Shopping · Valencia · Spain
Shopping in Valencia
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Valencia has high-street shopping on Calle Colón, designer boutiques in the Eixample and independent shops in El Carmen and Ruzafa, plus some of Spain's finest food markets. Best souvenirs: Paella pan and saffron, Lladró porcelain and Manises ceramics.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 4
- Top souvenir
- Paella pan and saffron
Where to shop
Calle Colón
The main shopping street, with Spanish and international chains and a large department store.
Calle Poeta Querol and Calle Jorge Juan
Luxury brands and Spanish designers in the elegant Eixample, near the Mercado de Colón.
El Carmen
Vintage shops, independent designers and craft workshops in the old town's lanes.
Ruzafa
Concept stores, design shops and small galleries around the Mercado de Ruzafa.
Markets
Mercado Central
The city's great Art Nouveau food market, best for saffron, rice, oranges and jamón.
Mercado de Ruzafa
A colourful neighbourhood food market with a more local feel than the Mercado Central.
Mercado de Colón
A converted modernist market hall with cafés, restaurants and gourmet shops.
Mercado del Cabanyal
The maritime district's local market, good for fish and produce near the beach.
What to buy
Paella pan and saffron
A traditional paellera, bomba rice from Valencia and saffron make a kit to cook paella at home.
Lladró porcelain
Porcelain figurines made by Lladró, a company based just outside Valencia, are sold in specialist shops.
Manises ceramics
Hand-painted tiles and ceramics from nearby Manises, a pottery centre for centuries.
Turrón
Almond nougat from Xixona in the Valencian region, in soft and hard versions.
Hand fans
Traditional painted fans, a Valencian craft, sold in old shops in the centre.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Ciutat Vella
Mercado Central
One of Europe's largest fresh-food markets fills a Valencian Art Nouveau building of iron, glass and ceramic tiles, opened in 1928 opposite the Lonja.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Architecture
- Shopping
- Free
- Iconic
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Horchata and fartons and Agua de Valencia. Horchaterías in the old town, the Mercado de Colón and, traditionally, in Alboraya. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| El Carmen | $$ | Medieval lanes, street art and late bars in the old town's north-west corner |
| Ruzafa | $$ | Cafés, brunch spots, galleries and late dinners south of the North Station |
| Eixample and Pla del Remei | $$$ | Elegant grid of shopping streets around the Mercado de Colón |
| El Cabanyal and Malvarrosa | $$ | Fishermen's quarter of tiled houses next to the city's main beaches |
| Benimaclet | $ | Former farming village turned student quarter with a village square |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Tipping is not expected. Locals leave small change or round up in bars and cafés, and around 5–10% in restaurants for good service is appreciated.
- Greet with 'Hola' or 'Bon dia' in shops; friends greet with a kiss on each cheek.
- Shop for picnic supplies at the Mercado Central rather than eating every meal in restaurants.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in November–February; the busiest months are March.
- July: Gran Fira de València — July fair ending with the Batalla de Flores flower battle (usually last Sunday of July)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for shopping, luxury and families
Eixample and Pla del Remei
Elegant grid of shopping streets around the Mercado de Colón
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Valencia?
Paella pan and saffron, Lladró porcelain, Manises ceramics and Turrón.
+Where is the best shopping in Valencia?
Calle Colón: The main shopping street, with Spanish and international chains and a large department store.
+What are the best markets in Valencia?
Mercado Central, Mercado de Ruzafa, Mercado de Colón and Mercado del Cabanyal.