Home decoration and garden stores Ecuador

Wednesday and Saturday are the main days in Otavalo; the other days of the week, the market is present but of less importance. On Saturdays, the whole city is in turmoil from early morning, because the "mayoristas" are there. They are the ones who make and sell their products. Every square, street and sidewalk is occupied by merchants whose colorful stalls are overflowing with all kinds of products. The market is organized by section. The handicrafts are grouped around the Plaza de los Ponchos where each vendor has his own stall as do the adjacent streets.

With a couple of connoisseurs who give excellent advice, we find quality adaptable at very reasonable prices ($ 15-23 for first prices). Small sizes in stock if needed. A recommended address.

This market is for all those who have not had the chance to visit Otavalo. You will find about a hundred stalls selling all the handicrafts made in the Quichua indigenous communities: bags, paintings, alpaca carpets, jewelry, sculptures, hats and even pretty embroidered masks... Very reasonable prices and a huge choice, but do not hesitate to negotiate a little, reasonably, the sellers appreciate the game and will perhaps make you discover some treasures of back shop if you sympathize.

Camari is a shop offering tempting food and many handicrafts from fair trade. The brand is indeed managed by a foundation that helps the artisans of the numerous indigenous communities in Ecuador. You will find all kinds of products: teas, cakes, handmade herbal soaps, delicious cocoa, coffee and chocolate, wooden objects, woven rugs, handmade paper, painted figurines... It is the perfect place to shop for souvenirs for your return.

One of the most renowned sellers and producers of toquilla straw hats (the famous Panama hats). The family has been in business for five generations and uses only the best craftsmen selected from the Cuenca and Montecristi region. The selection is limited, but the hats are of high quality and the prices acceptable given the time it takes to make a genuine panama. In particular, you'll find the famous hats made in Cuenca, where the family business is headquartered.

On the other side of the river, here is a space dedicated to art, culture and Ecuadorian identity where several shops and galleries are spread out under the arcades. Clothes, jewels, ceramics... You can find here beautiful pieces of designers, requiring a comfortable budget. The most active of these creators is undoubtedly the diamond and jeweler Marcelo Cuesta who will be able to make you discover the small wonders which he draws and manufactures here. Café and restaurant on site. Worth a visit, even if you don't buy.

A large gallery with many shops and craft workshops. You can even watch craftsmen at work. This is indeed the objective of this place: to put the craftsmen in contact with the public while allowing them to continue their work and to explain it to their future customers. Musical instruments, embroidered clothes, ceramics, baskets, jewellery... And of course, the famous Ecuadorian straw hat, the panama.

A beautiful all-wooden boutique overlooking a garden. The owners began collecting folk art on a trip to Latin America over 35 years ago, and soon opened a store in Quito featuring objects by artists they had personally met in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and other South American countries. Excellent selection of handicrafts: high-quality jewelry and weavings, beautiful hats, vases and ceramics... Charm and good taste for original gifts on your return.

This stylish boutique-gallery offers a superb selection of local crafts. Most of the items on display are made in the country, and many are exclusive. Ceramics, jewellery, sculptures in wood, stone and tagua, textiles, carpets and weavings, pre-Columbian figurines... The whole is well highlighted and each object is a temptation. It is far from the handicrafts sold in the street! The visit must be completed upstairs where there is an extraordinary private museum which is one of the best kept secrets of the capital.

Everything is certainly recent in this little shop, but there are some fun items and, as for prices, the boss's audacity has no limits.

A good quality craft shop located opposite the central park.

Artesanías el Cade was created in Riobamba by Arturo Martinez and his wife in 1945! They passed on their knowledge of tagua, the vegetable ivory, to their family. Marianita Martínez, together with her husband Alberto, inherited and maintained this beautiful tradition by settling in Baños de Agua Santa. They were the pioneers and the only craftsmen to develop this art. Alberto, who has become a reference, will help you discover the secrets of this surprising seed. Everyone will find a souvenir to his taste. The welcome is friendly and the prices are low.