Ambato's Monday market is one of the biggest and most authentic market days in the central Ecuadorian highlands. Farmers and traders arrive from the surrounding valleys — the fertile Ambato basin, the slopes above Baños, the páramo villages to the east — bringing produce, livestock, and handicrafts.
The Mercado Central handles the general food trade, while specialist markets nearby deal in textiles, live animals, and bulk produce. The livestock market, held on the outskirts, is best seen early in the morning. The energy of a serious market town doing its main business of the week is in a different register from anything tourist-oriented.
Arrive by 8am to see it at full intensity. By midday, sellers are beginning to pack up. The market operates every Monday regardless of weather or holidays.