A Guide To Visiting Chichicastenango Market

Chichicastenango Market is one of the must-visit places in Guatemala. This is the largest outdoor market in Latin America.

I have been to Chichicastenango several times – at least once each time I visited Guatemala – so I have explored the market, learned it secrets, and visited the surrounding areas too.

Even though it has become more of a tourist attraction, with lots of stalls selling souvenirs and items that are of interest to travelers, it still very much is a local market where people from the region go to buy and sell their goods – from vegetables and fruits to live animals and much more.

But there’s so much more to this mid-sized city perched in the mountains of Guatemala. Indeed, this is a great place to better understand the country’s culture and way of life, which is still very traditional. If you get out of the market, you’ll be able to observe some fascinating Mayan rituals, too!

I have been to Chichicastenango three times already, so continue reading. I will share everything you need to know about it.

Where Is Chichicastenango Market?

Chichicastenango Market is in the small, local city of Chichicastenango.

Chichicastenango is in the El Quiche department in southern Guatemala. It’s approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) to the northwest of Guatemala City, 92 kilometers (57 miles) from Quetzaltenango, and 74 kilometers (46 miles) from Lake Atitlan.

Sitting at an altitude of almost 2000 meters (6,447 feet), this town has been an important trade center for generations.

Is Chichicastenango Worth Visiting?

Chichicastenango should be a stop in anybody’s itinerary around Guatemala for several reasons.

Chichicastenango has long been an important trading post and significant town in Guatemala, evidenced by its sprawling market that still exists in the modern day. It was one of the largest trading areas in the Maya world and remains one of the largest markets in Latin America. Today, it’s still home to the Quiche Maya people, who continue to visit the market to trade.

Though tourism has found its way to Chichicastenango, it remains one of Guatemala’s most traditionally Mayan places. This is probably helped by the fact it was able to conserve its indigenous customs – religious rituals are practiced here daily, and the town’s residents (also called Masheños) are famed for adhering to pre-Spanish traditions.

Many cofradías (religious brotherhoods) can often be spotted in small processions carrying shrines in devotion to local deities, from Catholic saints to ancestor spirits.

Not only is there an exciting market to visit in Chichicastenango, but there is also a handful of fascinating cultural and religious sites to explore in the town itself. This will help you learn about the history of this small, but not insignificant, mountaintop town, which is often referred to simply as “Chichi.”

Chichicastenango Market

This place isn’t an everyday, run-of-the-mill market. It may be popular with tourists today who often stop here on the main tourist route through Guatemala, but the Guatemala Chichicastenango market is truly a local affair.

Chichicastenango is quiet throughout the week but comes alive on market days. Stallholders come from far and wide to fill the city with local products. Here, you’ll find livestock, fresh food, fruit juice stalls, clothing, fabric, jewelry, phones, vegetables, tortilla vendors – you name it, it’ll be here.

Surrounded by mountains and sweeping valleys, Chichicastenango – with its narrow cobbled streets and red roof tiles – is enigmatic. Crowds of market-goers, tour groups, and stallholders mingle, all adding to the atmosphere.

When to visit Chichicastenango Market

If you are wondering about Chichicastenango Market days, you don’t have to worry: the market is on every day.

While you can visit Chichicastenango any time of the week and still be charmed by the quiet, mountainside atmosphere of the place, if you are looking to visit the market, you should visit around the Chichicastenango market days – Thursday and Sunday.

For the full effect of the market, you should come on a Sunday – that’s when it’s busier, with Guatemala City residents coming for a weekend trip. However, if you want something quieter, you can visit on Thursday.

Even though Chichicastenango town is at a high elevation, it can get pretty hot depending on the time of year you visit. Make sure to visit early if you want to miss the hottest part of the day. I visited in November and December, and it was quite cold!

Chichicastenango market opening hours are from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, but most vendors won’t start setting up until 8:00 am or 9:00 am.

If you happen to be in Guatemala in December, you should try to get to Chichicastenango Market around December 21st for Santo Tomás Day. The entire town comes together to celebrate for a week straight.

What to buy at Chichicastenango Market

When you first arrive at Chichicastenango Market Guatemala, it may seem like there is no order in the place at all. But after taking some time to wander around, you’ll gradually realize there is some kind of organization to how the stalls are laid out.

Produce

You’ll find fruit and vegetables in one section, fresh meat in another, and handicrafts in the next section. Women sell flowers on the steps of Santo Tomas Church, while live chickens are in baskets in another part of the market. It’s not for show – this is an authentic Guatemalan market.

Some stalls may sell two things at once – cooked chicken and electronics, for example. Part of the fun might be taking note of who’s selling what!

Fabrics

One of the main parts of Chichicastenango is the huge fabrics section. There are some fantastic quality, handmade (usually) materials to buy here – handbags, dresses, bracelets, shawls, or just pieces of fabric themselves.

The textiles are super colorful, which is very pretty. Still, there’s a point to the different colors and embroidery patterns – people wear different designs and colors depending on where they’re from.

Guatemalan fabric is handmade from start to finish, using Guatemalan cotton and hand-dyeing processes. Guatemalan weaving is not new – it’s an ancient art estimated to have originated around 1,500 years ago.

Pottery

Pottery is also a big part of Chichicastenango. Here, you can find handmade terracotta vases, jugs, bowls, candle holders – all household items.

These vessels have been part of Mayan culture for thousands of years. You’ll find these laying out on tables or the ground, and they come in all sizes, from tiny cups to huge bowls. These make for a nice souvenir to wrap in your luggage and take home always to remember your trip to Guatemala.

Jewelry

If you want to buy jewelry, you’re in luck. Here, you can find traditional necklaces, rings, and bracelets. There’s a lot of jade on offer as well. Guatemala is known for its jade production – particularly in unusual colors – but be careful if you’re unsure about the authenticity of such necklaces.

It’s best to stick with less expensive but equally authentic things such as carved pendants, wooden bead necklaces, and leatherwork.

Coffee

Of course, you can also pick up Guatemalan coffee nationwide. But in Chichicastenango, you can select an array of different coffee beans ground straight from the source.

Head to the indoor covered market area, and you’ll be hit with a strong aroma of coffee beans. Spilling from bulging sacks and overflowing from baskets, these are so fresh that you won’t be able to help yourself, and you’ll have to buy at least a small quantity (a great gift for any coffee-lover you might know).

Street food

The Chichicastenango Market in Guatemala is also a great place to try some local Guatemalan food.

When you’ve had enough browsing the various stalls, you can grab a fruit smoothie, ice cream, or something more substantial – a blue corn tortilla, for example. There are countless food stalls – choose one that smells good, is cooking food freshly, and has a queue (popularity usually means it’s good).

Tips For Visiting Chichicastenango Market

It’s a good idea to plan your trip to Chichicastenango Market Guatemala without simply arriving on a whim. This market truly is huge, and it’s very easy to get lost. But your planning can start before you arrive.

Arrive early

To begin with, tourist buses usually get to the market around 10:00 am, so if you want to avoid those crowds, make sure you go early. You can hop on a chicken bus and visit independently – you’ll also save money this way.

Bring small change

Another issue is paying for any goods you want to buy. You should ensure you have small denominations of bills and coins before you get there. This will enable you to haggle in smaller quantities, so you don’t have to worry about people having any change to give you.

On the subject of money, don’t rely on ATMs in Chichicastenango – on Chichicastenango market days, these are known to run out of cash or may not even work. So if you don’t want to be left without any money to buy souvenirs (or even some food), don’t forget to bring cash.

Haggle

Prepare to haggle! Bargaining is very normal here, and haggling at the Chichi market is one of the best things to do in Guatemala, in my opinion.

Just prepare for the back-and-forth price discussion; you’ll be expected to knock down the original outlandish price offered to you. Come back with around 50% of the asking price and negotiate. Generally, 70% to 75% of the original figure is okay. But if it’s just too much, walk away.

Be prepared for the crowds

One important thing you should do is know what to expect beforehand. While Chichicastenango is an authentic local market that’s incredible to visit, some may find it overwhelming and even quite touristy.

It’s a bustling place with crowds, sights, smells, and sounds. Vendors can be pretty pushy for sales, and items are often more expensive than you may find elsewhere in Guatemala. As long as you know this before you visit, you should be better prepared for the sensory overload of the market!

Watch out for pickpockets

Unfortunately, being a busy tourist destination, there’s always the chance of petty crime. When people ask me “is Chichicastenango safe?” I have to give a honest answer.

Pickpockets aren’t unheard of anywhere around the world and are something you should be aware of before your trip to Guatemala.

Since this market gets super busy, it might be difficult to notice someone trying to pick your pockets – but pickpockets are certainly active in Chichicastenango Market. There are many distractions in the market, too, making it even more easy for petty thieves to work.

My advice?

• Don’t take valuables with you (including your passport), and they won’t be stolen.
• Don’t keep anything in your pockets; opt for a concealed wallet or money belt.
• Pay attention to your surroundings at all times.
• Avoid the most “touristy” or busy market sections if you can.

Photography tips

Last but not least, be careful of photography. Being a visually interesting place, Chichicastenango Market lends itself to taking some great pictures. But you should be wary of taking pictures of people in the market.

Generally speaking, Guatemalan people don’t like their picture being taken without their permission. It’s all about being respectful. So if you want to take someone’s photo, either ask them if it’s okay or take it from afar so you’re not invading their personal space.

Other Things To Do In Chichicastenango

While the market is definitely the main event, there are many more things to do in Chichicastenango than the browsing the stalls and dodging the crowds. These include:

Santo Tomas Church

In the heart of the market, you’ll find Santo Tomas Church. Built on top of an ancient Mayan temple, this 400-year-old Catholic church is a representation of the Spanish colonial architecture in the area. Eighteen steps lead up to its entrance, one for each month of the traditional Mayan calendar.

Inside, the church is divided into sections, each enshrining a different saint or spirit. On market days, the steps are busy with people, but on other days, it’s a quiet spot. You may see people burning incense or leaving offerings for the gods.

Colina Turk’aj

Just outside of the town is Colina Turk’aj (“Sacred Hill”). Visiting is definitely one of the best things to do in Chichicastenango.

Dedicated to Pascual Abaj, who is an important Maya god of the earth, this spot has venerated the deity for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Today, the local Chuchkajaues people come to give offerings at the shrine, from cigarettes and alcohol to food and incense.

Situated to the south of Chichicastenango, it’s possible to walk here from the plaza. A path leads out from the back of the museum in town and goes uphill, winding through trees, before arriving in this sacred clearing.

The Cemetery

Fifteen minutes from the market, you’ll find Chichicastenango Cemetery. This is one of the unmissable things to do in Chichicastenango. Indeed, rather than being an eerie spot to visit after being in a crowded market, the cemetery actually makes for a fascinating tangent.

Here, you can get a little bit of an insight into how the local Quiche Maya culture people honor ancestors and the traditions surrounding death. It’s a surprisingly colorful cemetery and quite beautiful, contrary to many grey and sombre Western graveyards. Here, tombs and crosses are dubbed in a rainbow of bright pastels and adorned with flowers and other symbolic offerings.

Mourning and remembrance ceremonies here combine Catholic and indigenous beliefs. One way to understand the traditions is via the colors of the tombs – turquoise offers protection for mothers; for grandparents, it’s yellow, representing the protection of the sun; pink and blue, respectively, for girls and boys; and white denotes purity for fathers.

Make sure you’re respectful when you’re walking around the cemetery – perhaps ask permission if it’s okay before you go in or go with a guide. If you see anybody making an offering or chanting, keep your distance or ask if it’s alright to stay and observe.

Practical Guide To Visit Chichicastenango

How to get to Chichicastenango

There are a number of different ways to get to Chichicastenango; all routes and modes of transport depend on where you’re starting. Most people visit from Antigua, but you can also visit from Lake Atitlan.

From Atitlan

Distance from Lake Atitlan to Chichicastenango: 35 kilometers (21 miles) ❘ Travel Time: 1.5 hours

A day trip from Lake Atitlan to Chichicastenango is one of the best things to do in Lake Atitlan. It’s the closest major tourist destination to Chichi, and it’s pretty easy to travel there.

You can also get a shuttle bus from Atitlan – more specifically you can take a Panajachel to Chichicastenango chicken bus. The price is for the roundtrip fare, so it’s not a bad deal. If you’re staying in other villages around Lake Atitlan, a ferry boat from any village to Panajachel is easy to catch from your town’s docks.

A chicken bus is also an option, but note that it’s not direct, and you’ll have to change – some Spanish comes in very handy with the transfers. From Panajachel, you’ll have to get to Sololá. Once there, hop on a bus to Los Encuentros, where you’ll have to change again for a bus to Chichicastenango.

An organized tour from Atitlan is also possible, combining not only transport but a guide to take you around the market. It’s more expensive, and you actually may not need this service.

From Antigua

Distance from Antigua to Chichicastenango: 105 kilometers (65 miles) ❘ Travel Time: 2.5 hours

You can also take a chicken bus from Antigua to Chichi Market, but this is another challenging journey. Again, you should know some basic Spanish and have patience, as the journey can sometimes take three or more hours.

The shuttle bus is the easiest option. These are for tourists, they have AC, and they’re safe and comfortable. From Antigua, these cost more than a chicken bus, but it’s for both ways, and they’re more reliable. This takes around three hours.

You could also go on an organized day trip from Antigua. It’s bound to be pretty expensive in comparison to the above options, but it can be much less hassle since you’ve got your whole day organized for you – a good option if you’re strapped for time.

I recommend this Chichicastenango and Panajachel Day Trip from Antigua – This is a great, full-day adventure from Antigua to Chichi Market. You’ll head straight to Mercado de Chichicastenango, where you’ll get plenty of time for shopping and wondering. Afterward, you’ll visit Santo Tomas Church. On the way back to Antigua, you’ll stop at Panajachel, where you can do some more shopping and enjoy the views of the beautiful Lake Atitlan.

From Guatemala City

Distance from Guatemala City to Chichicastenango: 140 kilometers (87 miles) ❘ Travel Time: 3 hours

Guatemala City is a bit far from Chichicastenango, so it’ll be a long journey there and back. That being said, it’s still worth every second of travel if you have the time.

You could try a chicken bus. They’re pretty easy if you know some Spanish, but maybe a bit squashy for some, and be warned – they do make lots of unscheduled stops. It takes around three or four hours to get there with a chicken bus, but the cost is pretty low.

The easiest option is to take a shuttle bus, hire a private transfer, or visit Chichicastenango on a tour.

I recommend this Full Day Trip in Chichicastenango tour from Guatemala City – The full-day tour includes round-trip transportation and a local guide who will help you navigate the chaos of the market. You’ll also learn a lot of interesting facts about the Guatemalan highlands throughout the tour.

If you want more time between Lake Atitlan and Chichicastenango Market, consider this 2-Day Chichicastenango and Lake Atitlan Tour – The tour arranges roundtrip transportation from Guatemala City or Antigua. You’ll first head to Chichicastenango Market. From there, you’ll go to Panajachel on Lake Atitlan, where you’ll stay the night. You’ll have almost a full day to explore Lake Atitlan before returning to your origin. The tour also includes a private boat tour of Lake Atitlan and a trip to Santiago de Atitlan.

How long to stay in Chichicastenango

You don’t need to stay overnight in Chichicastenango to get a good idea of the atmosphere of this place.

Most people opt to swing by on their way to or from Atitlan or simply opt to explore Chichicastenango on a day trip (even half a day may be enough for some).

However, if you have the time and want to experience even more of the local community, you can always stay the night. There are even a few other things to do in Chichicastenango, and it’s overall a great place to immerse yourself in the thriving local culture of Guatemala.

Where to stay in Chichicastenango

There aren’t a lot of high-end hotels in Chichicastenago. Staying overnight in Chichicastenango is unnecessary; most people choose to visit on a day trip – I have been there several times, most of the time for just a day and on my way to a different place, but I also spent the night once and seeing the market being set up nice and early was a unique experience.

If you decide to stay the night to roam more of the area and visit local museums, you have a few options. Here are some top recommendations for where to stay in Chichicastenango, Guatemala:

Hotel Museo Mayan – This is the best hotel in Chichicastenango for all travelers. It’s in the perfect location, within walking distance of the Chichi Market and town museums. It’s a beautiful hotel, as well. There’s an onsite restaurant, a relaxing courtyard, and spacious rooms. The hotel is highly recommended for convenience and comfort.

Casa Montana Hotel – This is a good budget-friendly option, though it isn’t as convenient as Hotel Museo Mayan. Casa Montana Hotel is about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the city center of Chichicastenago. A nice pool, an onsite restaurant, and an immersion in nature add to the hotel’s comfort and charm.

Further Readings

Make sure to read my other posts:

• Everything You Need To Know Before Visiting Guatemala
• The Best Things To Do In Guatemala
• The Best Things To Do In Antigua, Guatemala
• Everything You Need To Know To Hike Pacaya Volcano
• Everything You Must Know About Chicken Buses
• The Most Beautiful Mayan Ruins In Guatemala
• The Best Things To Do In Flores, Guatemala
• The Best Guide To Semuc Champey
• The Best Guide To Visiting Tikal
• The Best Itinerary For Two Weeks In Guatemala

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