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The best town we visited near Otavalo was Cotacachi, which is famous for leather goods. There are over 50 different leather shops in town. Several stores are located along 10 de Agosto, which is also known as “Leather Street”.
Plaza de San Francisco
Plaza de San Francisco is a good place to find leather goods and crafts. When we visited, we found a market selling leather, crafts, and other souvenirs in the plaza.
Parque Abdón Calderón
We also visited the main plaza, Parque Abdón Calderón, which has tall palm trees and a beautiful church. The Cultural Museum (Museo de las Culturas) is off the plaza next to a few nice restaurants but was closed at the time of our visit.
Thoughts
I definitely would like to return and spend more time in Cotacachi. It seemed much more peaceful and friendly with just as much authenticity as I found in Otavalo. When I make a return trip to Ecuador, I will choose to stay in Cotacachi rather than Otavalo.
Getting There
Buses from Otavalo run through Quiroga before reaching Cotacachi. You can catch a return bus to Otavalo in Parque Abdón Calderón.
