Mercado de Santo Domingo, Pamplona
Tucked inside a vaulted 19th-century building just steps from the old town's main square, the Mercado de Santo Domingo is where Navarran chefs and home cooks alike come to argue over the finest white asparagus and piquillo peppers. The noise, colour and smell alone are worth the detour.
What to Buy and Eat
The market's pride is the DO-protected Espárrago de Navarra — fat, ivory white asparagus that appears from late April through June and bears almost no resemblance to the tinned variety. Vendors will happily let you taste before you buy.
Look for small stalls selling Roncal cheese (Spain's oldest DO cheese, made from raw sheep's milk in the Pyrenean valley of the same name) and locally cured chorizo de Pamplona. Pick up a wedge of each and head to the Ciudadela park for a spontaneous picnic.
Rhythm of the Market
Trading is liveliest Tuesday to Saturday mornings from around 08:00, when farmers from the Ribera lowlands arrive with crates of artichokes, peppers and stone fruit. By noon the best produce is gone, so arrive early.
Several pintxos bars ring the market's exterior — Bar Gaucho and Bar Cervantes on nearby Calle Estafeta are local favourites for a mid-shop glass of txakoli and a skewer of jamón.
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