The main artesan market is at Plaza de Ponchos. Look for Otavalo embroidered shirts, carved wooden parrots or textiles and tapestries. Ecuadorian Textiles are world famous for their quality and history.
The history of the textiles goes back to Spanish colonial days when land around Quito was granted to various people, including one Rodrigo de Salazar who had the grant at Otavalo. He set up a weaving workshop, using the Otavaleño Indians, already skilled weavers, as the workforce.
