Valencia is becoming more popular every year, and one of the places you really notice the increase in tourism is at the Mercado Central. Although the city’s central marketplace is still where many locals do their weekly shopping, it also attracts a suffocating number of visitors, because of its size, location, and architectural significance. For visiting foodies, there’s no better place to get an understanding (and a taste) of Valencian cuisine.
We moved to Valencia in 2008, and immediately designated Saturday as our shopping day at the Mercado Central. Back then, it was crowded but manageable — we could easily grab a spot at the market bar, even at 2pm. But times have changed, and shopping on a Saturday has become an exercise in frustration — the crowds are simply too big, even in the morning hours.
So we made adjustments, and started going on Friday mornings, as early as possible. It’s not quite the same as shopping on a Saturday afternoon, but there’s a vibe in the early weekday hours which we kind of love. The skies are still dark, the market is just beginning to wake up, and the only people at the stands are no-nonsense Spanish grandmas who will spend 10 minutes talking the vendor into a 5-cent bargain.
In general, Valencia can be a bit eerie in the morning. Locals enjoy sleeping in (perhaps because of the extremely late dinner time), and nothing is happening in the early hours. So often, we’re the only people out and about during our Friday morning walk to the Mercado Central. It’s not like we deserve an award for early-rising, or anything; this is at around, like, 7:30am, by which time most cities in the world are bustling.
It’s so cool to enter the Mercado Central right as it opens — there’s none of the deafening cacophony that is usually present within the market. But also, it’s not totally quiet — this is when vendors tend to socialize with one another, while arranging their displays. They’re also more willing to chat with customers. The market is always a friendly place, even at peak crowd, but in the morning it’s so much more relaxed. The fruit guy’s smile is a lot more genuine in the morning, than when he’s got a line of 20 people to handle.
And people are way more willing to put with our Spanish, in the morning; we’ve gotten into long conversations with our coffee lady, our cold-cuts couple, and our favorite veggie guy. It didn’t take many weeks for them to remember us, remember our schedule, remember our shopping lists, and soon we started getting recommendations on what’s in season, or what’s on sale. Now, even after having been away from Valencia for multiple months, our favorite vendors treat us as old friends when we return.
So, if you find yourself awake early when you arrive in Valencia, head out to the Mercado Central! The earlier you get there, the better. And if you can’t be bothered to get up so early, enjoy our pictures! We hope they convey the peaceful, beautiful experience of visiting the market before the crowds arrive.
More Valencia Photos
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