Masaya Craft Market

The Mercado Nacional de Artesanías occupies a walled market building put up in the late nineteenth century in a heavy Gothic-influenced style, burnt and rebuilt, and it now houses craft stalls from all over the country: hammocks, which Masaya is particularly known for, leather, ceramics from San Juan de Oriente, woodwork from Masatepe, embroidery, hats and paintings. It is the tidy tourist-facing counterpart to the much larger and rougher municipal market a few blocks away, where the town actually shops. Folkloric dance and marimba are performed in the courtyard on some evenings. Prices are higher than at the source villages but the range in one place is unmatched, and bargaining is normal.

What you actually see

• The walled market hall - the nineteenth-century building and its courtyard.
• Hammocks - Masaya's signature craft, woven in the town.
• Crafts from across the country - ceramics, leather, wood and embroidery.
• Evening performances - marimba and folkloric dance in the courtyard.

When to go

December to April for the roads. The market runs daily; performance evenings vary and are worth checking locally. Mornings are quietest, afternoons busiest with coach groups.

Honest expectations

Prices are noticeably higher than buying in the villages that make the goods. Some stock is imported or mass-produced. The municipal market nearby is more interesting but far more chaotic and pickpocketing occurs there. Bargaining is expected here.

Nearby

Coyotepe fortress is above the town; the Pueblos Blancos lie south.