Journal
Costa Blanca North Markets: Which Town, Which Day
By Elia Living ·
Weekly outdoor markets — mercadillos — are one of the quiet pleasures of life in northern Spain. They are where local growers sell citrus, almond honey and cured meats at prices supermarkets cannot match, where the expat community catches up over coffee, and where the rhythm of a Spanish week quietly asserts itself. For buyers choosing between towns, a morning at the local market is often the best lifestyle preview available.
The guide below covers the main recurring markets from Altea to Pego. All markets typically run from around 08:00 to 13:00–14:00. Days are stable year-round, but check locally before travelling on public holidays, as some markets are cancelled or rescheduled.
Quick-Reference: Markets by Day
| Day | Town | Location | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Dénia | Calle Hermanos Maristas | 08:00–13:30 |
| Tuesday | Altea | Camí de l'Algar | 08:00–14:00 |
| Tuesday | Xaló (Jalón Valley) | Plaza de la Iglesia | 09:00–14:00 |
| Wednesday | Teulada | Calle Jazmín | 08:00–13:00 |
| Wednesday | Benitatxell | Calle del Mercado | 08:00–13:00 |
| Wednesday | Ondara | Calle Poeta Vicent Andrés Este | 08:00–13:00 |
| Wednesday | Calpe (flea market) | Avenida País Valencià | 08:00–14:00 |
| Thursday | Jávea (Xàbia) | Plaza de la Constitución | 08:00–14:00 |
| Thursday | Pego | Plaça Mercat | 08:00–13:00 |
| Friday | Dénia (secondary) | Carrer de la Via | 08:00–13:00 |
| Friday | Gata de Gorgos | Plaça Nova | 09:00–14:00 |
| Friday | Moraira | Ctra. Moraira a Calpe | 08:30–13:30 |
| Friday | Alfaz del Pi | Town centre | 08:00–14:00 |
| Saturday | Benissa | Carrer Hort de Bordes | 08:00–13:30 |
| Saturday | Calpe (main market) | Avenida de Rumanía | 08:00–14:00 |
| Saturday | Xaló (farmers', Oct–May) | Camí Riu Rau | 09:00–14:00 |
| Saturday | Xaló (flea/antiques) | Camí Riu Rau | 09:00–13:00 |
| Sunday | Dénia (flea market) | Partida Deveses | 08:00–14:00 |
| Sunday | Pedreguer | Avenida de las Industrias | 09:00–13:00 |
| Sunday | El Verger | Carrer Vila Joiosa | 09:00–14:00 |
Town by Town: What Each Market Is Actually Good For
Dénia — Monday (and Friday)
Dénia's Monday market at Calle Hermanos Maristas is the largest weekly market in the northern Costa Blanca, drawing vendors and shoppers from across the Marina Alta. The stalls run from fresh fruit, vegetables, olives and flowers through to clothing, household goods and plants — a full general market rather than a specialist one. The smaller Friday market on Carrer de la Via is more focused on produce and easier to navigate without the Monday crowds.
Worth knowing: Dénia's permanent Mercat Municipal on Carrer Magallanes (open Monday to Saturday, 08:00–13:30) is a separate, year-round indoor market and the place to buy the famous gamba roja — the red prawn that underpins the town's UNESCO gastronomy status. If you are visiting on a Monday, the indoor market is five minutes' walk from the outdoor one: do both.
Altea — Tuesday
Altea's Tuesday market on Camí de l'Algar has a distinctly artisan character: local growers bring organic produce, regional wines and wild herbs, while craftspeople display hand-thrown ceramics, woven textiles and jewellery. This is one of the most atmospheric markets on the coast, drawing visitors from Alfaz del Pi, Albir and Calpe as well as year-round residents. Altea's whitewashed old town, ten minutes' walk away, is the natural complement to a Tuesday morning here.
Jávea (Xàbia) — Thursday
The Thursday market at Plaza de la Constitución — in the heart of Jávea's old town — is the market most foreign residents in the Jávea–Teulada–Benitatxell area use as their main weekly shop. Stalls cover fresh vegetables, citrus, almonds and local honey alongside clothing, shoes and household items. The casco antiguo setting — honey-coloured stone facades, mature orange trees — makes the whole event as enjoyable as a stroll as it is for errands. Arrive before 10:00 to get the best produce and the most relaxed atmosphere; later arrivals compete with the tourist influx from the Arenal in summer.
Jalón Valley (Xaló) — Tuesday and Saturday (October to May)
Xaló's Tuesday market on Plaza de la Iglesia is a calm inland alternative for those based in the valley or visiting from Benissa. The Saturday farmers' market at Camí Riu Rau — seasonal, running October to May — is where local producers sell Moscatel grapes and raisins, valley almonds, fig cakes, honey and olive oil: agricultural products the Jalón Valley has produced for centuries. Running alongside it on Saturdays is the Rastro de Jalón, a flea and antiques market on the same site, popular with collectors from across the region for ceramics, vintage tools, art and bric-a-brac. The combination of local food and curated secondhand finds makes a Saturday in Xaló one of the most distinctive market mornings in the area.
Moraira — Friday
Moraira's Friday market along the road to Calpe is compact but popular with the town's substantial international community. Coastal produce — citrus, Mediterranean herbs, fresh fish — sits alongside artisan jewellery and accessories. Because Moraira lacks a large permanent market hall, this weekly event plays a social role as much as a commercial one: British, Dutch and German residents all turn up, making it a useful way to settle quickly into neighbourhood life.
Gata de Gorgos — Friday
Gata de Gorgos is famed throughout the Costa Blanca for basket weaving and esparto grass craft — the town's shopfronts are piled with it year-round — and its Friday market at Plaça Nova extends that tradition outdoors. Alongside seasonal fruit and vegetables, you will find wicker baskets, hats, tableware and hand-woven pieces that are simply unavailable in the resort towns. Located on the main Jávea–Dénia road, it is an easy detour and rewards a Friday morning visit.
Calpe — Wednesday (flea) and Saturday (main)
The Saturday market on Avenida de Rumanía is Calpe's main weekly event: a broad general market with fresh produce, mountain-farm goods, nuts, fish and cured meats. A Wednesday flea market at Avenida País Valencià is a smaller affair — more bargain hunting and household finds than fresh food, but worth knowing about if you are spending the week in Calpe out of season.
Benissa — Saturday
Benissa's Saturday market on Carrer Hort de Bordes is smaller and less touristic than the coastal markets, reflecting the town's inland, year-round character. Local produce, cheeses and seasonal vegetables dominate. It pairs naturally with a walk through Benissa's handsome casco histórico — one of the best-preserved old towns in the Marina Alta.
Teulada, Benitatxell, Ondara, Pego
These midweek and inland markets serve their local communities rather than visitors: practical, unpretentious and a good gauge of authentic everyday life. Teulada (Wednesday, Calle Jazmín), Benitatxell (Wednesday, Calle del Mercado) and Ondara (Wednesday, Calle Poeta Vicent Andrés Este) are all small, regular morning events. Pego on Thursday at Plaça Mercat is the valley's market hub — a lively, wholly Spanish affair with excellent seasonal produce from the rice and orange-growing plains nearby.
Practical Tips for New Residents
Arrive early. Most stalls start packing up by 13:00. Arriving at 08:30–09:00 gives you the full selection and the calmest atmosphere.
Bring cash. The majority of vendors prefer cash. A handful of larger clothing stalls accept card, but it is not reliable.
Seasonal produce rhythms. Autumn through spring brings citrus, almonds and root vegetables at their best. Summer is tomatoes, peppers and stone fruit. Let what's abundant guide what you buy.
Summer extras. Several towns add evening night markets in July and August. Jávea runs a Monday night market in the Arenal area. These are separate from the main morning markets.
Seasonal note on Xaló. The Saturday farmers' market at Camí Riu Rau operates October to May only; the flea market runs on the same site through summer.
Markets are one of those aspects of Spanish life that foreign owners tend to adopt quickly and permanently — they cut the weekly food bill, they plug you into neighbourhood life, and they are simply enjoyable. If you are touring properties on a Thursday morning, build in an hour for Jávea's old-town market: it tells you more about the texture of daily life here than any brochure can.
Frequently asked questions
What day is the market in Jávea? The main weekly market in Jávea (Xàbia) runs every Thursday at Plaza de la Constitución in the old town, from 08:00 to 14:00.
What day is the market in Dénia? The main market is on Monday at Calle Hermanos Maristas, 08:00–13:30. There is also a smaller Friday market (Carrer de la Via) and a Sunday flea market at Partida Deveses.
What day is the market in Moraira? Every Friday on the road to Calpe (Ctra. Moraira a Calpe), from 08:30 to 13:30.
What is Gata de Gorgos market known for? Gata de Gorgos is the basket-weaving and esparto craft capital of the Marina Alta. Its Friday market at Plaça Nova combines seasonal fresh produce with the handmade wicker and woven goods the town is famous for throughout the region.
Which Costa Blanca North market is best for local food and produce? Dénia's Monday market and Jávea's Thursday market are the largest and most complete. For specialist local produce — valley almonds, Moscatel, honey and fig cakes — the Xaló Saturday farmers' market (October to May) is outstanding. Pego on Thursday is excellent for rice-plain vegetables and oranges at genuinely local prices.
Do Costa Blanca North markets run all year? Most markets run year-round, including through winter. The main exception is Xaló's Saturday farmers' market, which is seasonal (October to May). Always check locally before travelling on a public holiday, as individual markets are sometimes cancelled or moved.