Shopping in Guadalajara

Tapatíos love shopping at outlet malls north of the border. Nevertheless, the city supports a swath of modern malls, and most double as gathering spots with their restaurants and theaters. The Centro Histórico is packed with shops as well as ambulatory vendors, who compete with pedestrians for sidewalk space. You'll find the most products under one roof at labyrinthine Mercado Libertad, one of Latin America's largest markets. Tlaquepaque and Tonalá are arts-and-crafts meccas. Shoe stores are ubiquitous in Guadalajara—probably because shoes wear out so fast here.

Stores tend to open Monday-Saturday from 9 or 10 until 8, and Sunday 10-2; some close during lunch, usually 2-4 or 2-5, and others close on Sunday. Bargaining is customary in Mercado Libertad, and you can talk deals with some crafts vendors in Tlaquepaque and Tonalá. The ticketed price sticks just about everywhere else, with the exception of antiques shops.

Local Haunts

Locals stop at the Mercado Corona, due west of the Palacio Municipal, to pick up fresh produce and meat. The streets north of the market have similar goods, dry merchandise, and school supplies. The Medrano district, starting a block south of the Plaza de los Mariachis and continuing east along Calle Obregón into eastern Guadalajara's nether reaches, is a favorite Tapatío shopping haunt. Though they're short on touristy goods, venturing into these parts is like entering the city's central nervous system.

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