The Central Market

The Central Market of Valencia

The Central Market of Valencia is one of the largest and finest covered markets of Europe, a masterpiece of modernism. The Valencia audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this temple of gastronomy, rich in colourful stalls under a superb architecture of iron, glass and ceramics.

The modernist temple of gastronomy

The Central Market of Valencia, the Mercado Central, is one of the largest covered markets of Europe and one of the jewels of the town. Inaugurated at the beginning of the twentieth century, it is a magnificent example of the Valencian modernist architecture: its vast hall deploys structures of wrought iron, large luminous glass roofs, domes and a rich decoration of colourful ceramics and mosaics, celebrating the fruits and the products of the region. The building is crowned with a weathervane in the form of a parrot, the cotorra, one of its symbols. Under its vaults are animated hundreds of stalls offering the treasures of the Valencian terroir: fruits and vegetables full of sun, including the famous oranges, fish and seafood, hams, cheeses, spices and local specialities. It is a must-see place of life, where inhabitants, restaurateurs and visitors come together, in a colourful and lively atmosphere. A jewel of architecture and a paradise for gourmets, the Central Market of Valencia is a must-see stop.

What to see

Here you discover one of the largest covered markets of Europe, a masterpiece of Valencian modernism inaugurated at the beginning of the twentieth century, with a vast hall of wrought iron, glass roofs, domes and colourful ceramics, crowned with its weathervane in the form of a parrot, with its hundreds of stalls of products of the terroir, fruits, oranges, fish and specialities. The Central Market is a gastronomic temple of Valencia. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Central Market lies in the heart of Valencia, facing the Lonja de la Seda, reachable on foot. The market follows its own days and opening hours, generally in the morning and during the day, which vary. It is best to come in the morning and to check the hours before coming.

What is the Central Market of Valencia?

One of the largest covered markets of Europe, a masterpiece of Valencian modernism inaugurated at the beginning of the twentieth century, with a vast hall of iron, glass and colourful ceramics, crowned with a weathervane in the form of a parrot; its hundreds of stalls offer the products of the Valencian terroir.

Where is the Central Market of Valencia?

In the heart of Valencia, facing the Lonja de la Seda, in Spain.