Tarabuco

Tarabuco is a small town in the hills east of Sucre and its Sunday market is the reason people come: Yampara people from the surrounding communities come in to trade, many in traditional dress, the men in montera hats shaped like Spanish conquistador helmets, and the textiles are the draw. Yampara weaving is distinctive, with dense figurative bands showing animals and figures worked in fine warp-faced technique, and Tarabuco pieces are among the most collected in Bolivia. The market sells produce and everyday goods alongside the textiles. Pujllay, the March festival commemorating a battle, fills the town with dancers and is its biggest day. Textile prices here are lower than in Sucre but bargaining and some knowledge of quality help.

Highlights

• Yampara textiles - dense figurative weaving in warp-faced bands.
• Montera hats - the helmet-shaped headwear worn by the men.
• The produce market - the working trade alongside the textiles.
• Pujllay in March - the festival that fills the town with dancers.

When to go

Sunday, which is the market day and effectively the only reason to come; other days the town is quiet. March for Pujllay. April to November for the roads and clearer weather.

What to expect

The market is heavily visited by tour groups from Sucre and has adjusted accordingly, with some stock aimed at them and machine-made pieces sold as handwoven. Photography of people needs asking and is often refused or charged. The road takes about two hours each way.

Nearby

Sucre lies west; the Maragua crater is northwest of it.