Cotacachi

Cotacachi is the leather town of Ecuador: the Calle 10 de Agosto and the streets around it are lined with shops and workshops selling jackets, bags, belts, boots and saddlery made in the town, a trade with colonial roots that grew into the town's identity, and prices are well below what the same work costs abroad. The town itself is a tidy grid at the foot of Cotacachi volcano, with a pleasant plaza and a reputation for civic order; it has also drawn a sizeable community of North American retirees, which shows in the cafes. Cuicocha crater lake lies twenty minutes up the volcano road, and most visitors combine the two with the Otavalo market.

The main sights

• Leather workshops and shops - the trade along 10 de Agosto.
• Made-in-town jackets and bags - the craft at local prices.
• The plaza under the volcano - the tidy centre below Cotacachi.
• Cuicocha up the road - the crater lake twenty minutes above.

When to go

Year round; Saturday and Sunday coincide with the Otavalo market circuit and are livelier. Half a day. Quality varies shop to shop, so compare before buying.

Good to know

Some stock is imported despite the made-here reputation; ask and inspect. The town is quiet to the point of sleepy midweek. Beyond leather and lunch there is little to do in the town itself.

Nearby

Cuicocha is up the volcano road; Otavalo lies south-east.