There are several ways to feel the pulse of a city. Wandering the streets, exploring its most typical shops or visiting its main monuments gives you an idea of its past, the character of its people and its idiosyncrasy, after all. However, there are spaces that are able to condense all of this into one place. Do you know what we mean? We’re talking about a city’s markets, its traditional markets.
And Palma is no exception. There are several markets in the island’s capital, where tradition and modernity go hand in hand. Here you can find traditional, seasonal, local, quality products alongside original gourmet dishes that never fail to surprise. Likewise, the local regulars, who go there to do their weekly shopping, mingle with curious tourists, eager to know where to find the best and the most typical products that they can show off when they go home.
If you want to immerse yourself in the essence of Mallorcan cuisine with help from experienced local traders and taste dishes and products to remember, don’t miss the following markets in Palma:
Santa Catalina Market (Plaça Navegació)
Its location next to the neighbourhood of La Lonja, where many fishermen unload their catch every day, explains why the city’s oldest market, founded in 1905, has a reputation for selling good fish. Finding a place at any of the bars inside the market is almost mission impossible at vermouth time. Open Monday to Saturday.
Olivar Market (Plaça del Olivar)
Also in the heart of Palma, from Monday to Saturday, you can enjoy the best tapas and wines in a modern and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Olivar Market also has a shopping arcade where you can have your shopping cooked for you.
Pere Garau Market (Plaça Pere Garau)
If you are looking for a truly immersive and multicultural experience, make sure you don’t miss the only market where farmers still come to sell their produce. The mix of cultures in its surrounding neighbourhood is also evident in the shops outside, with a wide variety of taverns and restaurants serving food from all over the world.
Mercat 1930 (33 Av. de Gabriel Roca)
Located on the promenade, Mercat 1930 offers tasty, quality culinary dishes to spice up your evenings in the city. Here you can discover the latest foodie trends from various cuisines and try a wide range of wines, cavas, beers and cocktails.
Palma Organic Market (Plaça Bisbe Berenguer de Palou)
On Tuesdays and Saturdays (not public holidays), from 8am to 2pm, around twenty farmers come here to sell locally produced organically certified food products in this square, which is commonly known as Plaça dels Patins. According to the Spanish Society of Organic Agriculture (SEAE), it is the country’s most important organic market in terms of the number of stalls and the frequency.
