Make Authentic Espadrilles in Puerto Plata: Craft Your Own Pair

Design and stitch your own espadrilles from start to finish

Make Authentic Espadrilles in Puerto Plata is a hands-on class where you craft a custom pair of espadrilles at a working workshop with master artisans, choosing the base size, stitching style, laces and colors from over 100,000 combinations. You'll learn the history of the traditional shoe, sit at workshop tables to design and stitch your own pair, then finish with champagne and take home a wearable souvenir of your visit.

Step-by-step itinerary

Craft authentic espadrilles in workshop

• Meet at entrance hall with drinks
• Learn about materials and choose styles
• Design and stitch your espadrilles
• Celebrate with champagne and photos

The experience

Puerto Plata's workshop sits filled with materials, tools and the full range of espadrille bases, laces and colors you'll choose from. You start in the entrance hall with drinks and a walk through the history of the espadrille (from a humble people's shoe to a fashion staple), then move into the materials section where you'll handpick your combination. The choice is real: size of the base, stitching style, and the color and type of laces all come down to you, with over 100,000 possible combinations across the workshop's stock.

At the workshop tables, you sit down with master artisans who guide you through stitching your own pair. They teach you the different ways to lace them up and walk you through each step of the handmaking process. This is not a demonstration you watch. You're holding the tools and doing the work, learning the techniques as you go. By the end, you've made something wearable, not a souvenir that sits on a shelf.

The class wraps with champagne, photos with your new shoes, and the chance to dance and celebrate what you've made. You leave with your custom espadrilles and a story most visitors to Puerto Plata never get: the experience of making something by hand with the artisans who know the craft. The whole experience runs about two hours from start to finish.

What’s included

• Your handmade pair of custom espadrilles.
• expert artisan guidance throughout the class.
• snacks and champagne to finish.
• cruise port pickup available on request.

Options for this experience

2 options

Classic EditionGuide in English or Spanish · 10:00 and 14:00

Premium EditionGuide in English or Spanish · 10:00 and 14:00Champagne and more snacks are included, plus a choice of high heel, wedge or platform, and premium charms and laces are also provided.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (6 to 90 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Handmade The Brand®

Is this one for you?Choose the Classic Edition if you want the core experience of making and taking home your own espadrilles, or upgrade to the Premium Edition for a choice of wedge, heel or platform base styles that expand your design options.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What exactly do I make during the espadrilles class?

You craft a complete, wearable pair of espadrilles from start to finish. You choose the base size, the stitching style, and the color and type of laces from the workshop's stock, then sit at the workshop tables and stitch your own pair with guidance from the master artisans. You take the finished shoes home with you.

How many color and style options are there to choose from?

The workshop stocks over 100,000 different combinations of bases, stitching styles, and laces, so the range of choices is enormous. You handpick your own combination before you sit down to stitch.

Do I need any experience with sewing or crafts to do this?

No experience is necessary. Master artisans guide you through each step of the stitching process, teaching you the techniques as you work. The class is designed for all skill levels and all physical fitness levels.

What's included in the price besides the espadrilles I make?

The class includes expert artisan assistance throughout, snacks, and champagne at the end. If you're arriving by cruise ship, pickup at the cruise port can be arranged.

Can the workshop accommodate wheelchairs or strollers?

Yes, the workshop is fully wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces are accessible. Infants and small children can come in a pram or stroller, and service animals are welcome.