Margarita attracts with its beaches, nightlife and commercial centres, its forts and colonial architecture and the kindness of its people. We invite you to meet those that preserve the famous tradition of the Island.

Make a de-tour form the main roads that lead to beaches and hotels. Visit those places that still preserve what has been an important attraction of this beautiful island; kind and helpful people, warm and colourful architecture and the possibility to take as a souvenir a beautiful piece of handicraft, made by the artist you met.

We start in La Asunción, peaceful and ancient city, covered by lush rows of trees that give shade and freshness. Plaza Bolivar, the Cathedral, a colonial construction. In the higher part of the town, there is Castillo Santa Rosa, built in the 16 century by the Spaniards to defend the town against pirate attacks. From this castle you can watch the entire valley, from La Fuente to Sabana de Guacuco, a small settlement we are interested in due to its local handicraft.

Sabana de Guacuco: At only 4 km from La Asunción. At the gates of some houses you may admire beautiful baskets, called maras, that are fabricated since remote times. Maras are baskets in form of semi-sphere; they were used to transport fresh fish, bread, produce from the fields and other kinds of merchandise. The bottom is concave to help to balance the weight for those who carry them on the head. The small baskets with straight bottom and handles are used to transport sweets and candy. There was a time, when the small mara was used as measurement unit on Margarita Island: it was usual to ask for a mara of salt or sardines.

This craft has traditionally been performed by men, now there are some women making maras. All material used is vegetal.

Santa Ana: Returning to the road, we turn north – to Santa Ana, a cozy village called the Garden of Margarita due to its trees and nice small plazas.

This village is renowned for the making of chinchorros (kind of hammock), activity performed by the women since unmemorable times. The chinchorro is a kind of net hanging form its ends, it is magnificent to rest; the conquerors called them hanging beds. The beauty and complexity depends on the genius of the weaver. They are available with and without fringes, straight or braided, white or multicoloured, with geometrical figures, fruits, flowers and even with your name on it if you wish.

La Vecindad: Returning to our route alter a few minutes from Santa Ana we arrive in La Vencindad de los Martinez, better known as La Vecindad. Here you can watch women in front of ancient wooden looms weaving their beautiful hammock. The ones from La Vecindad is made of a tightly woven fabric and serves the same purpose as the chinchorros de Santa Ana. The hammocks are made straight (white), striped (white with coloured stripes) and of cotton (several colours in every stripe). This activity has experienced little changes because its instruments and techniques are inherited from former generations.

El Cercado:  When getting close to El Cercado, we can match the women making pottery, sitting on the floor and creating their pottery with clay form Margarita. Without tools, only with their experience, ability and skilled hands, they produce an infinite variety of decorative and utility objects.

 The raw material is extracted at Cerro del la Cruz (in Santa Ana) and sorted by colour. It is grinded to dust, screened and mixed in the correct proportions.

El Maco:  At a few steps from El Cercado is the village El Maco. In this settlement you can get to know everything about leather handicraft. It is curious and fun to watch the collective work, where men, women and children share the daily work. Ones work the pelts, others cut, sew and clue until the produce is finishted. Suite cases, belts, saddles, tobacco boxes, sandals and different kind of shoes are made in this village.

El Valle de Pedrogonzález:  Going on north we arrive at Valle de Pedrogonzales, an ancient port known by the Guaiquerí Indians as Arimacoa. This is the origin of the famous Mapires, palm bags that have been used since ancient time to transport things. The elaboration process is work intense. The first step, cutting young palm on the mountains of the island, is being performed by men. Women take care of weaving. Nowadays a large variety of very practical models are produced.

San Juan Bautista:  Is famous to be the home of the best goldsmiths of the island. Nowadays some workshops are close to the plaza where you can buy from traditional jewellery to audacious original pieces in mother pearl. 

San Juan is also knows for its hats, made form palm sprout.

Juangriego, Macanao o Coche:  In these places you will find models of boats similar to those you have seen in the bays and at the beaches you have visited. This boats are mostly made by old sailors and fishermen.

Another expression of folk art is the gastronomy on Margarita island, an example of creativity.