Olinala

Olinala sits high in the Guerrero mountains, hours from anywhere, and it produces one of Mexico's most distinctive crafts. The base material is linaloe, an aromatic tree of the region whose wood perfumes anything made from it - chests, boxes, trays and trunks that scent clothes for decades. On these, artisans apply the laca tradition: layers of chia-seed or linseed oil, mineral earths and pigment are built up, and then the decoration is made by the rayado method - the top colour is scratched away with a thorn or blade to reveal the layer beneath, producing designs of rabbits, deer, birds, flowers and foliage in fine outline, all without a brush stroke. Other pieces are painted with brushes in dorado work. Whole families run the workshops, and the craft is protected by a denomination of origin. Getting to Olinala is a serious mountain journey; the pieces themselves are widely sold in Chilapa's Sunday market, in Taxco and in craft museums nationwide.

What to look for

• The linaloe boxes - aromatic wood that scents its contents.
• Rayado decoration - designs scratched through layered lacquer.
• The family workshops - layering, drying and scoring by hand.
• The mountain setting - remote Guerrero highlands.

When to go

November to April for dry mountain roads; Chilapa's Sunday market is the easiest place to see the work without the long drive.

Before you go

The town is genuinely remote and services are minimal; most travellers buy Olinala work elsewhere. Genuine pieces carry the maker's name and a price that reflects weeks of work.

Nearby

Chilapa's Sunday market and Tlapa's mountain trade are the regional hubs; Taxco sells the craft to visitors.