Almost two
hours north of Quito is the city of Otavalo, famous for its Market especially dedicated to trade
fabrics, textile crafts, pottery, ornaments, antiques and tourist attractions.
The Otavalo Market is the quintessential craft center where you can have
everything you need, currently being the preferred place for tourists to buy
their purchases.
The weekly
show has become one of the most important tourist centers, but besides this
recent transformation Otavalo has been able to preserve its old roots that go
back to pre-Columbian or even pre-Inca times.
An amazing
maze of fabrics and clothes in bright colors extends from there for a number of
streets around the square every Saturday. The rest of the week, the market is
restricted to the Plaza and direct surrounding. Almost anything can be found
while wandering the crowded streets, from coats to paintings, handmade jewelry,
crafts, wall carpets and even ceramic fried eggs. Do not worry to leave the
main streets as the entire city of Otavalo is a big market where you can find
everything you can imagine or couldn’t do far.
Accommodation
In Otavalo
there is absolutely no shortage of lodging options. The vast majority are
hostels or inns, clean, friendly and central located managed by families that
offer rooms with shared bathrooms at very low costs. There are also plenty of
options from cheap to hotels with higher standards.
To enjoy
the tranquility and natural beauty of the nearby sites, we recommend unpack
your bags in one of the nearby farms. These huge ranches dating from the time
of the conquest and have witnessed much of the history of Ecuador.
During the
90s many estates turned to tourism and converted into hotels that provide
luxurious accommodation, fine dining and outdoor excursions to the beautiful
Andean landscapes that surround them.
Beyond
Otavalo
Just as
Otavalo is famous for its textile productions, some nearby communities so are
for their own productions. Such is the case of Cotacachi, the center of the
leather industry in Ecuador, where the smell of polished leather permeates the
air. The local specialty is San Antonio woodcarving. Its main street is lined
with shops selling everything from wood, from statues, small carved figures,
pictures, frames and home furnishings.
In addition
to the walk to the waterfall of Peguche, there exists a large number of lakes
in which you can spend a pleasant afternoon. These are: Laguna Mojanda, Lake
San Pablo and the Lagoon of Cuicocha. This huge Imbabura region also offers
great opportunities for horseback riding, water sports, hiking and
mountaineering. Several of the farms and inns in the region offer these trips.
Source: http://www.ecuadorexplorer.com/es/html/la-ciudad-de-otavalo.html
