Valencia · Spain
Central Market of Valencia
A practical guide to the Central Market of Valencia: opening hours, what to try without ruining your lunch, where the tourist traps are and how to pair it with La Lonja, the Silk Exchange, right across the square.
Yes, it's worth it, for the building and for the real market that starts after the first 30 meters. Go in the morning and use it for snacking, not for lunch.
The Central Market of Valencia is one of the largest covered markets in Europe: about 8,000 square meters of Modernista architecture with close to 300 stalls of fish, meat, ham, fruit, vegetables and spices. It was built as a monument, with stained-glass domes, iron columns and tiles, and it’s still the market where the city’s residents and cooks do their shopping.
Our experience
We went twice. On Monday, May 25, just in from Madrid, we only managed a quick look before the 15:00 close. Our original plan for that day had it as closed because it was written as if it were a Sunday; when we fixed that we saw it does open on Mondays, but there was no time for more.
The real visit was Tuesday at 11:15, after walking through the Turia Gardens from the City of Arts and Sciences. We gave it 40 minutes: two laps, the dome and something to snack on. We had paella booked at La Pepica at 14:00, so the rule was one slice of ham, some olives and an orange juice. On the way out we crossed the square to go into La Lonja.
A bit of history
There has been a market on this spot since 1839, and before that an open-air one in front of La Lonja since the Middle Ages. In 1910 the city council held a competition for a new building, and it was won by two Catalan architects, Alejandro Soler March and Francisco Guàrdia Vial, students of Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who designed the Palau de la Música Catalana.
Construction began in 1914 and dragged on because of World War I. In 1919 the municipal architect Enrique Viedma took over and redesigned the central dome, and the market opened on January 23, 1928. It was planned for 959 stalls; by around 1950 it had more than 1,200, and today it has about 250 to 300. In 2012 chef Ricard Camarena opened the Central Bar inside.
How it fits into your day
Come in the morning, before 12:00, and pair it with La Lonja and the cathedral. See our big day in Valencia for how we fit it in between the Turia and the paella.
What to see, in order
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The facade and the parrot
Before you go in, step back a bit from the main door to see the Modernista facade and its dome. On top, the most famous weathervane is a parrot, a cotorra, which in Valencian is what you call someone who talks too much.
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The central dome
Thirty meters high, with stained glass of oranges and lemons. Stop at the main crossing and look up: that's the market photo.
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Fruit and vegetables
Many kinds of tomatoes in season, oranges, tiger nuts for horchata and bomba rice in sacks. Everything that goes into a paella valenciana can be bought here in twenty minutes.
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The ham stalls
From serrano to acorn-fed Iberian. At the good stalls they'll offer you a single slice to taste before you order.
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The fish market
On the north side, under its own dome. Whole sea bass, red prawns, razor clams and cuttlefish; by mid-morning you see restaurant cooks buying by the crate.
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Three eras in one view
Leaving by the south side, you take in at a glance the Gothic Lonja, the Baroque church of the Santos Juanes and the Modernista market itself.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- Juice at the first stalls costs €0.50–1 more than further inside. Walk 30 meters before you buy.
- Order single-fruit juices: according to several local reviews, the colorful smoothies by the entrance use premade bases.
- Almost every stall takes cards, but some small ones are cash only. There's an ATM inside.
- Ask before taking a close-up photo of a vendor.
Do
- Do two slow laps and go all the way to the back: that's where Valencians shop.
- Ask for "just one slice to try" at the ham stalls; it's normal.
- Pair it with La Lonja, across the square: the two together take about 70 minutes.
Don’t
- Don't have lunch here if you have paella in a couple of hours.
- Don't sit at the counters with photo menus and little language flags by the entrances; the Central Bar is something else.
- Don't keep your phone in your back pocket: the market shows up on Valencia's pickpocket lists.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Central Market of Valencia's opening hours?
Monday to Saturday from 7:30 to 15:00. Closed Sundays and public holidays.
How much time do you need?
Between 40 and 60 minutes to walk it calmly and snack on something.
Can you eat at the Central Market?
Yes, but it's a market for shopping and snacking. To sit down, Ricard Camarena's Central Bar is the good option; the counters with photo menus near the entrances are for tourists.
Is it worth it if you've already seen La Boqueria in Barcelona?
Yes. The building is more impressive, and it's still a market where locals shop, not just tourists.
Is it near La Lonja?
Right across, on the other side of Plaza del Mercado. You can see one right after the other with no detour.