Light Work
Frailes Atelier takes its name from its position on one of Valladolid’s main shopping streets, the pretty, cobblestoned Calzada de los Frailes. To call it a candle shop would be underselling it—it feels more like an art gallery, with candlesticks taking the form of long-stem roses and twisted architectural shapes, all crafted in the city from 100 percent beeswax. The space, set out around a central table like the dining room of a private home, is warm and informal. Glance down at the floor and appreciate the original red-and-green checkerboard tile.
Treasure Hunt
Valladolid has several outdoor markets that pop up on certain days selling fruit or flowers, but the Mercado de Artesanías is a permanent arcaded square across the road from the central plaza. Here local sellers stock Yucatán huipiles (white tunic dresses with colorful floral embroidery), fustanes (white lace skirts, often worn beneath a huipil), and jubones (squares of ornately embroidered fabric worn like a poncho). Shops also sell alebrijes (mythical animal sculptures, a typical Mexican folk art), talavera pottery (hand-painted colorful ceramics), and small souvenir trinkets.
Rock the Casa
Conesencia boutique brings together an edit of handcrafted homewares from across Mexico: carved wood serving spoons, large baskets woven from native palms, straw beach hats, and a gorgeous collection of pottery that runs the gamut from small brush-glazed pencil pots to floor vases with statement handles. A short stroll away, but a million miles in terms of aesthetic, is Kuxtal. This bright art gallery and home-decoration shop specializes in arte popular: vibrantly colored crucifixes, skull-painted mezcal cups, and tin-petal-trimmed table mirrors.
Sweet Treats
Just off charming central plaza Parque Principal Francisco Cantón Rosado, Wabi Gelato is an ice cream parlor with a changing roster of flavors like rosemary latte, plus fruity sorbets, all made on site. Grab a chair outside or sit in the adjacent park, where there’s often live music and folk dancing. For a suitcase-friendly buy, Choco-Story Museum’s gift shop stocks organic bars, some flavored with chile or tequila, as well as chocolate-based shampoos. Workshops and tastings there allow visitors to go deeper into the chocolate-making process.
This article appeared in the March 2026 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.