71 Best Places to Shop in Guatemala

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

Galería Ríos has a wide selection of contemporary paintings.

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.

In-Nola specializes in textiles, but you'll also find leather items. It's your best bet if you only have time to pop into one shop.

Perhaps the best place to watch artisans carving the green stone is at Jade Maya. Former U.S. president Bill Clinton bought a necklace here for daughter Chelsea; his photo greets you as you walk in.

Jades, the well-known jewelry shop in Antigua, has two branches in the New City.

With a small in-house workshop, Jades Imperio Maya has an extremely friendly staff.

Tired of green stones? Joyería del Ángel has a fine selection of 100% jade-free jewelry.

Katún Goathemala crafts a good selection of cotton T-shirts with exclusive designs that make a nice change from the ubiquitous Gallo beer wear.

This gallery features works from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Facing Parque Central, La Casa del Conde has a good selection of books.

Lin-Canola has an excellent selection with prices that are often inexpensive.

If you're in the market for típica, roughly translated as "typical goods," head to the Mercado Central.

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

Goods from highland artisans can be found at the Mercado de Artesanías.

The single largest concentration of vendors' stalls—more than 400—can be found in the Mercado de Artesanías. The complex has its own parking lot, too.

Mercado de Artesanias offers souvenirs but not much in the way of high-quality 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.

The Mesón Panza Verde hotel and restaurant has a small collection of rotating exhibits.

Monja Blanca is a small jewelry shop specializing in silver.

The gift shop at Museo Popol Vuh has an interesting collection of books on art, archaeology, and history.

Nativo's carries a great selection of shawls, sashes, and blouses in traditional design.

Nim Po't is a self-proclaimed centro de textiles tradicionales. Here you'll find a large selection of fabrics from a few dozen neighboring villages.

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

Ojalá Antiques has a small but excellent selection of antiques.

Platería Típica Maya is a top-notch silver retailer.

This little shop carries a variety of clothing in traditional patterns.

You can watch how the beautiful weavings of Guatemala are made at the Q'eqchí Women's Weaving Workshop. Every year small numbers of women come from their villages to live at the workshop, where they spend a year learning the age-old crafts of loom and belt weaving. Every woman who successfully completes the course is given a loom to take back to her village, and is encouraged to teach other women how to weave.

Sol de Río is small, but well worth a visit.