Homero Ortega Panama Hat Factory
Homero Ortega P. & Hijos
Cuenca's best-known Panama hat workshop, offering a free tour of the hat-making process from toquilla straw weaving to shaping, with hats for sale.
Homero Ortega P. & Hijos: so-called 'Panama hats' are actually made in Ecuador, and Cuenca is the main production and export centre. In 2012, toquilla straw hat weaving was inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The workshop offers free visits, explaining each step from harvesting the straw, bleaching and weaving to shaping and decoration. The showroom displays many hat styles, priced from several dozen to over a thousand US dollars; the finer the weave, the higher the price. The second-floor balcony offers a view of the city. The workshop is near the bus terminal, about 5 minutes by taxi.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–17:00; Saturday morning hours, closed Sundays
Nearby sights
- Church of San Blas
- Old Cathedral (El Sagrario)
- Parque Calderón
- Museo de las Conceptas
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (New Cathedral)
- Church of Santo Domingo
- Plaza de las Flores
- Museo de las Culturas Aborígenes