Discover the magic of Chichicastenango: exploring the colourful market

Welcome to the most vibrant and colorful part of Guatemala! At Chichicastenango, ancient traditions and modern commerce intertwine to create a world full of colors, scents, and sounds! This town is home to one of the most renowned markets in Central America.

Arriving at Chichicastenango, you will navigate through the maze of stalls with handmade textiles, intricate pottery, exquisitely crafted jewelry, and many more! This market is also a testament to the rich cultural heritage that is the Mayan culture. Welcome to the magical world of Chichicastenango, the colorful market that’s ready to be discovered.

Introduction of Chichicastenango

Chichicastenango is a town located in a mountainous region about 140 kilometers (87 miles) from Guatemala City, at an altitude of 1.965 meters (6.447 feet). It has a population of about 72.000 people, whereas about 99% are indigenous Mayan K’iche.

Chichicastenango is now mostly known for being the most colorful market in Central America. And that’s justified if you walk around this market. It has everything you can imagine. From fruit and vegetables to handwoven textiles. Here, you can also find your perfect souvenir to take home with you, like ceramics, jewelry, or some clothing. This market takes place every Thursday and Sunday, and thousands of locals and tourists visit these markets.

History and significance of Chichicastenango

Before the Spanish conquest, Chichicastenango was one of the biggest trading centers for the K’iche’ Mayas. After the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, they took over the town and destroyed the Mayan temple, and built a Catholic church instead. This Catholic church is the only one in Guatemala where they can perform Maya rituals as it’s still a sacred place for both Mayas and Catholics.

The original Popol Vuh, a book about the Mayan culture, was found at Chichicastenango. This was a big breakthrough in understanding the Mayan culture/history as it has one of the most important Mayan religious texts.

How to get to the Chichicastenango?

There are different options to visit Chichicastenango, but the easiest one is with a tour operator from Lake Atitlan or from Antigua. The journey from both Lake Atitlan and Antigua takes between 1.5 to 2 hours.

We visited Chichicastenango from San Marcos La Laguna at Lake Atitlan and booked a trip directly in one of the stalls. Don’t forget to adjust your itinerary so that you visit Chichicastenango on a Thursday or Sunday.

Here are two options to reach Chichicastenango:

1 | With a day tour

You can visit the markets with day tours. There are many tour agencies that only sell a transfer to Chichicastenango, where you can wander around on your own. Or, you can also book a tour where you have a guide and you visit specific places on the market.

We preferred the first option because it’s very busy and it’s much more enjoyable to wander around the market on your own. We paid Q150 per person for a private shuttle to Chichicastenango from Lake Atitlan. But you can also organise your trip from Antigua.

2 | On your own (Chicken buses)

If you’re on a budget or have a more adventurous side, you can take the chicken bus. This is Guatemala’s main mode of public transport and is a modified US school bus. If you can speak Spanish, you will have no problem navigating to get to your destination. The people are very friendly and will help you get to your destination.

It will take much longer to reach your destination and you will need to change buses at least a couple of times, but it will save you a bit of money. Each bus costs between Q5 and Q25, depending on how long you were on the bus.

What to see at the colourful markets of Chichicastenango?

1 | Textile market

The most prominent part of this market is the textile market. This is what makes Chichicastenango such a colorful place, as the textiles all have such beautiful and flashy colors. You will see this literally everywhere you wander at the market.

Also, all the women and men selling things at the stalls wear beautiful traditional clothing. The men are in checked shirts and in cowboy hats, while the women are wearing the vibrant Maya costume, which consists of a hand-woven huipil (blouse) and a striped or patterned corte (skirt), combined with an embroidered belt.

2 | Main indoor market (Plaza y Mercado)

After going between some of the outdoor stalls, we stumbled upon the indoor market. It’s located at the Santo Tomas Church at 5a Avenida. This was originally an open-air market, but they put tin roofs on top of it to protect the stalls from the bad Guatemalan weather.

You could enter this market by just going between the stalls on any of the surrounding streets. You will get lost easily as it’s huge, but you just keep walking and you eventually find the outside again!

3 | Fruit & vegetable market

On the market, you will find lots of fruits and vegetables that people will try to sell. But right next to Plaza y Mercado is an indoor fruit and vegetable market. It’s a pretty huge market where sellers and shoppers are surrounded by lots of fruits and vegetables! Don’t forget to go to the second floor to get a good overview of the market.

4 | Animal market

This was the hardest part to walk through, even though this is how the rural life in Guatemala works and it’s important to learn about different cultures. But I understand that walking through a market where the animals are locked up in cages isn’t the most pleasant for some people.

This is located on the western part of the market at 7a Calle and it’s on its way to the entrance of the cemetery. Here, you’ll find people selling all kinds of animals, like chickens, bunnies, turkeys, and other animals.

6 | Cemetery of Chichicastenango

Most people don’t think about visiting a cemetery when on holiday, but you need to make an exception for this one as it’s one of the most colorful you will see as the Guatemalan people want to honor their dead in vivid colors. You can find this cemetery at the end of 7a Calle.

As we didn’t have any more time left at the market, we didn’t make it to the colorful cemetery, which is such a shame. So, keep in mind if you want to visit this place that you manage your time better than we did!

7 | Santo Tomas Church (Iglesia de Santo Tomás)

The Santo Tomas Church is the most famous attraction at Chichicastenango. Here, you’ll find vendors sitting on the stairs, selling flowers for worshipping, burning incense, and praying. It’s allowed to enter the church, but you can’t take any pictures. It looks like a normal Catholic church. Each of the 18 stairs that lead up to the entrance of the church represents one month of the Maya calendar.

Tips for navigating through the markets of Chichicastenango

The markets can be pretty busy, so it’s best to be a bit prepared when arriving at Chichicastenango. So, here are a few tips and tricks to navigate through the market:

Tip 1 | Arrive early

The markets can get crowded quickly, so it’s better to arrive early to get a chance to explore the markets fully. Try to find a tour that will let you stay as long as possible. We arrived at the market at around 10:00 AM and had to leave at 02:00 PM. I thought that was too short to fully enjoy the market and see the surrounding sights.

Tip 2 | Bring enough cash

I can’t stress this enough: bring ENOUGH cash!! In Guatemala, they aren’t cashless and you need to have cash most of the time. Also, there are a few ATMs at Chichicastango, but they are mostly out of money on the days of the markets. And besides, you don’t want to waste your time looking for money.

Tip 3 | Bargain respectfully

Bargaining is a common practice in the markets, but always be respectful when doing this and keep the value of the artisan’s work in mind. But bargaining is very hard so try to learn how to do this, as they will try to sell most items for a higher price than they should be. Some say you need to lower the price by half, but always do what you are comfortable with tho as it’s not the easiest thing to do.

Tip 4 | Watch out for pickpockets

Always watch your stuff/cash because the markets are packed and pickpocketers are trying to steal your cash. You don’t need to be afraid, as we didn’t get an unsafe feeling, but it’s better to be safe than sorry afterward!

Tip 5 | Respect local customs

Chichicastenango is a deeply religious town, so it’s very important to show respect to the locals during traditional ceremonies, and also while buying souvenirs or taking pictures. Also, avoid disruptive behavior and let the locals be.

Tips for photographing Chichicastenango

Chichicastenango is the perfect place to take your camera too! Because of the vibrant colors everywhere, it’s a pleasant place to shoot many pictures. But it’s not only the market you will be taking pictures of but also of the people. So, here are a few tips to photograph Chichicastenango with respect:

Don’t put the camera in their faces and stand back. Most people don’t mind getting their picture taken as they are used to having tourists come to these markets if you keep it respectful. Stand back a bit and take a wider shot with the background in it.
Bring a zoom lens, if you have one. This will help to get a close-up shot, without getting too close to the person. That way, you can take their picture, without interrupting them.
Ask for permission if you want a closer shot. Out of respect, ask before taking a close-up shot. Most people won’t make a problem out of it. If you don’t speak any Spanish, just show them your camera and they will understand.
If they don’t want their picture taken, respect their decision. This one speaks for itself, but don’t force people to let their picture be taken.

Conclusion of my visit to Chichicastenango

I really loved the experience of wandering around Chichicastenango! It’s truly such a beautiful market, that’s full of life. And it’s a wonderful place to see the locals interact with each other, while also experiencing a true, authentic part of Guatemala. I would recommend buying your souvenir here at the market as there is so much to choose from!

The only downside I found at this market is that it’s packed and so busy. After a few hours of walking around, you just want a break from it all. We were quite relieved to go back to our shuttle bus and go back to Lake Atitlan. But other than that, you need to add this to your itinerary of Guatemala!

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Hello, I’m Ellen and welcome to this blog! I’m in love with exploring the world and hopefully I get to inspire you with these blog posts and pictures to feel the same. You will find detailed itineraries, hidden gems, tips and so much more!

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