Weekly street market in Calasparra

Friday is market day in Calasparra: fresh fruit and veg and a range of other goods

For many expats and visitors, one of the great joys of shopping in Spain is the opportunity to buy fresh products and bargain clothes in the weekly local markets, which are awash with colour and noise as shoppers jostle for space, queue to be served, stand and chat, get in each other’s way and generally socialize as they go about the business of stocking up on food and picking out other bargains.

For newcomers, a couple of tips: don’t be scared to choose your own fruit and veg (otherwise you may be given the bruised items!), check that the amount you’re charged is related to the marked prices. In addition, as at markets the world over it is advisable to be aware of the risk of being pickpocketed. Please take care with handbags, purses, wallets and loose cash, and avoid taking important documents such as passports or ID to street markets.

But that makes it sound as though the markets are simply a hotbed for petty crime: not the case at all, and the best advice of all is to bear these precautions in mind while rummaging, searching around and enjoying the organized chaos of the event!

In the municipality of Calasparra the main weekly market is held on Friday mornings in and around Avenida Primero de Mayo (see map).

Click for more information regarding the weekly markets in north and north-west Murcia, or go to the Calasparra section of Murcia Today for more local news, events and information.