Susan Dickenson

Buying vacation: Toledo, Spain's FARCAMA

Toledo, Spain's annual FARCAMA trade event is a showcase for the centuries-old regional crafts of Castilla-LaMancha. This year's ten-day fair was held in October and featured handcrafted ceramics, leather, furniture, tile, forged iron and textiles in the categories of home furnishings, gifts, gardening, architectural restoration and personal accessories. An international buyers program organized in 2006 brought a group of buyers, designers and journalists from the U.S. to the event, including Ahmed Sari of Medina & Lara architecture/engineering firm who spoke about contracting and business opportunities in Dubai, U.A.E.  I wrote about the show in this month's (November) issue, but after receiving inquiries form a couple of retailing friends questioning FARCAMA as a potential buying/pleasure trip, I decided to report a bit more here. Toledo, about an hour's drive south of the Madrid airport, has origins dating back to the second century. Cited as a UNESCO World Heritage City, its history is steeped in Moorish, Christian and Jewish culture, the result of which is a confluence of styles unique to the region, its architecture, artistry and design. The quality and uniqueness of the handmade ceramics, tile and ironwork offer a source for interior designers, wholesalers and smaller retailers tasked with seeking “one-of-a-kinds” and “with-a-story” items for customers and clients. The show’s organizers have gone out of the way to accommodate out-of-towners, including providing shuttle service between the airport and Toledo, and between Toledo's Hotel Beatriz and the FARCAMA center. The show is small enough to cover in a day or two, and an opportunity to explore the ancient streets of Toledo is well worth an extra night’s stay. Check out show details and vendor information at www.farcama.com. For an English version of the website, google “farcama” and click on “translate this page” before opening.

Posted by Susan Dickenson on November 30, 2007 | Comments (0)