Visit the Colorful Guatemala's Highland Markets With LANDED Travel

Guatemala’s Highland Markets

If you’re seeking to glimpse Guatemala’s heart and soul, schedule your trip around a market day.

These are fantastic venues for interacting with locals and gaining cultural insight.

At local markets, visitors can talk with small-scale farmers and purchase beautifully crafted handicrafts directly from the producers and artisans.

Fresh Produce, Handcrafts and More

For many local farmers, village markets represent the principal outlet for their harvests.

Fresh crops–papayas, mangos, melons, and cashews–are found in abundance, just picked and bursting with flavor.

Other stands offer everything from lilies to candles to farm implements.

Woodcarvings, Ceramics, and Embroidery

The more elaborate markets feature large sections of handcrafts, including embroidery, woodcarvings, and ceramics.

Many of the smaller markets begin at dawn, winding down by or before noon.

Larger markets, such as those in Antigua and Chichicastenango are all-day affairs.

What to do in Guatemala’s Highland Markets

Traditional markets are held throughout the week, with most highland towns offering one or two fixed market days.

Some of our favorite markets are scheduled as follows:

Sunday – Chichicastenango, Comalapa, Tecpan

Monday – Zunil, Antigua

Tuesday – Sololá, Comalapa, Totonicapán

Thursday – Chichicastenango, San Andres Xecul, Antigua

Friday – Sololá, San Francisco el Alto

Saturday – Antigua, Totonicapán, Todos Santos

What is the Weather Like?

At the highland markets, mornings ground you in cool clarity—daytime temperatures float between 16–22 °C, while early hours and evenings dip to around 8–12 °C, especially in December through February.

The dry season (November–April) brings crisp air, clear skies, and means the markets bustle under sunshine—ideal for wandering stalls and vivid textiles.

From May to October, occasional afternoon rains cloak the highlands in mist—atmospheric and verdant, but best met with a warm layer and resolve.

Getting There

Start your journey today

LANDED delivers the finest in custom, private travel to Central America, South America, and Antarctica. These regions are our passion; we know them first-hand and by heart. Speak with one of our travel designers and let us create a tailored itinerary for you in Highland Markets.