When I started planning my trip to Guatemala and asking people for their top tips, several people told me that I simply HAD to visit Chichicastenango market.
At this point I couldn’t even pronounce the name, much less spell it, but they were insistent that I would love it, so I added Chichicastenango to my Guatemala itinerary.
As a travel photographer I love visiting markets. The people, the colour, the hustle and bustle, all the interesting products on sale… all these elements make for wonderful photography opportunities. Add to that the friendly Maya people with their vibrant dress and traditional way of life, and I was pretty sure I’d be in for a visual and experiential treat.
And as you’ll discover as you scroll through this post and check out some of my Chichicastenango photos, I was!
So if you’re thinking of visiting Chichicastenango market and are looking for more information on what to see, what to buy, and how to get to Chichicastenango, or you just want to be inspired for your own Guatemala photography, you’ve come to the right place.
What is Chichicastenango market?
Chichicastenango is a town in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, about 87 miles (140 km) northwest of Guatemala city. It sits at an altitude of about 1,965 m (6,447 ft) and has a population of around 72,000 people, about 99% of whom are indigenous K’iche’ Maya.
But every Thursday and Saturday, this number swells dramatically as people from all over the region flock to Chichicastenango. This is the twice-weekly market day, when thousands of locals and visitors come to buy and sell at what is thought to be the largest, most colourful, and most famous outdoor market in all Central America.
The streets of the town explode into a riot of colour and life, with people jostling for space, traders calling out what they have to sell, animals barking and bleating, and the smoke of cooking fires and incense burners thickening the air. It’s definitely somewhere you should add to your Guatemala itinerary.
Everything is available here, from huge piles of plump fruit and vegetables, to gorgeous hand-woven textiles in every colour of the rainbow, to hand-crafted souvenirs like wooden toys or beaded jewellery, to fine leather products, to tools, books, toys, ceramics and even live animals (but I don’t recommend buying one of those; you’ll never get it home on the plane).
Read more: The Colourful Market In Solola Guatemala: A Photo Guide
A brief history of Chichicastenango
There’s been a market at Chichicastenango for over 500 years, long before the Spanish conquistadores arrived in Guatemala. Back then, Chichi was a K’iche’ Maya town, and an important regional trading post.
When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century they took over the town, destroyed the Maya temple, and built Chichi’s main Catholic church, Santo Tomas, on the same platform. The original 18 steps of the Maya temple are still there, and today it’s the only Catholic church in Guatemala where people are still allowed to come and perform Maya rituals, in honour of the fact that this site is sacred for both Maya and Catholics alike.
What to see at Chichi market Guatemala
It’s perfectly possible to just turn up in Chichicastenango and wander around, get a bit lost, and eventually find your way out again. But if you want to be prepared, here are some of the things you should look out for as you explore.
1/ People
This goes without saying, but the main reason to visit Chichicastenango market is for people-watching. From the colourfully-dressed traders weaving through the crowds with huge bags balanced on their heads, to the weatherbeaten men with piles of cabbages and bananas, to the ladies charring fresh tortillas on hot plates to sell to visitors, to the farmers leading herds of piglets on strings, everywhere you turn there’s something to see.
And unlike at other markets I’ve visited, almost everyone is beautifully dressed: the men in checked shirts and cowboy hats, and almost all the women wearing the vibrant Maya costume of a brightly-coloured hand-woven huipil (blouse) with a striped or patterned corte (skirt), cinched in at the waist with a wide, embroidered belt. There’s so much life and colour that it can actually be a bit overwhelming, and if you’re not good with crowds you may even find you need to take a break from time to time.
2/ Main indoor market hall (Plaza y Mercado)
The market at Chichicastenango is centred around one main square, the Plaza y Mercado, that sits between 5a and 6a Avenida to the east and west, and 5a and 6a Calle to the north and south. This was originally an open air market square, but now a series of corrugated tin roofs have been put over the whole thing to keep out the worst of Guatemalan rainy season, and inside there are several alleyways flanked by fixed stalls.
From here the market radiates out into the surrounding streets for several more blocks, with temporary stalls covered with plastic or tarpaulin sheets to keep the weather out.
You can enter the Plaza y Mercado from all four sides by looking for gaps between the stalls on any of the surrounding streets, or just by following the streams of people. Inside it’s quite dark (so not great for photography) but there’s plenty to see – mostly people selling fresh, dry and cooked food, and fabrics. It’s easy to lose your bearings inside, but don’t worry, you’ll soon find your way back out again.
3/ Indoor fruit and vegetable market
Next door to the Plaza y Mercado is the other main part of Chichicastenango market, the indoor fruit and vegetable market. This is a two-storey building that, judging by the lines painted on the floor, is also used as a basketball court. When you visit on market day, however, there’ll be no sports in sight, just dozens of traders and shoppers surrounded by towering piles of shiny fruit and vegetables, freshly plucked from the fields.
Make sure to take the stairs up to the second floor for a bird’s eye view of the action, but don’t be afraid to head down and get stuck in as well.
4/ Saint Thomas’ Church (Iglesia de Santo Tomas de Chichicastenango)
Chichicastenango’s famous historic church is not only worth a visit, it also makes a useful landmark whenever you find yourself a bit lost.
The gleaming white 480-year old church sits on top of 20 original Maya steps, one for each day in a month of the Maya calendar. On market days the steps are crowded with vendors selling flowers for worshippers to give as religious offerings; and at the top of the steps you will often find people praying and burning incense.
Inside, Santo Tomas is much like any old Catholic church, with stone walls, images of Christ, and wooden pews, but in the middle of the central aisle there are Maya stone altars for people to use for prayer. It’s this hybrid fusion of Catholicism and Maya beliefs that makes religion in Guatemala so fascinating to see.
Note that photography is not allowed inside most churches in Guatemala, including this one – hence why I have no photos of the inside. But you are free to take photos on the steps, and it’s worth spending some time photographing the flower sellers, the visitors, and the view of the market spreading out in front of you.
Read more: Ethical Travel Photography: How To Capture With A Conscience
5/ Calvary Chapel (Capilla del Calvario de Chichicastenango)
As well as Santo Tomas there is a second smaller, white-painted church in the centre of Chichicastenango: the Capilla del Calvario. This is another hybrid Maya-Catholic church, where you will also see local people performing rituals and burning incense.
If you stand on the top steps of Santo Tomas you can see the Capilla del Calvario directly ahead of you; it’s worth a quick visit and is also another helpful landmark for getting your bearings when you’re a bit lost in the market.
6/ Chichicastenango animal market
This might not be for the faint-hearted (or vegetarians), but I thought the animal market was one of the most interesting and photogenic parts of Chichicastenango market. You’ll find the animal market on the western edge of the main market area, on 7a Calle and the surrounding streets and heading downhill to the entrance to the cemetery.
Here you’ll find people selling all kinds of livestock, from groups of piglets on strings, to baskets of chicks and ducklings, adult turkeys and chickens, and pet kittens and puppies.
A word of caution: some people might find it distressing to see animals crammed into cages and headed for the slaughter, but this is how rural life works in Guatemala, and these animals will likely have a happier life than the ones that end up in a McDonalds in Britain or the USA.
7/ Chichicastenango cemetery
Another area that’s worth a quick visit while you’re in Chichicastenango is the cemetery.
Some might consider it morbid to visit a cemetery on your travels, but Guatemala’s cemeteries are not like regular cemeteries. Rather than the sombre and depressing grey tombstones we have in Europe, Guatemalan people have always honoured their dead in vivid colours. Vibrant pinks, yellows, blues, greens and oranges bring life and colour to these places of mourning – and the cemetery at Chichicastenango is probably the prettiest of them all (or at least of the five that I visited).
Find it at the bottom of Calle 7a in the west of the city, and if you get there early you may also see people selling larger livestock like pigs and goats outside the cemetery gates.
Read more: Visiting San Andres Xecul, Guatemala: Home Of The Famous Yellow Church
What to buy at the market in Chichicastenango
For me, visiting Chichicastenango market was all about people watching and photography, but it’s also one of the best places in Guatemala for shopping. Get all your handicrafts and souvenirs here for some of the best prices – but be prepared to haggle!
Here are some of the things you might want to buy:
- Traditional Maya clothing: huipiles (blouses) and cortes (skirts), hand woven with gorgeous colours and detailed embroidery. Every town and region has its own style and designs.
- Other woven textiles, including bedspreads, table runners, scarves, cushion covers, tote bags and more.
- Jewellery made from Maya jade, silver, or coloured glass beads.
- Wooden boxes, toys or ornaments.
- Painted wooden masks.
- Leather goods: belts, shoes and bags.
- Handmade and beautifully-painted ceramics (if you think you can get them home in one piece).
How to photograph the market at Chichicastenango Guatemala
You’re probably going to want to take loads of photos while you’re at Chichicastenango market, and rightly so! As you can see, it’s one of the best places in Guatemala for photography.
However, you can’t just show up and start pointing your camera in people’s faces. As you might expect, the market traders are pretty tired of being a tourist attraction, so it’s important to bear this in mind and treat them with courtesy and respect.
Here are some quick tips and handy hints.
- Stand back. Most people don’t mind being part of a photo if it’s of the wider scene. If you’re standing a bit further back and taking a shot of the whole street or several stalls together, people generally aren’t that bothered. Good places to do this are from the top of the steps of Santo Tomas’ church, and from the second floor balcony overlooking the fruit and vegetable market.
Read more: 30 Beautiful Pictures Of Guatemala And The Stories Behind Them
- Bring a zoom lens. If you’re a keen photographer, a great way to get closer shots while not getting in people’s faces is to have a zoom lens. That way you can pick up the details you want without annoying the traders who are just trying to do their job.
- Ask permission. If you do want to get closer, and especially if you want to take portraits, it’s always best to ask. If you don’t speak Spanish, that can be as simple as just smiling and showing the person your camera – they’ll know what you mean and will let you know with either a smile or a shake of the head whether they’re OK with it or not. You will find that a lot of people turn away or cover their faces as soon as you raise your camera or phone, so you’ll have no trouble working out who’s cool with photography and who isn’t.
- Chat to people. If you do speak a little Spanish, a friendly chat can go a long way towards breaking the ice. If I just tried to take a photo, many people said no, but if I made the effort to be friendly and polite first, many more were then happy to let me take their picture.
- Have a big camera. This might sound counter-intuitive, but I found that I got a lot of respect and interest from people in Guatemala for having a professional-looking camera. I was sometimes approached by people who wanted me to take their photo, and while they may be tired of being endlessly papped with camera phones, plenty of Guatemalans still have time for someone who looks like they know what they’re doing.
For many more tips, check out my market photography guide here: 13 Top Tips For Taking Great Travel Photos Of Markets
How to get to Chichicastenango market
The best way to get to Chichicastenango market is from either Panajachel on Lake Atitlan, Antigua, or Quetzaltenango (Xela). The journey to Chichicastenango from Panajachel will take you about 1.5 hours; to get to Chichicastenango from Antigua it’s about 2.5 hours, and from Xela it’s about 2 hours.
If you’re planning to travel from Lake Atitlan to Chichicastenango, I’d recommend starting your journey in Panajachel to minimise travel times and costs, and maximise your time at the market.
There are three ways to get there:
1/ Taxi or a private shuttle
This is the easiest (but also the most expensive) way to get to Chichicastenango market – your driver will pick you up at your hotel, wait for you while you explore the market, and bring you back whenever you’re ready.
Note that shared shuttles only run on market days, so if you want to go on another day of the week you’ll need to go private or get a chicken bus.
We booked a private shuttle to Chichi on a Saturday afternoon and it cost Q400 (£40 or US$50) between three of us, one way. We came back the next day using the shared tourist shuttle which cost Q75 (£8 or US$10) per person.
2/ Shared shuttle
Shared shuttles from Panajachel leave around 8 am from your hotel and arrive in Chichi about 1.5 hours later. You’ll have about four hours to explore the market before getting the return shuttle at 2 pm from outside the Hotel Santo Tomas in Chichicastenango. Don’t be late, or you’ll miss your ride home.
If you’re on a tight schedule, shared shuttles offer the best balance of convenience and price. They still pick you up from your hotel, but at a set time, and you’ll be travelling with other tourists.
At the time of writing a seat on a shared shuttle cost Q75 (£8 or US$10), one way. You can buy tickets from most hostels in Pana or Antigua, and from any of the high street travel agencies. During peak season the shared shuttles may sell out, so book at least a couple of days in advance to be sure of getting a seat.
Since a return ticket is just double the cost of a one-way ticket, you can also travel one-way to Chichi and then buy an onward ticket to somewhere else, such as Antigua. Ask the shuttle company if you can leave your backpack in the van, or stay one night and then you can leave your stuff in your room.
Recommended shuttle companies include Monte Verde Tours in Xela or Adrenalina Tours.
3/ Chicken bus
If you’re travelling on a budget or you fancy a bit more of an adventure on your way to Chichi, then the chicken bus is for you. Officially known as ‘colectivos’, these are Guatemala’s main form of public transport: former US school buses that have been imported, modified, and brightly decorated with stickers, shiny chrome trims and colourful paintwork. They’re part of the Guatemala experience and you should definitely ride one at least once, but they’re not the most comfortable or safe, so best saved for shorter trips.
Read more: Backpacking in Guatemala: All You Need To Know Before You Go
If you take this route it’s highly likely you’ll have to change buses at least a couple of times. From Antigua you’ll probably need to change in Chimaltenango and Los Encuentros; from Panajachel you’ll change in Solola and Los Encuentros; and from Xela you’ll change at Cuatro Caminos and Los Encuentros. Each bus leg will cost between Q5 and Q25 (50p to £2.50 or 65c to US$3), depending on the distance.
This might sound complicated and scary but if you speak a bit of Spanish you should have no trouble. All of the bus drivers and conductors are friendly and helpful; it’s their job to get you where you want to go and they will be very used to gringos trying to get to Chichicastenango market, so they’ll happily point you in the right direction and make sure you get the correct bus.
Visiting Chichicastenango Market: FAQs and top tips
When is Chichicastenango open?
Chichicastenango market days are Tuesdays and Sundays. The market gets going around 8 am and starts dying down around 3 or 4 pm. The busiest Chichicastenango market hours are between about 9 am and 2 pm.
When is the best time to visit Chichi market?
Guatemala’s rainy season falls between May and October, and the dry season is between November and April. Much of Chichicastenango market is undercover so you can visit any time, but be aware that if you visit during the rainy season it often rains in the afternoons, and the streets can become very muddy and wet. If you visit during rainy season it’s a good idea to wear study boots or shoes with good grips that you don’t mind getting muddy.
Is Chichicastenango worth visiting?
Even if you’re not a photographer or that interested in shopping, Chichicastenango market is a wonderful place to experience a true, authentic part of indigenous Guatemalan life. If you’re looking for souvenirs, it’s a great place to find everything you might want to buy all in one place, and if travel photography is your thing… well.. hopefully these images speak for themselves!
What can you buy at Chichi market Guatemala?
There are all sorts of traditional goods, arts and crafts to buy, as well as practical everyday items for the local people. Things to look out for include:
Handwoven textiles: Vibrant fabrics bursting with colors and patterns, reflecting generations of craftsmanship.
Local produce: Fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown using traditional methods, alongside medicinal plants and spices.
Handicrafts: Pottery, wooden carvings, leather goods, and other items handmade by local artisans, each telling a story.
Shamans and traditional healers: Offering spiritual guidance and remedies using ancestral knowledge.
Live animals: From chickens and guinea pigs to colorful flowers and incense, reflecting the diverse needs of the community.
What are you unlikely to find at Chichicastenango?
Visitors to Chichicastenango market are unlikely to find international chain stores, luxury brands, or modern manufactured goods. This vibrant market thrives on tradition, offering a unique immersion into Mayan culture. So forget the Gucci bags and look out for the goats instead!
Should I do a Chichicastenango tour?
When you get off the shuttle you’ll probably be met by local guides offering to give you a tour of the market. Whether you choose to accept really depends on how much you already know or would like to know about Maya culture.
A tour guide can certainly show you where to go and enhance your experience, and if you’re not confident chatting to people and asking for photos, they can help you with that.
So by all means get a tour if you’d like to, but it’s not necessary. I didn’t want a guide as I wanted the time and the freedom to move around and take photos at my own pace. I speak Spanish and had a local SIM, so I was able to chat to people and find my own away around, and I preferred it that way.
Read more: A Colourful Guide To Flores Guatemala: Gateway To The Maya World
How long should you spend at the market in Chichicastenango?
If you get a tourist shuttle, you’ll arrive around 9.30-10 am and be picked up at around 2 pm, giving you 4.5 hours in the market. For most people that should be plenty – in fact too much time in Chichicastenango market can be exhausting and a bit overwhelming, so you might even want to take a break in the middle of the day, get some lunch, and then dive back in later.
However if you’re as into photography as I am, you might find it’s not enough, in which case you could consider staying a bit longer or even overnight. Since the shared shuttles run to a fixed timetable, to do this you will either need to organise private transport or travel by chicken bus.
Is it worth staying overnight in Chichicastenango?
I wanted to maximise my photography time in the market, so I decided to stay in Chichicastenango the night before. With a couple of friends I got a private shuttle from Panajachel at 2 pm on the Saturday, giving us plenty of time that afternoon to do a quick recce of the market, scope out good photography spots, and get a feel for the place. There was already a lot of activity going on, but we were the only tourists.
The next morning I was up at 6 am. I went to the cemetery early, and was then able to spend an hour photographing the animal market before the rest of the market started. This gave me plenty of time to see everything, and we got 2-3 more hours in the town than we would have done if we’d arrived that day.
Of course it was more expensive to do this. On market days the price of the hotels goes up a lot, and we paid quite a lot for a very average hotel. That’s supply and demand for you! Plus we had to pay for the private shuttle. For me it was definitely worth it, but I’d say that for most people a day trip would be enough.
Is Chichicastenango market safe?
Chichicastenango is a busy town with lots of people around, so for the most part, yes it’s a safe place to go, and you’re unlikely to run into any trouble.
But as with any crowded place, there will be pickpockets, so it’s important to take a few precautions if you don’t want to lose your stuff. Don’t take valuables or credit cards or huge wads of cash, and don’t keep your wallet or phone in an open pocket. It’s better to carry your backpack on your front, or wear a bum bag or money belt.
All the streets can start to look the same, so although you won’t get seriously lost you may get turned around a little. If you do lose you way, most people are friendly and can direct you to where you want to go, but it’s very helpful to have a local SIM in your phone so you can search Google maps to find out where you are.
If you think you might lose your friends, it’s a good idea to have a designated meeting place and time (the church steps is a good place) so you can find each other again.
Read more: Is Guatemala Safe? 60+ Practical Tips For Safe Travel In Guatemala
Where to stay in Chichicastenango
If you do decide to stay the night in Chichicastenango, options are pretty limited. Here are the best of a fairly unexciting bunch.
- Hotel Santo Tomas: A faded-glory colonial-style hotel with a swimming pool and a pretty terrace courtyard, Hotel Santo Tomas is probably the best in town, and very convenient for the shuttle pickup at the end of the day.
- Hotel Museo Mayan Inn: A former monastery converted into a hotel, Museo Mayan Inn is right next to the market so the location is great, but the rooms are dingy, the plumbing is antique, and it’s very overpriced for what you get. Some reviews for the hotel restaurant say it’s good, but it was the worst meal I had in three months in Guatemala.
- Hotel Chalet: Pretty basic but perfectly fine, and much cheaper than the Mayan Inn. Hotel Chalet‘s location is not quite as convenient for escaping for a breather after a few intense hours in the market, but it’s still walkable.
Where to eat in Chichicastenango
We ate in two places during our visit to Chichicastenango market: the hotel restaurant at the Museo Mayan Inn, which I do not recommend, and the Casa de San Juan Restaurante, which was a hundred times better.
Casa de San Juan serves a fairly standard menu of meat, fish and vegetarian options, most of which come with rice, salad and chips. The food was hardly award-winning, but it was perfectly fine, service was quite quick and it was in a convenient location close to the market. If you plan to eat here before getting the 2 pm shuttle back allow plenty of time, as everyone else will be trying to do the same.
Of course there’s also no shortage of hot, fresh and cheap street food on sale in the market, so if you’re just visiting for a few hours you can graze as you go. Try the fresh mango and papaya from the sellers in the fruit and veg hall, or work your way through the full range of typical Guatemalan dishes on offer in the food area of the covered market.
Read more: Guatemala People: 30 Portraits Of Guatemalans That Show Their Rich Culture
Where to next?
If you enjoyed this post, why not try some of my other Guatemala posts?
- Yaxha Guatemala: The Magical Mayan Ruins You Need To Visit
- Visiting San Andres Xecul, Guatemala: Home Of The Famous Yellow Church
- The Colourful Market In Solola Guatemala: A Photo Guide
- Backpacking in Guatemala: All You Need To Know Before You Go
Or for more travel photography, try these:
- 25 Spectacular Places To Visit For Travel Photography
- 25 Brilliant Tips For Travel Photography
- Colourful Street Markets in Myanmar (Burma)
- Best Camera For Blogging – By Travel Bloggers
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Bella is a multi-award-winning travel writer, wildlife photographer and science and history documentary director from London. Among many awards and nominations she won Blogger of the Year at the British Guild of Travel Writers’ Awards 2023 and Best Photography at the Travel Media Awards 2020. Her work has been published by National Geographic, Wanderlust, and BBC Travel among others. Her films have been shown around the world including on the BBC, Discovery and PBS.
