I remember being a
young lad and having to go to the market in Benidorm with my parents
and grandparents. All I could think of was going to the beach, but
the marketstalls kept coming... The same scenario now, but with my partner.
Although I can enjoy the market more now then when I was a little kid...
The markets are always
popular amongst the tourists. Thousands of toursists flock towards
them on sunday and wednesday. Souvenirs, clothes, shoes, food and all
sorts of gadgets are found at very cheap prices. Often this price is
even negiotiable, especially if you buy more of then one item. This
article will tell you where to be, because not allot of people know
all the markets.
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| A lot of older crowd at the market in november |
The biggest market in
Benidorm is the famous El Pueblo market.
This
market is every wednesday and sunday. It is called Pueblo Market
because it is on the big plot next to El Pueblo hotel. You can find
it at the beginning of the Av.
de L'almirall Bernat de Sarrià in the Rincon de Loix area. It is
quit and end walking from the center of Benidorm. Don't worry, you
will find it, when you get in the vincity, you can follow the flocks
of people going towards the market.
This
gets us to the problem I have with the market: It is crowded.
Especially near the high season, it gets really crowded....
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| Cheap -mostly fake- handbags and wallets |
It
is a typical tourist market. You will find all sorts of souvenirs,
gadgets, clothing, shoes, candy... There is something for everyone on
the market. Just don't expect to do some grocerieshopping on this
market. What you can find are some specialities of the region, like
the famous nougat: Turron d'Alicante.
You
can eat something at the market. They have some foodstalls with
little terraces where you can eat all sorts of spanish delights or
just a hamburger with fries. Typical Spanish and certainly not
expensive are the Churros. They are great at the market and you can
eat them natural or with hot chocolate...
Granitas
and freshly squeezed juices are a great thirstquencers (which you
will need in the heat). Do mind the hygiene of the stall, especially
with the granitas and the places where they cook meat.
 |
| All sorts of stuff at the market |
Also
the bars and restaurants near the market all offer great discounts on
the marketday and have great -cheap- menus.
In
summer, when it can get really hot, the marketvendors hang cloth
between the stalls to give some shade. This is necessary because in
summer, the open plot of the market can feel as if you were in an
oven.
The
market is really huge, but nobody is forcing you to walk through all
the corridors. After a while you will start to see the same stuff...
On this market especially -because it gets really crowded around
noon- it is important to be early. When you arrive in the morning,
there will be lesser crowd and it will not yet be too warm!
The
Foietes Market
 |
| Foietes market |
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| Lesser crowds on the Foietes market |
The Foietes Market will be a little to far for most of the tourists. It is on the big parking at the Municipal de Foietes, where the Calle Goya makes a turn. It will be a huge walk for tourists in the Rincon de Loix area. It mostly attracts spanish people who live or hire an apparment in the old town. For tourists who stay in the Fiësta Park or Prince Park (to name some hotels popular with the English crowd). This market is more convenient to visit than the El Pueblo Market.
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| Foietes market |
If
you would have to choose, I would suggest the tourist market, because
it has a lot of variety, but a visit to the Foietes market is also
very interesting.
Besides
these markets, Benidorm also has the
Benidorm indoor market. This
market is inside, which makes it a perfect activity on rainy days
(not often in Benidorm), but you should also check it out on warm
days. It is not really a market because the stalls are permanent.
There is a hairdresser, bakkery, (secondhand) bookshop, a popular
money exchange and plenty more. The market is in the Rincon de Loix
area.
On
the outskirts of Benidorm, there is the El
Cisne Market on
thursdays, saturdays and sundays. This is a antiquity and flea
market.
In
the center of Benidorm are two very small indoor markets, mostly food
and fresh fish. The Mercat
Municipal
in the Calle Mercado in the old town. Especially handy because there
is a supermarket underneath the stalls and the Mercado
Abril
between Calle Gambo and Av. Emilio Ortuno. These two are very small
and not really worth the walk, but do take a look when you are in the
vincity...
Practical
information
- You can be quit sure that all the brands (at least 90%) sold on the market is fake. Don't expect to buy real Adidas shoes for 10 EUR and a Michael Kors handbag for 15 EUR... That of course doesn't mean the bags are not pretty, just don't get ripped off. Even the cheap (8 EUR) CASIO digital watch I bought was fake according to a watch seller in the old town (who sold the real watch for a 14 EUR..).
- If you see something you like, it is worth walking past some more marketstals to get a clue of the lowest price...
- Some marketsellers can be pushy, don't get intimidated.
- I personally saw (in the 20 years I visit Benidorm) a money exchange trick (where the buyer gets confused and doesn't find out he is being fooled) and an attempt to give a lady a smaller handbag than the one she payed for. The brave Spanish lady however repeatly smacked the vendor with her own handbag until he admitted being in the wrong!
- In all busy places, in the UK as in Benidorm; do not keep your wallet in your backpocket and keep your handbag zipped with the zipper towards you. I frequently hear about pickpocketing, especially at the market.
Watch out for pea men at the market The same familie (gypsies – everyone, even the police, knows them...) stand out front of the market with a game of cups and a ball. They call them pea men and are very dangerous. All the people standing around the table made of boxes are actors. They seem to be winning a lot of money with a very easy game... NEVER EVER EVER join the game or even stand too close! Even if you are not playing, the actors will try to rob you. It is best to ignore them and walk around them. I tried to alarm possible victims and filmed the peamen during their act. Although they did scatter because I intervened, they tried to cut me off the next street. I had to run into an hotel reception to safe myself from a possible assault. These people have knives and come with a whole bunch so be careful.- Best is to visit the market early. Most of the crowds come by noon and you beat the heat in the morning!
- Wearing a hat and covering your shoulders will prevent sunburn.
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