A mouth-watering walk around Atarazanas Market in Malaga – Spain

The city of Malaga and most of its surrounding towns and resorts offer a street market once a week, where you can pick up anything from fresh fruit and vegetables to souvenirs and crafts and everything in between. Some of these are more expensive than others, like the street market in Puerto Banus, where the prices are higher than average. The markets are good places to barter for prices, especially if you know a little Spanish and you should never be afraid to try. Not only are the markets in the Malaga area a good place to spend a few hours wandering, but you can also pick up a nice picnic lunch for very little money, as well as some original items to take home with you.

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There are a wide range of different types of market around, and it is well worth doing your research, either online, or by asking a taxi driver where the best places are to go. My personal favourite kind of market to go to in Malaga is the flea market, where you can spend a whole day exploring the stalls for original, unique finds. Antiques markets are also great fun although there is always the risk that you’ll find something so incredible that you’ll then have to arrange shipping for back to the UK!

Food for every appetite

One way to avoid this situation is to stick to the food markets! If you like food, then you’ll be spoilt for choice in Malaga’s food markets. For the best in the area, head to Malaga city itself, to the famous Atarazanas Market. The market building is situated right in the middle of Malaga city, about ten kilometres from Malaga airport so you may want to pre-book a transfer from the airport with Holiday Taxis. This market runs Monday through to Saturday, from 8am to 2pm, selling fresh fish, meat, cheese and fruit and vegetables. There are over 260 stalls in the building, many of which will happily offer you free samples of their produce, making it easy to find yourself filling up on samples alone! However, I dare you to enter this market and come out empty handed, as the sheer volume and quality of the stuff on sale here is nothing short of irresistible. The real highlight is the fish market, where the display of fresh, local catch is spectacular.

Age old culture, re-created

The building that houses the Atarazanas Market was once a seven arched shipyard, and the word ‘atarazanas’ itself means shipyard in Arabic and old Castellano. As late as the eighteenth century, the sea reached right up to the back of the building. However, this is no longer the case. After housing a convent and a medical school, amongst other things, the building fell into disrepair in the nineteenth century. It was ordered that the building be completely demolished to make way for a new market building. The architect, Joaquin Rucoba rebuilt the building in Arabic style, saving one of the seven arches, which is now the main doorway. Further refurbishment took place more recently, between 2008 and 2010, and now the building boasts a gorgeous stained glass window featuring various monuments from Malaga city.

Both the building itself and the mouthwatering array of produce inside is a real taste of traditional, authentic Andalusian culture. It is a place where locals and tourists alike mingle under the rainbow reflections of the stained glass windows, brought together by the common love of good food. Markets really are one of the best ways to get under the skin of any travel destination in which you find yourself. These are places where you get to see, first hand, how people engage with food, and with each other, in a lively, bustling environment.

More things to enjoy near Malaga

From Malaga to El Chorro in the rain – Spain
The Moorish charms of the Al-hambra in Granada – Spain
A visit to Ojen – the Pueblos Blancos of Spain

Photo Credits: Fish stall by Jenn and Jon, Fruit stall by Jenn and Jon Stained glass window by DorteF,

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This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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