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If your Aruba vacation includes the last Saturday of the month (except December), you’re in luck.

From 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Plaza Lolita comes alive with the San Nicolas Pop-Up Market, one of Aruba’s most colorful community celebrations.  More than 60 local artists, craftspeople, bakers, farmers, cooks, and small business owners fill the Plaza Lolita with music, great food, handmade treasures, and the super warm spirit that makes San Nicolas so very special.

If you’re staying in the hotel area, don’t let the drive discourage you. Saturday mornings are typically an easy drive – less than 30 minutes. Park in the large public lot beside the San Nicolas bus terminal, and within a few steps you’ll be right in the heart of the market. Sounds like too much of a hassle? Charter a private bus tour for the ultimate convenient way to explore the San Nicolas Pop-Up Market.

Come Hungry!

One of the best ways to experience the San Nicolas Pop-up Market is through food.

You’ll find warm Johnny cakes, a beloved Caribbean favorite, along with Caribbean barbecue, homemade pastries, fresh tropical juices, sea moss drinks, homemade pepper sauces, local snacks, and dishes inspired by the many cultures that helped shape San Nicolas, including Trinidadian, Surinamese, Grenadian, Dominican, and Haitian cuisine.

Go beyond a quick snack and taste the story of the neighborhood.

Shop Local in San Nicolas

Looking for a souvenir you’ll treasure? This is one of the best places in Aruba to find original paintings, handcrafted jewelry, handmade soaps, artisan gifts, local honey, homemade hot sauces, locally made products, and one-of-a-kind creations you’ll rarely find anywhere else on the island. Best of all, you’ll likely meet the artist, maker, baker, or entrepreneur behind what you’re buying.

One of my favorite things about the market isn’t what I buy, it’s the conversations. Nearly every painting, bottle of hot sauce, handmade soap, or piece of jewelry has a story, and more often than not, the person who created it is standing right there, happy to meet you and tell you about it.

More Than a Market

The San Nicolas Pop-Up Market reminds us that Aruba is much more than beautiful beaches. It’s artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, families, and neighbors who come together once a month to celebrate the community they continue to build. For a few hours, visitors become part of that celebration too.

Meet Lolita at Plaza Lolita

Standing proudly in the center of Plaza Lolita is “Lolita Goes Places,” a beautiful bronze sculpture by an internationally acclaimed San Nicolas artist,  Gilbert Senchi. His work can be found throughout Aruba and around the world, but one of his most meaningful creations celebrates the hardworking Caribbean women whose entrepreneurial spirit helped build San Nicolas during the refinery years. It feels only fitting that today’s local entrepreneurs gather around her every month, continuing that tradition.

The best part of the market isn’t what you take home in your shopping bag. It’s the feeling you leave with a sense that, for a little while, you weren’t just visiting Aruba… you were welcomed into its community.

There’s Always More Things To Do in San Nicolas

When you’ve finished exploring the market, don’t get back in your car just yet. Just a few steps away you’ll discover colorful murals, galleries, cafés, and stories waiting around every corner. That’s one of the reasons we keep coming back to San Nicolas. There’s always another mural to admire, another artist to meet, another story to hear, and another reason to fall in love with this side of Aruba.

Better yet, join Kukoo Kunuku’s Taste of San Nicolas tour! We’ll introduce you to one of Aruba’s greatest champions, Sarah-Quita Offringa, and the remarkable mural that celebrates her journey.