La Mariscal Artisan Market — Attraction in Mariscal Sucre

Mercado Artisenal is deligh oddly located in the business and financial district of Quito. More commonly, such markets operate in far less urban areas; especially often they serve as a focal point in the socioeconomic makeup of small cities and towns.

Convenient to get to, then, is a big plus for this marketplace. Not often can one use mass transit to reach a 2-city block (?) square piece of valuable real estate that is devoted to such merchandising. It is a unique place to shop for traditional handcrafted goods presented charmingly on a large scale.

The market is well laid out in parallel aisles that are lined on both sides by tiny, open-front shops Many of these "booths/stalls are colorfully stacked with hand loomed scarves and sweaters. Other sellers feature their fantastic table spreads, blankets as well as many other "soft goods" items. Embroidered shirts and blouses, skirts and children's clothes certainly are popular items. Others of the little trading places sell hand painted, sculpted, forged, carved or otherwise hand-fashioned items.

Also offered along the aisles is a huge assortment of the usual souvenirs: t-shirts, knick-knacks, refrigerator magnets, ballpoint pens, coasters and the like. Choices seem endless.

Hand made jewlery is available in profusion. Colorful beaded items are offered as are silver pieces in great variety. All such items are expertly displayed. Lots and lots of jewelry, you might say. Sellers are endlessly helpful to customers struggling to choose from a bewildering number of options.

The errantly-named Panama hats are well represented in the aisles. With some knowledge about tightness of weave and "crushability," a truly handsome and long-lasting topper can easily be found.

Leather goods occupy many of the market's square meters of space. Jackets, backpacks, belts, handbags, portfolios, brief cases, satchels and wallets abound. Tooled, studded and/or zippered versions of leather craft all are there.

Food concessions are located at the ends of aisles and offer a variety of products that are easily carried by shoppers. One such booth offers handmade ice cream that is generously scooped into cones after being made right before your eyes.

Vendors, in general, are indigenous people who dress in colorful, traditional attire. These sellers are amazing in their patience with prospective buyers. Retrieving an alpaca blanket that is 3rd from the bottom in a stack of 50 or more is not an easy task.

Bargaining is the rule of the day at Mercado Artisenal. The asking and the selling price of goods simply do not coincide. There is "good sport" in the price jockeying that accompanies the buying/selling process. In all, one can expect to enjoy the satisfaction of buying well-made merchandise for less money than you might well have paid elsewhere.

Visitors would do well to plan a two-hour to half-day safari at...

I recently visited the La Mariscal Artisan Market, also known as Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal, during my trip to Quito, Ecuador and I must say, it was a truly wonderful experience. The market is located in the La Mariscal neighborhood and is a must-visit for anyone interested in Ecuadorian handicrafts and souvenirs.

The market is home to a vast array of stalls selling a wide variety of goods, from handcrafted jewelry and clothing to textiles, ceramics, and wood carvings. The quality of the goods on offer was exceptional, with many items being handmade and unique to the region. I particularly enjoyed browsing through the various stalls and admiring the craftsmanship that went into each piece.

The vendors were friendly and welcoming, and were happy to share information about their products and their cultural significance. I found this to be a great way to learn more about the local culture and history of Ecuador.

The prices were also very reasonable, and I felt that the vendors were fair in their pricing. I was able to find some beautiful souvenirs to take home with me without breaking the bank. 120 for 6 Alpaca poncho. Cash only.

Overall, my experience at the La Mariscal Artisan Market was fantastic. It was a great way to spend an afternoon and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Quito. Whether you're looking for unique souvenirs, handmade crafts or just want to immerse yourself in the local culture, this market is definitely...

There are plusses and minuses when visiting this market.

While there are some fun items that can be found and purchased here, I'd say about 80% of the vendors are selling identical items. They have mass produced apparel and gifts that can be found in pretty much any tourist market and all that remains is to haggle your way to the best deal. However, there are a handful of more unique vendors. Interestingly, the unique be vendors are less pushy because they let the goods speak for themselves.

Those vendors who have the mass produced stuff are extremely pushy and practically assault you with more merchandise and deals the moment you pause to look at anything.

If haggling is your game, or you like digging deep for gifts, then you'll have fun here. All in all, we found some cool stuff and learned to ignore the...