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You are here: Home / Blog / Mercat Central: Valencia’s Foodie Central

Blog Food Spain

Mercat Central: Valencia’s Foodie Central

I was hungry when I arrived in Valencia from Madrid.

It was not easy to walk from the train station to the hotel passing by dozens of restaurants buzzing with patrons.  Then, it seems like everybody likes to advertise their offerings with a bigger than life poster. Again, it was not simple to walk by all those delicious offerings with a grumbling stomach.

Once we were arriving at the hotel, we passed by a big Modernist building.  I recognize it in three seconds.  It was the Mercat Central (or Central Market).

It is easy to deduct what happened next in this story.  Luggage was dropped into a storage room (it was still early) and we proceeded to walk back to the market.

We were absorbed by natural light, poignant smells and a burst of color once we were inside.

The market’s building is a masterpiece of Modernist architecture.  It was designed in 1914 by Francisco Gardia and Alejandro Soler, both trained at the School of Architecture of Barcelona.  The place was inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII in 1928.

It is one of the oldest markets in Europe still running.

The Mercat Central de Valencia covers exactly 8,160 square meters divided into two areas or zones. The first one is an irregular shape with a surface area of 6,760 square meters and the other, which is octagonal and covers 1,400 square meters, houses the fish market. The basement, which has 7,690 square meters, was previously a fish auction and is now used as a car park.

The Mercat Central brings together almost 400 small traders and 1,500 people are involved in its daily activity. It is the largest center of its kind in Europe specializing in fresh products and the first market in the world to rise to the challenge of computerizing sales and offering home delivery, services which have been available since October 1996.

I would not like to use cliché wording but, honestly, this is a must visit in Valencia.  It is located almost directly across the Silk Exchange (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and can be combined with a walk around the Ciutat Vella (Old Town).

But, do not take my word about how interesting this place is.  I’ll let you be the judge.

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Roasted pumpkin is a regional delicatessen.

IMG_7413

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

These are chufas or tiger nuts.  They are used to prepare Valencia’s famous oxchata (or horchata, which, by the way, is delicious).

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Never seen potatoes so colorful.

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

I like the look of these candied oranges.

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Mercat Central or Central Market, Valencia, Spain

Details

  • The market is open Monday to Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

More of Valencia

Valencia: Old Town

Valencia: City of Arts and Sciences

Would you like to visit this market?

Pin “Valencia’s Mercat Central” for later!

The Central Market in Valencia, Spain is a must see in this coastal city.  With over 400 stalls, this one of Europe's oldest markets.

Related posts:

Borda Berri, San Sebastian, Spain, Basque Country, Food, PintxosMy Favorite Pintxos in San Sebastian Barcelona's Markets, Barcelona, Spain, Food, Foodie, La Boqueria, Mercat de Sant JosepBarcelona’s Markets: A Burst of Color Mercado San Miguel in Madrid Palau de la Musica Catalana, Modernism, Barcelona, SpainPalau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona


71 Comments

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Comments

  1. Bumble Bee Mum says

    January 12, 2016 at 7:43 pm

    Of course I would like to visit this market! I would have grabbed those minion and Peppa Pig cookies.

    You seem to always be hungry when you’re on vacation… Just like me.. Lol. You should come to Singapore some day, I will bring you everywhere to eat.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 3:56 pm

      Hey, I think we have a deal. Singapore is one of my dream destinations. If I make plans, I will let you know for sure.

      Reply
      • Bumble Bee Mum says

        January 18, 2016 at 3:31 am

        I look forward to it! 😀

        Reply
  2. susanna says

    January 12, 2016 at 11:36 pm

    That market looks amazing. Lovely pics. x

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 3:57 pm

      Thanks! It is always a pleasure to stroll around markets.

      Reply
  3. Tanja (the Red phone box travels) says

    January 13, 2016 at 1:30 am

    What a beautiful market building!#travel tuesday

    Reply
  4. Cathy (MummyTravels) says

    January 13, 2016 at 1:32 am

    I love wandering round markets and this sounds even more impressive than most, love the history behind it too. Thanks for joining up with #citytripping

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 3:59 pm

      This is proof that Spain takes its markets seriously. I visited at least one at every city I visited there. They were all great.

      Reply
  5. image-in-ing: weekly photo linky says

    January 13, 2016 at 2:45 am

    Oh wow – this place looks amazing! I bet it is full of wonderful ways to tempt the senses – taste, smell, touch, etc. I would love to visit!
    Thanks for YOUR visit to http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/01/shells-on-shells.html

    Reply
  6. Photo Cache says

    January 13, 2016 at 9:19 am

    OMG, so envious. If there is one place I’d seek out in a city, it’s the marketplace. I know that it’s where you can sample not only the local delicacies but the best of what the city can offer as well.

    Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:02 pm

      I agree with you. I am sure you have noticed the amount of market related posts I have in this blog. I can be talking entire days about the experiences I have has in markets.

      Reply
  7. Kay Davies says

    January 13, 2016 at 4:00 pm

    What an amazing market! It’s so big…it made me think of the market in Barcelona, but I think this one is even bigger. And I’ve never seen potatoes that colour, either.
    Kay
    An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travels

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:04 pm

      Yes, you are referring to La Boqueria. I think Valencia’s market is bigger (and less crowded). The think with this market is that you can find a lot of regional goods. I saw things I have never seen before.

      Reply
  8. Life Images by Jill says

    January 14, 2016 at 4:05 pm

    wow what a fabulous market. I love visiting markets when we travel – they really take you to the essence of the country.
    Happy travels.

    Reply
  9. S George says

    January 14, 2016 at 6:44 pm

    This looks like an awesome market!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:05 pm

      I know. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  10. Lyndall @ Seize The Day Project says

    January 14, 2016 at 7:12 pm

    The Market looks fascinating and all that food is simply delicious. I should get a snack before I read your posts Ruth! 🙂

    Reply
  11. budget jan says

    January 14, 2016 at 8:15 pm

    The market building is gorgeous. I’d definitely shop there. We usually self-cater when we travel so I would have been looking to buy the gorgeous looking tomatoes and the spotty potatoes (I love different types of both of those things) and the creamy cheese (dips?). I’m always budget conscious so I would then select some meat that was a good price. Shopping at markets in another Country is such fun.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:07 pm

      We tried several things in here. We even brought back some food related items from a specialty supplier. In addition, we sat down to have pastries and coffee. my husband tried something called Cola Cao (a chocolate drink).

      Reply
  12. Trekking with Becky says

    January 14, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    That is a gorgeous, CLEAN market! 😀 When I get to Valencia one of these days, thanks to you, I’ll stop here, especially since it’s a stone’s throw from the Silk Exchange.

    Thanks for bringing me here, and I’m looking forward to my next trip with you! 😀

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:10 pm

      Becky, thanks for your words. Isn’t the world amazing? It is great that we can learn about different parts of the planet from one another. Blogging allows us to do that. I am looking forward to discovering new places from the perspective of other bloggers.

      Reply
  13. Shanna says

    January 14, 2016 at 9:51 pm

    Id love to visit this market some day! Everything looked so delicious and those are definitely the most colorful potatoes I’ve ever seen. Pinning this for later!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:15 pm

      Thanks Shanna! At first, I wasn’t sure if those were potatoes. I thought they were a fruit. After closer inspection, I realized they were potatoes.

      Reply
  14. Cat says

    January 14, 2016 at 11:35 pm

    I always love checking out local markets whenever I travel! Those minion cookies are cute!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:16 pm

      Me too! It is something that you can do for free and it never gets boring. I am into food halls too.

      Reply
  15. Sophie says

    January 15, 2016 at 5:12 am

    Roasted pumpkin and candied oranges for me, please 🙂

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:13 pm

      Those two things are specialties of the area. That pumpkin tasted delicious.

      Reply
  16. Brooke of Passport Couture says

    January 15, 2016 at 8:30 am

    I always love markets, and visiting this one would be at the top of my list! I enjoy seeing what local booths have to offer and I was intrigued to learn that it is one of the first places that provide home delivery service!

    Reply
  17. Kathy Marris says

    January 15, 2016 at 12:43 pm

    Nothing like a stroll through a food market in another country and Mercat Central certainly offers a lot of variety. I love the spotty potatoes!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:17 pm

      I wish I could have tasted those potatoes. I have tried purple ones and they are very sweet (taste almost like yams). I guess for potato variety, I have to go to Peru.

      Reply
  18. Paula McInerney says

    January 15, 2016 at 2:39 pm

    Love the markets in Valencia, and love that many of the cafes around them say that you can go to the markets, pick and ingredients, and they will cook it into something for you.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:20 pm

      We can do that in our town’s fish market. We usually get two fish and baby squids. They fry or grill them and serve them with lemons and other sides.

      Reply
  19. Anda says

    January 15, 2016 at 4:18 pm

    What a coincidence, Ruth! We both wrote about European food markets this week. There is nothing like browsing through a food market. I’d love to visit Mercat Central in Valencia.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:21 pm

      I had the same thought! When I went to Italy, I din’t visit any of the markets. What can I say? I was in my early 20s and I realize how I messed up on that. I need to go back and fix my mistake.

      Reply
  20. Jen says

    January 15, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    What an amazing place! I love places like that – I think I’d be overwhelmed with all the choices! We really have nothing like that around here. The French Market in the New Orleans might be the closest but it’s nothing like that.

    Thank you for sharing with us at Photo Friday!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:45 pm

      We do no have something like this close to where I like neither. What we have are farmers markets but it is not the same feeling. Markets are one of the features I adore form Europe.

      Reply
  21. Lyn (aka) The Travelling Lindfields says

    January 16, 2016 at 1:51 am

    I love the colourful potatoes. We don’t have them in Australia. Markets are great places to explore when you are travelling.

    Reply
  22. Rosie @Eco-Gites of Lenault says

    January 16, 2016 at 8:23 am

    Wow – I love a good market and an indoor one as good as this looks would be on my itinerary. I want to find out what variety those potatoes were now and grow them. I grew some called Apache 2 years ago but they had more red on them.

    Reply
  23. Wander Mum says

    January 16, 2016 at 9:11 am

    Mouthwatering pictures. I love a good food market and the Spanish do them so well! Thank you for linking to #citytripping

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:46 pm

      You are right! The Spanish master their markets pretty well. I had a blast visiting them.

      Reply
  24. Natasha says

    January 16, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    Love the look of the markets, and the architecture there – beautiful! I love those close-up shots of the fruits too. You always take lovely photos Ruth. – Tasha

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:46 pm

      Thanks Tasha. I love to take a close look at the offerings.

      Reply
  25. RobRob@TravelLatte(.net) says

    January 16, 2016 at 3:16 pm

    What I would really like is to move in next door to Mercat Central! Admittedly, I will fall in love with almost any great market, but…ooh, I want to try everything you pictured. Especially Oxchata and pumpkin. Now I just have to find a short cut to get to Spain! 🙂 #WeekendWanderlust

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:47 pm

      That is a great idea. I would be happy to stroll around before work. They have tons of cafes surrounding the area.

      Reply
  26. Sally@Toddlers on Tour says

    January 16, 2016 at 5:58 pm

    What a fantastic market. I gorgeous building with everything and anything to wet the appetite inside.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:48 pm

      I had my eyes on a stall selling Greek food. Sadly, we arrived too late the day we wanted to try it.

      Reply
  27. Michele {Malaysian Meanders} says

    January 16, 2016 at 8:48 pm

    This makes me miss the wet markets in Malaysia where I used to shop, although my local one cannot compare in size. I like the variety of goods at the Mercat Central. Are those candied WHOLE oranges? That’s what it looked like. I would have to load up on lunch before shopping or else I’d end up buying way too much.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:50 pm

      I believe they are whole candied oranges. At first, I was hesitant to believe they were candied like that but they truly were.

      Reply
  28. Marcia says

    January 16, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    I love visiting markets when I travel! It must be a delight to work in such a gorgeous building – at least I hope so. I’d love some candied oranges.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:51 pm

      The beautiful building seemed to influence the vendors attitude. Everybody was really nice.

      Reply
  29. Linda Bibb says

    January 17, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    You never know what you’re going to discover when you read a post online. I had never heard of tiger nuts until today so of course I had to google it.

    Turns out that tiger nuts are actually NOT nuts, they are a tuber that grows below the ground’s surface, just like potatoes and peanuts. They come from the sedge family. They have all of the nutrients and energy benefits of nuts, are low carb, and are safe for people with gluten and tree nut allergies. I think I am gonna have to get some of those.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      There is no doubt that you are going to learn a lot reading other blogs. The tiger but itself does not have a lot of flavor (they give you samples). However, when it is super delicious when used to prepare the horchata.

      Reply
  30. Elaine J. Masters says

    January 17, 2016 at 9:58 pm

    Food markets are so incredible and such a great window into the local world. I love your pictures and long to visit Valencia.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      Thanks Elaine! Hope you make it to Valencia one day.

      Reply
  31. pc says

    January 17, 2016 at 11:01 pm

    I must visit this one of the oldest markets in Europe! See the architecture, find tiger nuts and the colorful potatoes! I think i will spend a great morning there and lug back bags to try cooking the local food;).

    Surprising it was not crowded at all!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:56 pm

      The crowds in Valencia are nothing compared to the hordes of people in Madrid and Barcelona. Therefore, it feels like the city is yours to enjoy.

      Reply
  32. Juergen | dare2go says

    January 18, 2016 at 10:44 am

    I love the architecture of old market halls with their exposed steel structure. So many have fallen in disrepair or are used as inner city warehousing (if they are still standing at all) – good to see one which is still the vibrant food market of a city the size of Valencia!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 18, 2016 at 4:56 pm

      I think Valencia would not be the same without its market.

      Reply
  33. Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats says

    January 18, 2016 at 6:14 pm

    I have never been to Valencia but the market looks great! Love to walk through markets to see all the local foods in any new city:)

    Reply
  34. Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats says

    January 18, 2016 at 6:15 pm

    I have never been to Valencia but the market looks great! I would definitely want to visit if I was there. I love to see all the local foods at markets in any new city.

    Reply
  35. Johanna Bradley says

    January 19, 2016 at 2:25 am

    Where would I start? Valencia looks to be a fine city too 🙂

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 21, 2016 at 6:00 pm

      Thanks Johanna. Valencia is tons of fun. Especially, the food ;0)

      Reply
  36. Corinne says

    January 19, 2016 at 8:19 am

    Ruth, Although I’ve not been to the Valencia market, I can close my eyes and imagine the smells, sounds, and many tastes. Boy, do I wish I was there!

    Thanks for linking up with #wkendtravelinspiration!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 21, 2016 at 6:02 pm

      The mercado is great. Looking at the photos I feel transported too. It would be great to be able to visit a market daily (or at least a couple of days a week).

      Reply
  37. Lauren says

    January 20, 2016 at 8:00 am

    I love Valencia’s central market! It’s so colorful and bright, so much fun to walk around and admire all of the fresh food! Your pictures capture it beautifully 😀

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 21, 2016 at 6:03 pm

      Thanks Lauren! I always knew the market was a must see. However, it exceeded my expectations. What a beautiful place!

      Reply
  38. Vlad says

    January 21, 2016 at 2:43 am

    Definitely not something to see while I’m waiting for my food delivery, haha. I had such a lovely time in Valencia, I’ve been thinking a lot about going back soon.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 21, 2016 at 6:04 pm

      Yes, I know. Not a post to see while hungry or waiting for food. I would like to go back to Valencia too. Well, in reality, I would like to move to Spain ;0)

      Reply
  39. Holly says

    January 21, 2016 at 4:34 pm

    I love going to a market when I am in a new city – it really helps you get a feel for the place! I would definitely have to try that roasted pumpkin, I bet it is delicious!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 21, 2016 at 6:07 pm

      Oh yeah! The pumpkin was delicious!

      Reply
  40. The Jetset Boyz says

    September 30, 2017 at 10:38 am

    For us, one of the joys of travelling is trying new food & regional specialities. Paella originates in the Valencia region, so when we were there last October we decided to a Paella making experience. We spent a fun half day with a paella master learning the secrets of authentic Paella Valenciana.

    To get things started was a trip to Mercat Central to buy our ingredients. It was absolutely fascinating to hear the history and traditions of the market whilst going from stall to stall buying our ingredients.

    Now we’re hooked and look to do at least one cooking experience in each city we visit. Recently in Barcelona we did two. It’s so much fun, and you get to meet some really fab people.

    Reply

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