You will know if you have read my previous posts that I like shopping as the Spanish do and using the markets; the produce is usually fresher, you can normally touch and feel it, and it is definitely better value. I also really like the idea of supporting the local people rather than a big supermarket chain, which is why when not at the market, I try to buy as much of my fruit and veg as possible from the fruteria in Almerimar.

Well I have to own up that so far this year I have been to exactly 0 markets! until this morning that is. I was so determined to finally get to the El Ejido Wednesday mercadillo, and had arranged to take a friend, that not even the fairly horrid windy morning deterred me.

When we arrived the wind was certainly having an effect. Instead of the normal stalls, the market looked more like a van boot sale with many of the traders not there and others just using tables next to their vans. We also had a very interesting coffee shielding our eyes from dust and avoiding flying litter! However all was not lost from my point of view.

My usual very good guy who I buy my nuts off wasn’t around so I left that purchase for next week, but most of the fruit and veg traders were there, and I came away with in season broad beans, lovely tomatos, great looking, small almost ripe (yippee!) mangos, and some chard (much better value and crispier than the current sad lettuces), as well as bananas. I didn’t buy any this time but there were also still great looking satsumas, and the some vey big early strawberries.

All my buys were good value, but as I have found before the best value is to be had at the stalls that sell only a few produces, as these are probably straight from the growers with no middle man.

I was pleased that I made the effort to go and will re-new my resolve to do it more often. There is an El Ejido Mercadillo the first 3 Wednesdays of each month, and we were told today the stall-holders start around 8.30am. Therein lies another of my good intentions to get there earlier as I have a strong theory that some of the best produce gets snapped up before I even get there!

Ok so have I tempted you to give the market a try yet, or re-visit it? If not quite check out some of the other related posts below for more enticing information!

About Almerimar

Almerimar is located in the region of Andalucia, Spain. The nearest airport is 30km away in Almeria. Other airports that are within 3 hours include Malaga, Murcia, Granada, and Alicanti. Other holiday resorts in the region include Mojacar , Aguadulce and Roquetas de Mar

Almerimar is also one of the largest marinas in Spain with over 2,000 births and excellent boatyard facilities.