The Portal de los Dulces is an arcade on the south side of Plaza de los Coches, just inside the Torre del Reloj gate. Women in traditional dress sit behind tables piled with sweets — cocadas (coconut candy), caballitos (sweet rolls), alegrías (rice sweets with sesame), dulce de papaya, and various sugar confections made from tropical fruits. The tradition has been here for generations and the sweets are made to old recipes.
The plaza was historically the city's slave market — a grim purpose that contrasts sharply with its current cheerful function. The Portal de los Dulces is a good first stop after arriving in the walled city, both for the sweets themselves and for a quick introduction to the local food culture. The women vendors are part of a cooperative and the trade is taken seriously.