Markets: where, when & how to shop the mercadillos

The short version

• Every town has a weekly open-air market (mercadillo) — fruit and veg, clothes and household goods.
• Go early, bring cash and your own bags.
• Food prices are usually fixed; on other stalls there's a little room to haggle.

What's on offer

• Fresh produce straight from the vega — often cheaper and riper than the supermarket (see our in-season guide).
• Clothes, shoes, fabric and household bits at rock-bottom prices.
• Often plants, olives, cheese and cured meats too.

When and where

Each town holds its mercadillo on a set weekday morning, usually wrapping up by early afternoon. Market days do change, so check locally before you go — ask at the town hall or a neighbour:

• Almuñécar, La Herradura, Salobreña and Motril each have their own weekly market.
• The bigger towns also have a covered mercado municipal for fish, meat and produce most mornings.

Can you haggle?

• Food: prices are generally fixed, but near closing you may get a rounder price or a little extra thrown in.
• Clothes and household goods: there's often some room — especially if you buy more than one thing or shop late in the morning. Ask politely ("¿me lo deja en…?") and don't push.

How to shop like a local

• Go early for the best produce and easiest parking; stalls thin out by lunch.
• Bring cash in small notes — few stalls take cards.
• Bring your own bags or a shopping trolley.
• Buy loose and seasonal — that's where the market really beats the supermarket.

A few tips

• Learn the numbers in Spanish — it speeds everything up.
• Taste before you buy where it's offered.
• Keep an eye on your bag in the crowd, as anywhere busy.