Market · Dominican Republic

Mercado Modelo, Santo Domingo

Mercado Modelo is the Dominican Republic's most famous artisan market, a sprawling two-storey warren in the heart of Santo Domingo where you can buy hand-rolled cigars, larimar jewellery, carnival masks and mamajuana herbal rum in the same afternoon. It's loud, fragrant and completely authentic.

What to Buy and What to Skip

The standout purchases are larimar — the pale blue volcanic gemstone found only in the DR — and amber, often containing prehistoric insects; both are sold here in raw and polished form at prices far below resort boutiques, though quality varies wildly so inspect carefully.

Hand-painted carnival masks (caretas) from La Vega and Santiago make spectacular wall art; look for masks with the most intricate papier-mâché work and multiple horn layers, which indicate the highest craft level.

Navigating the Market

The ground floor is dominated by food stalls selling fresh juice, fried plantains and sancocho (the hearty Dominican meat-and-root stew) — eat here before you shop, as hunger makes haggling harder.

Vendors are persistent but rarely aggressive; a firm but friendly 'no gracias' is respected. Prices are not fixed, and a polite opening counter-offer of 60% of the asking price is standard practice.

Mamajuana and Local Remedies

Dozens of stalls sell mamajuana — a traditional Dominican infusion of tree bark, herbs and roots bottled with rum, red wine and honey. Vendors will offer you a taste; the flavour is earthy, warming and unlike anything you'll find in a duty-free shop.

The market also has a section of botanical stalls selling medicinal herbs, roots and potions that reveal a rich tradition of Afro-Caribbean folk medicine — fascinating to browse even if you're not buying.

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