So, we admit, we haven’t been traveling much lately but a vibrant market in Old Town San Diego has been taking us around the world for decades. As you’re checking off that holiday gift list, consider a trip to Bazaar del Mundo to shop globally, locally.

📍 Where is it?

4133 Taylor St., next door to Casa Guadalajara Restaurant + the north entrance to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Hours: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. + Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

The colorful world of Diane Powers’ Bazaar del Mundo. | Photo via Bazaar del Mundo

Why we love it

🪅 The shopping: Brimming with specialty shops, Bazaar del Mundo is a great spot to find unique gifts from around the world, from ceramics, kitchen décor and piñatas, to handcrafted clothing + jewelry.

🎊 The experience: Bazaar is so full of life. The colors, the Mexican paper flowers, the folk art at every turn. It’s like you’ve stepped off a plane, into Mexico + Latin America, without ever leaving San Diego.

🖌️ The visits from artists: Both local + Latin American artists often drop into Bazaar del Mundo to showcase their works. Pro tip: sometimes, Bazaar will let shoppers know about the special appearances on social media.

The bright colors just make you smile. | Photo via @giadabravo

📰 The ‘her-story’

Bazaar del Mundo turned 50 last month. Helmed by San Diego native + entrepreneur Diane Powers, Bazaar opened in 1971 under her vision to create a unique shopping + dining experience in Old Town, the birthplace of California.

Inspired by places she traveled in Mexico and Central and South America, Powers wanted to capture the cultural diversity in our region — and beyond our borders.

In 2005, Powers lost the lease for Bazaar del Mundo’s original location in Old Town. She relocated her shops to the corner on Taylor Street. Today, about 1,500 people visit Bazaar del Mundo daily + the market is one of the largest 100% female-owned businesses in San Diego.