Chichicastenango Travel Guide

  Chichicastenango market
by Twan
 
  • Chichicastenango market
      Chichicastenango market
    by Twan
  • Market of Chichicastenago
      Market of Chichicastenago
    by Twan
  • Market of Chichicastenago
      Market of Chichicastenago
    by Twan
  • Market of Chichicastenago
      Market of Chichicastenago
    by Twan
  • Market of Chichicastenago
      Market of Chichicastenago
    by Twan
 

Pro

Ken_Weaver profile photo

  Magnificient Colors, Fragrant Odors, Exciting Sounds 


Con

OH_DK profile photo

  Take care of vendors trying to cheat you 


In a nutshell

Srechko profile photo

  Still good deal for shopping - if you have the nerves 

 

Explore Chichicastenango

Things to Do  

Market of Chichicastenago

Market of Chichicastenago, Chichicastenango

 Twan Says:  Every Thursday and Sunday there is a large market in Chichicastenango. Thousands of Mayans and many tourists visit the largest market in Central America to animals, flowers, souvenirs or any other special items to buy. On the stairs and in the 400 year old St. Thomas Church... 

The market

The market, Chichicastenango

 OH_DK Says:  When you are in Chichicastenango you have to go to the market - the biggest in Guatemala.Here you can meet indians from many places who come to sell their products - you can really get anything, and it's very colorful and diverse.On this link you can see what days they have... 

Capilla del Calvario

Capilla del Calvario, Chichicastenango

 Hopkid Says:  Located on the opposite side of the Parque Central from the Iglesia de Santo Tomas, the Capilla del Calvario is a smaller whitewashed church in Chichi. This is another interesting site in Chichi and another diversion worthy of exploration from the hustle and bustle of the... 

Hotels  

Villa Grande

 0 Opinions

Restaurants  

Kieq Ik Wai'm Ja Restaurant & Steak House: Above the Crowd

Kieq Ik Wai'm Ja Restaurant & Steak House: Above the Crowd, Chichicastenango

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  While walking through the jostling, crowded market of Chichicastenango I saw a restaurant sign pointing up a flight of stairs leading off the sidewalk. I decided to check it out and was very pleased to find the Kieq Ik Wai'm Ja Restaurant & Steak House. The restaurant was a... 

Restaurant Kieq-ik Wai'm Ja: A great people-watching place

Restaurant Kieq-ik Wai'm Ja: A great people-watching place, Chichicastenango

 bougalou Says:  This restaurant is situated on the second floor, overlooking the public market, so you can eat and watch the action in the market at the same time, which is great fun, as the market is busy all day.The food is good and the portions are generous. This is one of the few... 

La villa de Don Tomas: This is a rip-off!

La villa de Don Tomas: This is a rip-off!, Chichicastenango

 bougalou Says:  La Villa de Don Tomas was recommended to us for lunch, as being one of the best restaurants in Chichi. This large upstairs restaurant is indeed quite attractive with white linnen tablecloths on the tables. The menu is so-so...featuring pretty routine dishes, local and... 

Restaurante San Juan: Good breakfast spot

Restaurante San Juan: Good breakfast spot, Chichicastenango

 Hopkid Says:  Ideally located above the ruckus of the market, Restaurante San Juan is located on the north end of the Parque Central opposite the Iglesia de Santo Tomas. It's upstairs and has a balcony from which you can observe the fray over a cup of coffee, orange juice, or your... 

Nightlife  

More than a day trip: Sleep Over, but bring a lighter!

More than a day trip: Sleep Over, but bring a lighter!, Chichicastenango

 acemj Says:  Chichicastenango is more than just the market. It's an important Mayan spiritual center and a traditional, quiet town on non-market days. Ryan and I arrived on Wednesday afternoon, the day before the busy Thursday market and we enjoyed being virtually the only non-locals in... 

Transportation  

Mini bus from Antigua

Mini bus from Antigua, Chichicastenango

 Stephen-KarenConn Says:  I was staying in Antigua, Guatemala, for a week and on Sunday took a mini bus shuttle to Chichicastenango to visit the market. The cost of $16US was very reasonable but the trip was long and ardorous. I spent a total of seven hours (round trip) crammed into the back of the... 

Little local bus to big indian market

Little local bus to big indian market, Chichicastenango

 OH_DK Says:  I took the local bus to Chichicastenango - a fantastic experience. I was the only Gringo (white man) in the bus, and I was squesed in between some indians. Everyone was going to the biggest indian market in Guatemala, and many of them brought big bags and boxes with stuff... 

Shopping  

Chichicastenango Market.

Chichicastenango Market., Chichicastenango

 euzkadi Says:  Chichi market is maybe the best place in Guatemala for buying handicrafts, with good prices and a lot of local art shops. But is also a good place to see traditional religious practices in the higlands, like the Pascual Abaj. 

This is why you're here!

This is why you're here!, Chichicastenango

 acemj Says:  The market in ChiChi is the largest in Guatemala, although you can get many of the same items elsewhere. I noticed many of the same things on sale in Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. However, no other place has the depth of selection and makes for quite the spectacle as does the... 

Local Customs  

Bargain the price

Bargain the price, Chichicastenango

 OH_DK Says:  When you visit an indian market you are expected to bargain the prices.Keep your eyes and ears open, and dont accept the first price you get. Some vendors are very persistant and will maybe walk after you if you show the slightest interest - their last offer could easily be... 

Avena

Avena, Chichicastenango

 acemj Says:  We headed out of the hotel at 6:45 on Thursday morning and as we made our way around the town, we noticed a lot of the locals taking a quick break from setting up their portable stalls to eat breakfast. Most people appeared to be eating a kind of porridge that looked like... 

Tourist Traps  

Eating at the market

Eating at the market, Chichicastenango

 Srechko Says:  Maybe I am naive but my approach did not work very well while trying not to be overcharged in Guatemala. Here was the same. While I was looking for a place to eat, food market was quite empty. I choose one place based on my natural instinct, thinking I am not going to ask... 

Better Crafts Elsewhere

Better Crafts Elsewhere, Chichicastenango

 Babzz Says:  This might sound weird given that Chichi is THE marketplace, but I found that the crafts were better in Panajachel and Antigua. A lot of the masks had chipped paint or looked otherwise worn, and there were hardly any paintings, which was a huge disappointment for me since I... 

What to Pack  

Various

Various, Chichicastenango

 acemj Says:   You're in the highlands here, so it's not uncommon to have a morning fog or mist that quickly burns off as the sun gets higher in the sky. I took this picture around 7:30 am on market day and it appeared that it would be a cool and dreary day, but by 9:30, it was bright... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Santa Cruz del Quiche.

Santa Cruz del Quiche., Chichicastenango

 euzkadi Says:  From Chichicastenango you can travel to the nearby town of Santa Cruz del Quiche, the capital of the Department of Quiche, a good paved road will take you to this off the beaten track city, where you can feel the real indian way of life out of the touristic crowd. 

Favorites  

Don't Be Afraid to Bargain

Don't Be Afraid to Bargain, Chichicastenango

 Hopkid Says:  Bargaining in many of the craft shops/stalls in Chichi is totally expected. When asked, the shop/stall keeper will give you a price that is more than they are expecting to get. Don't be afraid to counter with an offer that is less than 50% lower than the initial price.... 

Staying in touch

Staying in touch, Chichicastenango

 acemj Says:  Just behind the main square on the eastern end of town, there is a little courtyard off of the road that has a few shops, a cafe and an internet cafe that is an inexpensive way to stay in touch with relatives back home. 

The Place

Plan a Chichicastenango vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Chichicastenango locals

Experience Chichicastenango
  •   100 Tips and Reviews
  •  208 Photos
  Share your Travels  
Map of Chichicastenango
 

The People

 
Our Members Say
 profile photo

 it s one of the most interesting cemeteries i ve ever been( and i love wandering around this kind of places...)very colourfull and extremely mistycal with many... 

 

Questions and Answers

claudiefwarshawer profile photo

Q:  How do you get from Chichicastenangto to Lake Atitlan by shuttle bus, not the chicken buses... 

giampiero6 profile photo

A: Hmmm...I was just in Chichi and Atitlan. We had a driver though which could be a way to go...sorry don't know about the shuttles. 

Read 4 Replies

postQuestion_button

Top Chichicastenango Writers

1

The Incredible ChiChi

acemj profile photo

 Thursdays and Sundays in Chichicastenango (also referred to as "ChiChi") are market days and if this were your only reason for visiting this highland town, it would be good enough. The colors, smells... 

2

Chichicastenango-Best Marketplace in Guatemala

Ken_Weaver profile photo

 We arrived on a Wednesday afternoon and checked into the Villa Grande Hotel. We made the short walk from the hotel to the city center to get a preview of the vendors setting up for the big Market Day... 

3

The best indian market in Guatemala.

euzkadi profile photo

 Chichicastenango is a nice and interesting town. On sundays and thursdays you can visit the market. Full of indians of the surrounding villages (also full of tourists). Very interesting pagan... 

4

Market Day in the Highlands

Hopkid profile photo

 All the guidebooks will tell you that the market (Thursdays and Sundays) in Chichi is possibly the largest indigenous market in Latin America. The tour operators in Antigua, Pana, and throughout... 

5

The biggest indian market in Guatemala

OH_DK profile photo

 These 2 San Antonio girls sold their weavings on the market in Chichicastenango. I bought some shirts from them and they let me take the photo. Chichicastenango aka "Chichi" is well known for it's... 

View all rated pages

View newest pages

Build your own Chichicastenango page