This relatively compact souvenir market features a wide variety of crafts. If you're buying gifts…read morefor folks back home, you'll be satisfied. If you're looking for very high quality works by artisans, unfortunately, this is not the place.

A cool, souvenir market in Puebla! This market is across…read morethe street from the Barrio de Artistas, a few blocks from the Zocalo. It's a touristy market, with lots of the mass produced types of art that you'd expect to see in an outdoor mercado. Lots of pottery, textiles, jewelry and stuff to hang on your shelves when you get home. This isn't really a place where the locals hang out. But if you're from out of town, and are looking for something relatively inexpensive to take home with you, this is the place. There's scores of little shops that may or may not be independently run. They sell a lot of the same stuff, with some differences between them. There's some that specialize just in ceramics, some in just silver jewelry, and some in just textiles, but there's not a whole lot of differences between them. The prices are all pretty similar- since the shop keepers all seem to know each other, there's not a lot of room for haggling to try to tell them that the other shop keeper is selling it for cheaper. The market consists of a few rows of small shops, each one the size of a small garage, packed to the hilt with hand crafts that are made elsewhere in Puebla. The prices are cheap, but they are cheaper if you buy them from a street vendor. However, the selection here is the best you're going to find in Puebla- with so many options to shop at, they're sure to have what you're looking for. While here, be sure to check out the public works of art- a giant sun painted in the middle of the floor, a statue of who I believe to be San Francisco, and a big picture frame to stand in for a selfie. There's restrooms in the mercado, which are relatively clean. This place feels very safe, as it's one of the main tourist areas for Puebla, and there is a healthy police presence. There's also food vendors who hang out here and sell light snacks, which is quite appreciated.

I hadn't visited this museum since its renovation in 2013 so it was like seeing it all for the…read morefirst time. From the sleek multi-story lobby to the galleries to the the glass-enclosed cafe as the centerpiece of a fabulous roof garden, the changes to the Amparo are incredible. The permanent collection looks better than ever in well-designed displays that make viewing each piece an engaging experience. Many museums treat the presentation of their collections almost as an afterthought but the Amparo made this a priority of their renovation and it allows the visitor to better understand the cultural richness of this region and the country. Even though the permanent collection's quality is renowned, it was the temporary exhibitions that really impressed me during this visit. Johanna Calle's 'Silentes' took over a gallery on the upper level and, a month after it closed, it still resonates with me. Her work comments on the social challenges in her native Colombia. Here, she depicts images of the fragility of children in her society using wire, cloth, paper, and felt. She includes stacks of photos of children for adoption. One wall-mounted piece was remnants from a little girl's dress: just sleeves and a collar. The fabric disappeared into the canvas. Ms. Calle seems to agonize over the subject matter that is obviously close to her heart and I couldn't help but conclude that she wants the viewer to feel the effort she puts into each work. It was a powerful exhibition: don't forget the children; don't let them become invisible victims. If you simply want to relax, take the glass elevator to the top floor for a drink in the cafe. Is there a better rooftop experience in Puebla? Finally, I never comment on museum gift shops but this one has some high-quality crafts for sale. If you're looking for a gift that is more than the typical souvenir, you may find it here.

Museo Amparo is one of the city's most comprehensive museums. Theres is a lot of stuff to see, new…read moreand old. There is also a cafe.

The mole was delicious. Clean restaurant and good service. The sangria was good. I also like the…read moregreen salad.