Mercado Modelo

The Mercado Modelo stands out with its neoclassical facade painted in a soft, weathered yellow, sitting right at the edge of the bay. Built in nineteen twelve to serve as the city's customs house, it handled the heavy flow of imports and exports that fueled the regional economy. When a massive fire gutted the building in nineteen sixty-nine, city officials moved the municipal market here. Today, the space houses rows of artisans and vendors selling lace, wood carvings, and berimbaus from the floorboards.