Shopping In Valencia: Shop To Your Heart S Content

The 1920s Mercado Central is situated on Plaza del Mercado. You will find everything under the sun in this central market s. Whether you are looking for saffron or blood sausage or even bomba rice, this market has everything. Mercado Central is situated inside a building with stained glass which looks like a grand railway station. You can see Spain s finest secular Gothic architecture in this place.

People looking for Valencian handicrafts can visit the open air market situated in Plaza Redonda or the round square on a Sunday. This market is located next to the cathedral. You can get inlaid marquetry, silver handicrafts, iron work and ceramics from not just Valencia but all across Spain including Morocco. Here, you will get the best deals at streets like Calle Colon, Calle Don Juan de Austria and Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The flea market or the rastro at Avenida de Suecia is located next to the soccer stadium if you want to avoid the inevitable rush, you can come as early as 8:30 am when the market opens. For people, who hate crowds, you can get similar handicrafts and other items at El Corte Ingles which is the largest departmental store in the city.

If you are a chocoholic, then you can visit Cacao Sampaka, a well known chocolate shop near Mercado de Colon and try some balsamic vinegar flavoured bourbon. The Mercado De Colon market is a market hall which is in existence from 1916 and is one of the most modern markets in Spain.

Valencia is known for its breathtaking Spanish pottery. Amongst these are works of glass, Mantises Stone and Lladro porcelain. Azulejos or ceramic tiles with bright colors are some of the best sellers here. If you are looking for a bargain, you can also have a look at the well known towns of Onda and Alcora. Since, here there is no middle man; most of the pottery is priced reasonably.

As mentioned before, the best way to have a great shopping experience is to set out early. Most shops open around 10 am here. While the smaller shops close at lunchtime, the bigger stores remain open. Hence, you can shop at the major stores at this time when people are either having their lunch or taking their after noon nap.

Valencia can be hot in summers and if you have a long shopping list, then it can get hotter! Hence keep drinking water and juices to avoid dehydration. Water is quite cheap here and you can get it in the kiosks or green huts which also sell chewing gum, magazines and newspapers.

Last but definitely not the least, remember to avoid hotels and rent a holiday apartment instead. Not only are hotels expensive but they also don t let you have the freedom of choice that you get in your own apartment. If you have kids traveling with you, then an apartment is the best way to manage them as well!