Guatemala City’s Christmas bazaars (bazares navideños) are street markets that the Municipalidad de Guatemala sets up in zona 1. In 2025 they ran from 21 November to 31 December, opening at 8:00. As of 9 November 2026 AGN, the state news agency, had published no 2026 dates.
In short: The bazares navideños are municipal Christmas street markets in the Centro Histórico, zona 1. 2026 dates: none in AGN as of 9 November 2026. Last year’s pattern (2025): 8a calle and Parque San Francisco de Asís from 21 November, 19 calle Pastores from 22 November to 24 December, and Plaza Sagrario, 6a calle and Plaza Barrios from 29 November. Everything except 19 calle closed on 31 December. Hours: from 8:00, closing at 22:00 or 21:00 depending on the bazaar and the source. Prensa Libre advises bringing cash. The ticketed alternative is Interfer 2026: 27 November to 22 December, Q10 entry.
2026 status (checked 9 November 2026)
AGN, the state news agency, has published no 2026 bazaar list: on 9 November 2026 its site search for bazar returned the 23 December 2025 list as the newest bazaar item, and a search for navideño 2026 returned only the Festival Navideño and Interfer items below. The Municipalidad’s own site (muniguate.com) returned an access error (HTTP 403) that day. AGN’s 4 November 2026 report on the city’s Christmas programme says the Festival Navideño 2026 opens on 20 November in the Plaza Central with a concert, and that the Catedral Metropolitana mapping returns from 17 to 20 December. It gives no bazaar dates. The festival itself is covered on our Guatemala City Christmas parades and Festival Navideño page.
Until the 2026 list comes out, the 2025 schedule below is the best guide to which streets to go to. The dates do move from year to year (see the 2022 comparison further down), so treat the 2025 days as a pattern, not as this year’s calendar.
The 2025 bazaars, street by street
Dates and locations come from the Municipalidad’s list as republished by AGN on 23 December 2025 and by Prensa Libre on 20 November 2025. Hours are as AGN gave them; Prensa Libre’s hours are in the next section.
| Bazaar | Where (zona 1) | 2025 dates | Hours (AGN) | Goods listed by AGN | Transmetro stop (AGN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8a calle | 8a calle between 5a and 7a avenidas | 21 Nov to 31 Dec | 8:00 to 22:00 | Crafts, typical and Christmas goods, traditional food | Parque Centenario (line 1) |
| 19 calle Pastores | 19 calle between 7a and 9a avenidas | 22 Nov to 24 Dec | 8:00 to 22:00 | Decorations, Christmas trees, moss | Paseo de las Letras and Plaza Barrios (lines 1 and 12) |
| Plaza Sagrario | Over the Mercado Central | 29 Nov to 31 Dec | 8:00 to 21:00 | Shoes, food, assorted goods, seasonal products | Mercado Central (line 1) |
| 6a calle | 6a calle between 7a and 10a avenidas | 29 Nov to 31 Dec | 8:00 to 21:00 | Decorations, Christmas trees, moss | Mercado Central (line 1) |
| Plaza Barrios | 18 calle and 9a avenida | 29 Nov to 31 Dec | 8:00 to 21:00 | Clothes, shoes, food, assorted goods | Fegua and Plaza Barrios (lines 6, 12, 13 and 18) |
| Parque San Francisco de Asís | Historic centre (address not given) | 21 Nov to 31 Dec | 8:00 to 22:00 (Prensa Libre) | Not listed | Not listed |
The Parque San Francisco de Asís bazaar appears only in Prensa Libre’s list. AGN’s list has five bazaars and does not include it.
Opening hours: the two 2025 sources disagree
- Prensa Libre, 20 November 2025: all bazaars open 8:00 to 22:00.
- AGN, 23 December 2025: 8:00 to 22:00 for 8a calle and 19 calle; 8:00 to 21:00 for Plaza Sagrario, 6a calle and Plaza Barrios.
Both attribute the information to the Municipalidad. If you are heading to Plaza Sagrario, 6a calle or Plaza Barrios in the evening, plan to arrive before 21:00. That works under either version.
What is on sale
According to the city hall, as reported by Prensa Libre, each bazaar sells seasonal products: traditional food, crafts, gifts, Christmas trees and lights, clothes, shoes, toys and other goods. AGN’s list adds a breakdown by location. The 19 calle and 6a calle bazaars are the ones for decorations, trees and musgo (the moss used to dress nativity scenes). 8a calle is for crafts and typical products. Plaza Sagrario and Plaza Barrios lean towards shoes, clothes and food.
For prices, our main Christmas in Guatemala page has the Ministry of Culture’s December 2024 walk through the same zona 1 markets, with what things cost.
Prensa Libre also reported that, according to the Municipalidad, the bazares navideños started in 2010 as a way to support family incomes and small vendors. Its practical advice for 2025 reads “Se aconseja llevar efectivo para sus compras” (it is advisable to bring cash for your purchases).
Getting there
AGN lists a Transmetro stop for each bazaar (see the table). Line 1 serves Parque Centenario and Mercado Central, which cover 8a calle, 6a calle and Plaza Sagrario. Lines 1 and 12 stop at Paseo de las Letras for 19 calle. Plaza Barrios is served by lines 6, 12, 13 and 18 at the Fegua and Plaza Barrios stations. For service disruptions before you go, see Transmetro status.
How the dates moved: 2022 vs 2025
The bazaars come back to the same streets every year, but the opening days change. In 2022, Prensa Libre (23 November 2022) reported that the Municipalidad had about 2,100 vendors in six bazaars, running from 25 November to 31 December, 8:00 to 22:00:
| Location | 2022 dates (Prensa Libre) | 2025 dates |
|---|---|---|
| 8a calle, 5a to 7a avenidas | 25 Nov to 31 Dec | 21 Nov to 31 Dec |
| 19 calle, 7a to 9a avenidas | 26 Nov to 24 Dec | 22 Nov to 24 Dec |
| 6a calle, 7a to 10a avenidas | 1 to 31 Dec | 29 Nov to 31 Dec |
| Plaza Sagrario, Mercado Central | 1 to 31 Dec | 29 Nov to 31 Dec |
| Plaza El Amate | 1 to 31 Dec | Not on the 2025 lists |
| Plaza del Comercio Popular | 1 to 31 Dec | Not on the 2025 lists |
Two things stayed the same: 19 calle closed on 24 December both years, and the other bazaars ran to 31 December. In December 2022 AGN also reported that each bazaar had pedestrian lighting, upkeep (mantenimiento de ornato) and security, and that the municipal traffic police (PMT) were present.
Other Christmas shopping in Guatemala City in 2026
- Interfer 2026 (announced). AGN reported on 5 November 2026 that COPEREX’s 31st Interfer runs from 27 November to 22 December at Parque de la Industria. Entry is Q10; children under 1.10 m and adults over 65 get in free. It is open 12:00 to 23:00 Monday to Friday and 10:00 to 23:00 at weekends, with more than 600 commercial and food spaces. Parking is Q10 per hour, with a flat Q50 after seven hours. Venue details are on our Parque de la Industria events page.
- Festival Navideño (announced, no bazaar dates). It opens on 20 November in the Plaza Central, according to AGN.
- Árbol Gallo. The tree lighting has its own page: Árbol Gallo Christmas tree.
For the rest of the month (posadas, Nochebuena, closures), see Guatemala in December.
Sources
- AGN, Dónde encontrar los bazares navideños en la zona 1, 23 December 2025: https://agn.gt/donde-encontrar-los-bazares-navidenos-en-la-zona-1/ (read 9 November 2026)
- Prensa Libre, Qué encontrará en los bazares navideños del Centro Histórico y cuándo visitarlos, 20 November 2025: https://www.prensalibre.com/vida/escenario/que-encontrara-en-los-bazares-navidenos-del-centro-historico-y-cuando-visitarlos/ (read 9 November 2026)
- Prensa Libre, Bazares navideños 2022: dónde estarán ubicados y desde cuándo podrán visitarse en la Ciudad de Guatemala, 23 November 2022: https://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/bazares-navidenos-2022-donde-estaran-ubicados-y-desde-cuando-podran-visitarse-en-la-ciudad-de-guatemala/ (read 9 November 2026)
- AGN, Familias guatemaltecas acuden a los Bazares Navideños en el Centro Histórico, 23 December 2022: https://agn.gt/familias-guatemaltecas-acuden-a-los-bazares-navidenos-en-el-centro-historico/ (read 9 November 2026)
- AGN, ¿Cuándo inicia el Festival Navideño 2026 en Guatemala y qué actividades tendrá?, 4 November 2026: https://agn.gt/cuando-inicia-el-festival-navideno-2026-en-guatemala-y-que-actividades-tendra/ (read 9 November 2026)
- AGN, Interfer 2026, 5 November 2026: https://agn.gt/la-magia-de-la-navidad-regresa-interfer-2026-abrira-sus-puertas-el-27-de-noviembre/ (read 9 November 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the Christmas markets in Guatemala City?
In the historic centre, zona 1. The Municipalidad de Guatemala runs the bazares navideños on set streets and plazas. In 2025 they were on 8a calle between 5a and 7a avenidas, 19 calle between 7a and 9a avenidas (the Pastores bazaar), 6a calle between 7a and 10a avenidas, Plaza Sagrario by the Mercado Central, Plaza Barrios at 18 calle and 9a avenida, and, according to Prensa Libre, Parque San Francisco de Asís.
When do the 2026 Christmas bazaars start?
AGN, the state news agency, had published no 2026 bazaar dates as of 9 November 2026 (agn.gt searched for bazar and navideño 2026 that day; muniguate.com returned an access error). In 2025 the first two bazaars (8a calle and Parque San Francisco de Asís) opened on 21 November, 19 calle on 22 November and the rest on 29 November. All except 19 calle ran until 31 December; 19 calle closed on 24 December.
What time do the zona 1 bazaars open?
From 8:00. Closing time depends on which 2025 source you read. Prensa Libre (20 November 2025) gave 8:00 to 22:00 for all of them. AGN’s list (23 December 2025) gave 8:00 to 22:00 for 8a calle and 19 calle, and 8:00 to 21:00 for Plaza Sagrario, 6a calle and Plaza Barrios.
What can you buy at the Christmas bazaars?
Seasonal goods. The city hall, as quoted by Prensa Libre, listed traditional food, crafts, gifts, Christmas trees and lights, clothes, shoes and toys. AGN’s 2025 list says the 19 calle and 6a calle bazaars carry decorations, Christmas trees and moss (musgo, used in nativity scenes), and 8a calle carries crafts and typical goods.
Do the bazaars take cards?
Neither the AGN nor the Prensa Libre 2025 listing mentions cards. Prensa Libre’s listing advised bringing cash for purchases.
Is there a Christmas fair with an entry fee in Guatemala City?
Yes, Interfer, which is separate from the municipal street bazaars. AGN reported on 5 November 2026 that Interfer 2026 runs from 27 November to 22 December at Parque de la Industria, with general entry of Q10 and more than 600 commercial and food spaces.
