Almacenes San José Artisans' Market — Attraction in San Isidro

This market is THE place to go to get all of your souvenirs purchased in one go! There are so many vendors and items for you to choose from, and are priced astonishingly well!

The art though, the ART was beautiful! We started out by looking at all of the art shops (they go around the perimeter) and there were all different styles, genres, and concepts. Our family loved it! The art is very well priced, however you may want to make sure you bring enough money to budget for it (if you're from the us and can't use an atm, particularly). The most expensive, huge, canvas pieces we saw went for about $180. And a lot of art was generally around $60-$100. Far better prices then you'd find back home. Also, a lot of the artists are there too... you can request something custom and come back to pick it up!

The ONLY caveat is how aggressive the vendors can be. It can get overwhelming, fast. I understand why (an extensive amount of competition) but 200+ vendors with the same intensity can be a...

Definitely was one of my favorite spots to stop at when visiting Cuba. The majority of the market, as most have mentioned, is going to be your usual overly enthusiastic vendors trying to push touristy tchotchkes but the real reason to visit is the art. Walking around and seeing the wide variety of different art styles from local artists really makes it a worthwhile trip. Pricing is beyond reasonable, even for very large canvases, and talking with the artists on site is an extra bonus. If you want to bring back some artwork I would budget around an extra 500 CUC to get a couple nice pieces as prices range from under a 100 to a couple hundred. If you do buy any artwork from here, or anywhere in Cuba for that matter, be sure the seller gives you the tax stamp on the canvas as they will inspect for it at the airport and if it is missing you will have...

I liked it! Arrive by horse and buggy or leave so afterwards. Sure - a few of the vendors had a lot of repeat souvenirs. Others had some very interesting and unique wares. IE What I call the “speedy-run-away-toy-turtle”. It’s shaped like a turtle and made from a half coconut. Powered by a string spool and rubber bands underneath. The operator walks it on the ground like you would a yo-yo. Very clever!!. Another was a cedar box that locks on closure. No visual lock mechanism. It comes in many sizes and can only be opened in a special way. Lots of leather goods and remarkable paintings for all kinds of tourists. (Sorry no pictures to add.) You can negotiate the price on anything. See if you can avoid paying in $US. (You lose more.) Pay in Euros, Mex Pesos or CUCs for a better deal. Lots to see in Havana - put this spot on your “must-see”...