I’m not the one to pass an invitation to go to Valencia City. On Tuesday morning we took to trip to The Central Market, this was my second time (without the kids) so I was looking forward having my own time. Oh, life’s’ little pleasures!

But first, the important things. We stopped by at Central Bar by Ricard Camarena, a little bar in the middle of the market that serves tapas and a wide range of drinks.

Copyright: Central Bar Valencia

After a couple of glasses of Albariño and a plate of bravas, I was ready to explore the array of well-presented stalls. The traders certainly take a lot of pride on their goods, the sight and atmosphere were overwhelming, but then again, I get really excited when it comes to markets, it is one of my favourite places to spend a few hours just on browsing and trying the latest products.

Open Mondays to Saturdays from 7.30 to 14.30, Valencia Central Market is a perfect example of what a good market should be, it is almost hard not to find anything that you need, from fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, herbs, fresh bread and much more! I was told that the fishermen usually go out to sea on Monday, so Tuesday is the best day to go to the market to find the freshest catch in Valencia. As a lover of seafood, I truly enjoyed looking and admiring how fresh all the products are, it’s hard not to get overwhelmed or get too carried away, an exciting place to be especially if you’re a foodie like me!

The traders are friendly and always willing to help, though quite hard to communicate as many of them only speak Castellano or Valenciano. But, I have never found this a problem, even when we first moved here, it is not hard to point at what you want, a little Spanglish and hand signals usually breaks the ice.

Foodie or not, Valencia Central Market is the perfect place to view local produce and soak up the atmosphere while having a cortado or two. Or in my case, three glasses of my new favourite albariño wine, a morning well spent.