Mercado Modelo has traded on Avenida Mella since the 1940s and remains the city's largest craft market, with stalls selling handmade jewellery, textiles, wood carvings and – distinctively – Haitian paintings alongside the usual Dominican souvenirs. Food stalls selling empanadas and tropical fruit run alongside the craft rows.
Bargaining is standard practice here, unlike at most fixed-price boutiques in the Zona Colonial.
Local tip: Go in the morning when stalls are fully stocked and the market is less crowded.
Good to know
- Where: Av. Mella, Santo Domingo 10211, Dominican Republic
- City: Santo Domingo
Plan your visit to Santo Domingo