10 Best Markets in Madrid

Mercado de San Miguel is a fun food festival offering 30 stalls with fantastic food and a celebratory atmosphere. One of the oldest and most famous food markets in the city, this market gets crowded quickly, so be sure to arrive early. The market is only a few steps away from Plaza Mayor in the heart of the city centre and offers a historic look into the culinary culture of the city.

Dating back to 1916, the Mercado de San Miguel is a must-visit destination on a trip to Madrid. From fresh produce to prepared foods, you'll find the entirety of the Madrid gastronomic experience here.

The Santa Ana Street Market is a flea market tucked inside of a much larger market, offering great deals, exhibits, live entertainment and delicious food. If you're looking for a good time and an authentic market experience, this is the place to go. You'll find secondhand goods from clothing to housewares to arts and crafts, making for a great place to find that perfect souvenir of your trip.

The market is located along Santa Ana Street, just an easy 15-minute walk from the city centre. If you're looking to shop for some unique treasures on your trip, this one should be on your list.

Mercado de la Paz, or Market of Peace, is a vibrant market with a quiet shopping experience in an upscale neighborhood. The patrons here are mostly older, and the crowds and noise are very low. One of the oldest markets in Madrid, Mercado de la Paz is a food-centric market as opposed to an arts and crafts or flea market, but it serves a great selection of prepared dishes, fresh meats, fish and produce.

Highlights of this market include the tortilla de patata and the specialty cheeses from France and Spain. Mercado de la Paz is located in the Salamanca neighborhood, a 20-minute drive east of the city centre.

El Rastro is a massive covered outdoor market that features great deals on all kinds of goods. Dating back to the Middle Ages, the market is held every Sunday and draws thousands of people to check out its historic stalls. Though Madrid has numerous markets, El Rastro remains a local favourite for its diverse goods, vibrant surroundings and friendly vendors.

El Rastro is host to the Santa Ana Street Market, but surrounding that, you can find dozens of vendors and thousands of shoppers in search of locally made food, wine and arts and crafts. The market is located along Plaza de Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores, just 15 minutes from the city centre.

The Mercado de Maravillas is a vast municipal market offering 200 stalls of fresh meat, fish, produce, spices, cafes and prepared food. As with many markets in Madrid, it's primarily a food market, but you may find the occasional vendor selling arts, crafts or other wares in the food stalls.

This diverse food market is a great place to sample one of Madrid's signature dishes, callos a la madrileña. You can also find goods from further abroad, like Peruvian soft drinks. Locals often say that if you can't find it here, it probably doesn't exist. The market is just 15 minutes by bus to the north of the city centre.

Mercado de Motores is a massive market showcasing handmade clothing, live music, food, arts and crafts. Held the 2nd weekend of every month, the market is housed within an authentic vintage 19th-century railway station and features stalls in old trains. You can browse the offerings by walking along the platforms where people once waited for the daily commute.

The market is free to visit and appeals to a wide variety of shoppers, including arts and crafts enthusiasts, thrift shoppers and foodies. From secondhand goods to authentic artworks handcrafted by local artisans to local delicacies, you'll find it all here just a 15-minute drive south of the city centre.

The Mercado Antón Martín is among the most traditional markets in the city and offers a variety of bohemian goods. The crowds and vendors here are friendly and welcoming, selling everything from clothes and shoes to wine to organic produce to ceramics. The market features 63 stalls and it's astounding how much they pack into the space.

You'll find more than just Spanish goods at Mercado Antón Martín. You can head for the Best of Britain stall for PG Tips and Heinz baked beans, Yokaloka for sushi and La Saletta Italian speciality foods. The market also offers cooking classes. If you want to visit, the market is an easy 10-minute walk south of the city centre.

Mercado de San Fernando is a local market with a great selection of bargain food, books, clothes and other goods. A favourite of locals, the market is famed for its tortilla de patata and locally made vermouth and craft beer. You can also find non-food items here, such as clothing, arts, housewares and more.

What really sets this market apart is that it truly is a local market beloved by residents of Madrid. While that authenticity counts for a lot, you may not find many English-speaking staff or English menus, so you may want an interpreter. The market is located in the Lavapiés neighborhood, which is just a 10-minute drive south of the city centre.

Mercado de la Cebada is a historic market with a huge hall offering around 80 vendors selling fresh and prepared food, cosmetics, upholstery, arts, crafts, flowers, and more. If you're looking for something fun and unique, you're sure to find it here. This market in many ways resembles a shopping centre more than a public market. It even features a children's area where kids can learn about healthy eating and enjoy fun, hands-on activities with Playmobil-themed exhibits.

The market is located in the heart of Madrid's city centre and has been entertaining shoppers since 1875. The products here are top quality, and just about anything you can imagine you can find here.

Mercado de Vallehermoso is a family-oriented market that offers an eclectic community with dozens of vendors selling food, arts and crafts and more. The market is indoors and has vendors on 2 floors. The first floor offers everything from fresh produce to prepared foods, watchmaking, a haberdashery and much more.

On the second floor, you'll find the Producers Gallery, which features 22 local producers of organic foods from tomatoes to chocolate to coffee, all sourced and produced locally with sustainable techniques and artisan craftsmanship.