Mercado Central de Almería
Almería's iron-and-glass Mercado Central sits in a handsome 1890s building two blocks from the cathedral and remains gloriously unreconstructed — this is where local families, not tourists, buy their fish, jamón and vegetables every morning. The building itself, with its ornate cast-iron columns and high skylights, is worth a visit even before you taste anything.
What to Buy
The fish stalls in the centre of the hall showcase the morning's catch from the Gulf of Almería: red prawns (gambas rojas de Almería) with their famously sweet flesh are the headline act, but also look for fresh cuttlefish, sea bass and clams.
The fruit and vegetable stalls overflow with produce from the surrounding greenhouses — Almería grows a huge proportion of Europe's winter tomatoes and peppers, and the quality at the source is extraordinary.
Pick up a paper cone of mixed olives from any of the deli counters; the local variety, called acebuchina, is tiny, bitter and addictive.
Eating Around the Market
Several tapas bars cluster around the market's exterior on Calle Aguilar de Campoo; arrive by 11 am for a glass of cold Cruzcampo and a plate of jamón serrano with the stallholders on their break.
Bar El Quinto Toro, just around the corner, is a decades-old institution that serves a free tapa with every drink — a tradition that survives in Almería long after it has faded in most Andalusian cities.
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