waterfall, Rastaman Daniel been watching the tourist traffic come and go for more than a decade while he and Yesenia weave magic…
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Antigua
More than just a jewelry shop, the Casa has a small museum displaying dozens of pre-Hispanic jade pieces and an open workshop where you can admire the…
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Panajachel
Supporting an NGO for the empowerment of indigenous women, this fair-trade shop features beautiful naturally dyed rugs, handbags, handwoven goods and…
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Quetzaltenango
Outlet shop for the women's empowerment association AMA (highland women's association), Pixan sells beautiful high-quality textiles and clothing produced…
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Antigua
This long and narrow shop has a superior selection of bright local handicrafts and home decorations, from flocks of miniature birds to hang from Christmas…
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Quetzaltenango
On the west side of the park, Pasaje Enríquez is an imposing but gorgeous arcade built in 1896 after a structure in Florence, Italy, and houses an…
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Bocas del Toro Town
This centrally located and heavily stocked shop sells hammocks, clothing and local handicrafts, such as jute bags made by indigenous Ngäbe people, molas…
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Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Don't miss the weekly organic market, where local vendors and growers sell snacks typical of the region, particularly tropical produce and chocolate…
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Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
On a backstreet parallel to the main road, this gallery carries folk art, jewelry, ceramics, embroidered purses and mosaic mirrors, among many other one…
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Antigua
Bookshop with a good selection of English as well as Spanish titles, including books on Central American history and politics, plus nature guides,…
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Granada
Come here for stylish purses, shoulder bags, belts and other accessories made of Nicaraguan leather. You can see them being made at the workshop next to…
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Managua
Simplemente Madera ('Simply Wood') makes gorgeous bespoke furniture out of sustainable Nicaraguan wood. They can help you with shipping your acquisitions…
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Panajachel
Has a refreshingly good stock of books in English and Spanish on Guatemala, the Maya and Mesoamerica, plus maps and Latin American literature in English.
Panama City
Colorful Casa Latina has a large selection of beautiful handicrafts, ranging from the affordable to a Panama hat on sale for US$2500! Some of the items on…
Panama City
If you’re looking for Panamanian art, then you should visit one of the three branches of the Weil Art Gallery. Each space stocks a selection of paintings…
El Hombre de la Mancha Bookstore
Panama City
Located in La Plaza in Ciudad de Saber, this small but well-stocked bookstore is an ideal spot to find kids' books and toys. Books are in Spanish and…
Panama City
You may not notice the Mercadito Artesanías Catedral if it wasn't for the resellers who sometimes pop out to invite you in. Spread along an indoor gallery…
