The Sunday market in Pisac, close to the Inca Sacred Valley and Sacsaywaman has two faces. There’s the touristy handicraft market where you can buy much of the souvenirs and the typical Peruvian produce (ponchos, felt hats, alpaca sweaters and gloves) available in Cuzco and Lima for much the same prices, and then there’s the Mercado de Treque (trade market) which dates back to ancient Peruvian times when residents of the highlands depended on informal economies like trading goods, to get the provisions they needed to live. Natives sit on the floor with their vegetables, herbs, potatoes, colourful fruits and dyes and spices spread out in front of them. They trade their produce for necessities such as medicines, matches, salt, sugar and kerosene and occasional treats such as oranges from the quillabamba valley. The trade market closes at 3pm in order to allow the natives time to walk home before dark leaving you time to haggle over the ceramics and large collection of hand-painted multi-coloured beads in the tourist market. However rather than picking up a bargain, this market is really about observing ancient native Peruvian customs in action.

Written by  Alessia Horwich.

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