OAXACA CITY MARKETS

Oaxaca's Mercado de Artesanias
by Ron Mader

MEXICO FORUM

MEXICO -- Oaxaca City's Craft Market (Mercado de Artesanias) is a great place to visit. No wonder this traditional Oaxacan market is a long-time favorite for locals and travelers.

PHOTO GALLERY: Mercado de Artesanias

Located five blocks southwest of the Zócalo and a block southwest of the 20 de Noviembre Market, the Mercado de Artesanias is a sprawling market at the corner of J.P. Garcia and Zaragoza. Off the beaten path, this market is well worth a visit. Many shoppers say the prices here are less than the Benito Juárez Market.

The market is organized in a series of east-west corridors. The north end of the market has colorful wooden figures (alebrijes). The southern side has wool rugs.

FYI, it may be tricky to spot the actual number of the local (booth). If you are looking for someone in particular, just ask.

LOCALES

Artesanias Lucy, alebrijes
Bautistas (#26), rugs
Pedro Mendoza (#32), rugs
Local #98, Rosa María Aparecizo, jewelry

MORE ABOUT CRAFTS

Our Tourism and Crafts Guide examines connections among tourism, shopping and conservation.

OAXACA MARKET PROJECT

Oaxaca's Mercado de Artesanias is documented in the newly developing Oaxaca Market Project, an initiative of Planeta.com and friends in Oaxaca. We ask visitors to print photos (seen here archived on Flickr) and give them to the venders. This puts a new spin on the traditional 'take only photographs' mantra by giving the photos back and raising awareness and increasing purchases of traditional crafts and local food.

What might be a rushed visit becomes a search for familiar faces and seasonal products. This guide encourages you to learn about the markets before a visit. Enjoy!