Guadalajara Shopping and Districts

(Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)



View of shoppers on the Juarez AvenueA wealth of beautiful handicrafts from all over Jalisco and other Mexican states are available in Guadalajara, offering great shopping for tourists looking for the perfect souvenir and memory. Various outlet malls and shopping centres provide a good way to while away the hours in Guadalajara, with shops tending to be at their busiest around midday and considerably quieter as evening approaches.

Crafts vendors are at their best around the simply huge Mercado Libertad, which is amongst the biggest markets in the whole of Mexico, being spread over three floors and located off the Calz Independencia. You will usually be expected to politely bargain when shopping here, although in general, most prices in shops around Guadalajara are fixed, with antiques stores being the exception to this and readily welcome a little haggling.


Different picture of the Tlaquepaque district

When to Shop and Opening Hours

The majority of shops around Guadalajara tend to open from around 09:00 onwards Monday through Saturday, closing in early evening, as late as 20:00.

However, many do choose to take a break in the afternoon, during the heat of the day, usually between 14:00 and 16:00. An increasing number of shops in Guadalajara are open on Sundays, although this remains a much quieter day for shopping than Saturday.

Photo taken in the Tlaquepaque district

Where to Shop

Central Guadalajara is packed with shopping opportunities and street vendors, who often line many of the pavements as they try to sell their wares. Good shopping opportunities are also plentiful around the Casa de las Artesanias de Jalisco, located close to the Parque Agua Azul, where shops specialise in handicrafts. Similar shopping can be found within some of Guadalajara's main suburbs, such as both Tonala and Tlaquepaque, located around 15 km / 9 miles from the city centre.

A number of large shopping malls are now a feature of the city and located on the western side of Guadalajara. These include the Centro Magno, the Plaza del Sol and the Plaza Milenium, all of which are connected by bus. If you are lucky enough to be visiting Guadalajara on a Sunday, be sure to check out the Mercado El Baratillo flea market, based around Javier Mina.