Are you tired of lying around on the beach? Want to get some local sights and sounds in while you’re enjoying your vacation in Menorca? One of the most popular attractions of Ciutadella is the daily open-air market found in the Plaza del Mercat. In addition, Friday and Saturday markets are held at the Plaza de Es Born. These markets start early in the morning and run until the heat of the day starts to become too much – usually around 2 PM.
Markets don’t just appeal to people looking for fresh fruits or local crafts. If you’re interested in historical sights, you should also pay these markets a visit. They were established in 1301, when Christians conquered the islands, and have been running since then as a way for people to socialize, shop, and attract tourists, depending on the era.
Have you been to Barcelona?
Whether you have visited Barcelona or not, the Menorca markets will likely remind you of the Mercat de la Boquerìa. The colours, sights, and sounds are similar – people present their goods in visually appealing, colourful displays, hawk their prices through shouting competitions, and serve lunches or snacks of all kinds. You can taste different cuisines and find everything from seafood to cheese in the markets of Spain.
There’s a good reason the open air markets of Ciutadella are so famous. People who are looking to enjoy a getaway to a romantic, warm island don’t just want to escape: they want to experience something new. Whether you’re coming from bustling London or a small town in the countryside, the Menorca markets are something else entirely.
Shopping at the markets.
There are all kinds of markets in Ciutadella and elsewhere on the island of Minorca. For example, if you want a craft market, a summer-only market is held in the evenings in Carrer de Pere Capllonc near the harbour steps and sells all kinds of handcrafted goods and jewelry. These crafts are often beautiful and elaborate, and make wonderful souvenirs for people back home. The harbour front also hosts a market on the Portal de la Mar in summer evenings and an artisan’s market in August and September in Plaça de la Catedral.
Street markets on most days include all kinds of different stalls, if you’re looking for a market with more variety. You may find clothes, leather goods, shoes, accessories, jewelry, crafts, ready-to-eat foods, ingredients, exotic spices, oils, snacks, fruits, vegetables, seafoods, and more. The problem isn’t so much finding something interesting as choosing which interesting stalls to focus on!
Earlier is usually better.
If you’re looking to get the best products at good prices, it’s usually best to visit the Ciutadella markets early. If you’re staying in Menorca, use a rental site like HouseTrip and AirBnB to find a good villa or apartment rental near the harbour or town square, or be ready to spend a little more time waking up early and walking to the market. It’s a pretty surefire bet that as soon as you’re awake, the market will already be bustling. They start very early, since the market has to close around 2 PM. Better yet, if you wake up early enough, you’ll avoid crowds of fellow tourists and be able to interact more with the locals!
If you want to see the world-famous open air markets that Ciutadella, Menorca, has to offer, be ready to get up early, visit all the markets, and break up your sunny island vacation with some colourful scenery!
Simon Dance has been professionally employed in the travel industry for over five years and is a tourism and business graduate.
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