East of Cuenca, three small towns each live from one craft: shawls in Gualaceo, jewellery in Chordeleg and guitars in San Bartolomé. This guide is for you if you want a slower day of people making things by hand. It helps you know what you are looking at, what to bring for buying, and which dates change the feel of the valley.
What each town makes
Gualaceo: the market and the macana
Gualaceo is the first stop and the closest, about 36 kilometres from Cuenca. It calls itself the garden of Azuay. The 25 de Junio market, in the centre of town, has more than 200 stalls. Look for hornado, roast pork, corn tortillas and rosero, a traditional fruit drink.
The craft here is the macana, a shawl woven with the ikat technique. The threads are tie-dyed first and then woven by hand. One family workshop near Gualaceo, in San Pedro de Los Olivos, works in an adobe house with ten looms. Ask to see the threads being tied as well as the weaving, so you see both halves of the process.
Chordeleg: filigree
Chordeleg is about ten minutes on from Gualaceo, around a main square lined with jewellers. The town has dozens of jewellery shops, and many sell filigree, worked from silver wire as thin as a hair. The town also has pottery workshops making tableware and flowerpots, if you want something other than jewellery.
San Bartolomé: guitars
San Bartolomé is a parish of Sígsig, about 52 kilometres from Cuenca, and it has been declared part of Ecuador's national cultural heritage. It has more than a dozen guitar workshops, and the makers work with woods such as rosewood, capulí, walnut and pine. If someone in your group plays, this is the stop they will remember. Ask if you can try one.
How the day fits together
The day is seven hours, from 07:00 to 14:00. It starts with the market, because markets are liveliest early, then the weaving workshop, Chordeleg in the middle of the morning and the guitar makers last. You are back in Cuenca for a late lunch.
The distances are short. Gualaceo is under an hour from the city, and each later stop is a few minutes' drive from the one before. Most of the day is spent on foot inside workshops and on the square in Chordeleg, not in the car.
The workshops are family homes, and not every one opens every day. Your driver knows which are open and builds the order around them. That is the main advantage of a private day here: you are not stuck with a fixed list. If you want lunch in Gualaceo rather than back in the city, say so, and the day runs a little longer.
When to go, and dates to know
Gualaceo celebrates the anniversary of its founding as a canton in late June. The programme fills much of the second half of June and includes a civic parade through the main streets; check this year's dates. On the morning of the parade the centre is busy, and your driver may change the order of the day.
Carnival is the other big date. The town puts on a programme of events in its markets and along the Santa Bárbara river, with parades and music. It is lively, but not the day for quiet workshop visits. If you want the craftsmen at their benches, pick an ordinary weekday.
On your own, or with a car
Buses run from Cuenca to all three towns. The ride to Gualaceo takes about 40 minutes. Getting between the towns is the slow part, and knowing which family workshops are open that day is harder still.
A private car takes you to the workshops that are open and waits while you watch. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
Buying, and not buying
You do not have to buy anything. The makers are used to visitors who only come to watch. If you do want to buy:
- Bring cash in US dollars. Small workshops do not always take cards.
- Ask the maker how the piece was made and how long it took. Buying from the person who made it is the point of the day.
- Think about the flight home before you buy a guitar, and ask the maker for a case.
- Bring a bag for small purchases from the market.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits people interested in crafts, music or textiles, families and anyone who wants a gentler day after a hike. It also works on the days other sights are shut: the Pumapungo museum in Cuenca closes on Mondays, and the Ingapirca ruins on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Think twice if you want landscapes or ruins. The valley is green and pleasant, but the day is about workshops. For lakes, take the Cajas half day. For Inca stones, take Ingapirca.
Questions people ask
Can we skip one of the towns?
Yes. Tell your driver, and spend the time where you want it.
Can we see Panama hats too?
The hat workshop is part of the historic centre tour in Cuenca itself.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up for a full refund. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick an ordinary weekday, bring US dollars in cash and leave room in your bag. To compare it with the other trips from the city, read our guide to day trips from Cuenca. The stops, timings and what is included are on the Gualaceo and Chordeleg craft villages page, where you choose your group size and book.
