Local markets and charming flea markets on the Costa Brava and in the Empordà
In the Empordà there is a market in a nearby town every day of the week. It is the best way to stock up on local fruit, vegetables, cheese and charcuterie, and to see village life up close. Here they are by day, with the driving distance from the house in Riumors.
Market calendar, day by day
Monday
- Torroella de Montgrí (22 km): from the house it is about 30 minutes along quiet roads through farmland, with the Montgrí massif and its hilltop castle as your landmark. On Mondays, from 8 am to 1 pm, the market fills the Plaça de la Vila and the streets of the old town: the very square Francesc Gimeno painted more than a century ago (more on that below).
- Cadaqués (21 km): leaving the house, allow about 40 minutes; the last stretch winds through the Cap de Creus hills and then suddenly opens onto the sea, and every bend is worth it. The market is set up on Monday mornings at Sa Riera, beside the Sant Vicenç stream, and moves to the car park in winter. Shopping and a stroll through the white village that captivated Dalí, all in one morning.
- Bàscara (13 km): about 20 minutes inland, on flat roads through the fields, brings you to Bàscara, a small village on the banks of the Fluvià. Like the village, the market is small: a short, relaxed visit, with no rush and no crowds.
Tuesday
- Castelló d'Empúries (5 km): the closest of all: about 8 minutes through cultivated fields and you are in the Plaça Joan Alsina, from 9 am to 2 pm. Castelló was the capital of the old County of Empúries, and its Basilica of Santa Maria, known as the 'cathedral of the Empordà', is a few minutes' walk from the market.
- Figueres (8 km): in about 15 minutes you reach Figueres, the capital of the Alt Empordà. On Tuesdays, from 8.30 am to 1.30 pm, fruit and vegetables fill the Plaça del Gra and the Plaça Catalunya; with only food stalls, it is easier to get around than on Thursdays.
- Verges (18 km): about 25 minutes south, through farmland, to this village on the River Ter. Every Tuesday morning the market takes over the main square, with fruit and vegetables, nuts and cured meats. Verges is also home to the Dansa de la Mort, the dance of the skeletons that takes to the streets every Maundy Thursday.
Wednesday
- Sant Pere Pescador (5 km): another of the closest: about 8 minutes past fields and orchards to the Molí car park, where it is held every Wednesday. You will find food, clothing, shoes and jewellery, and the long beach of Sant Pere is only a few minutes away by car to round off the morning.
- Llançà (18 km): about 35 minutes north, across the vineyards of the Empordà towards the sea. On Wednesdays, from 8 am to 2 pm, Llançà has two markets: one in the Vila (Carrer Gardissó car park) and another at the Port (Avinguda Mestral), so you can shop and then stroll by the sea.
Thursday
- Figueres (8 km): the same 15 minutes, but today is the big market: the fruit and vegetables of the Plaça del Gra are joined by clothing and all kinds of stalls along the Passeig Nou. The Plaça del Gra, also called the Plaça de les Patates, was designed in 1825 specifically as a market square.
- Peralada (10 km): in about 15 minutes, through the vineyards of the DO Empordà, you reach Peralada. After the market, wander through its walled old town and walk up to the castle, known for its summer festival and its wineries.
- L'Escala (14 km): about 20 minutes south, with the outline of the Montgrí in the distance, to the town of anchovies. On Thursdays (and also on Saturdays and Sundays) there is a small fruit and vegetable market in the Plaça Víctor Català, right in the old town.
Friday
- El Port de la Selva (18 km): about 40 minutes to this fishing village on Cap de Creus; the last stretch, on the coast road from Llançà, is one of the most beautiful on the Costa Brava. The Friday market is a tradition, so much so that the town's own market regulations say so: fruit and vegetables, cheeses, cured meats and local craftspeople.
Saturday
- Empuriabrava (7 km): about 8 minutes on a flat road and you are in Empuriabrava. The Saturday market is held on the Passeig Marítim, from 9 am to 2 pm, facing the beach: shopping by the sea and, if you like, a swim afterwards.
- Figueres (8 km): again 15 minutes away: on Saturdays the fruit and vegetables return to the Plaça del Gra and the Plaça Catalunya. Make the most of the weekend and combine it with the Dalí Theatre-Museum, a few minutes' walk away.
- Sant Miquel de Fluvià (7 km): about 10 minutes on country roads through the fields takes you to this small village. The Saturday market opens from 9 am to 1.30 pm, and close by is the Romanesque church of the former monastery of Sant Miquel, from the 11th century.
Sunday
- Roses (12 km): about 25 minutes away, with the Bay of Roses opening up at the end of the road. On Sundays the market is split into two areas: fruit and vegetables next to the covered market (8 am to 1.30 pm) and clothing and other goods around the Ciutadella (9 am to 1.30 pm). Market and a visit to the Ciutadella in a single morning.
- L'Escala (14 km): the same 20 minutes, but Sunday morning is L'Escala's big weekly market. You can end the day at the Greek and Roman ruins of Empúries, on the edge of town.
- La Jonquera (25 km): about 30 minutes on the motorway towards the French border. The Sunday market, from 8 am to 1 pm next to the school, has fruit and vegetables, artisan cheeses, cured meats, flowers and clothing: the last stop before France.
- Bàscara (13 km): the same 20 minutes through the fields, this time on a Sunday: the market is set up in the village's main square. A good plan for an unhurried Sunday morning.
Almost all of them are morning markets, so go early: stallholders start packing up around midday. If the day falls on a public holiday the market may move; if in doubt, check the town hall's website.
Figueres, the most complete market
Figueres, 8 km away, holds its market on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Thursday is the big one, with clothing and all kinds of stalls on the Passeig Nou.
In the Plaça del Gra you will find the fruit and vegetable stalls of Empordà growers. You can combine it with the Dalí Theatre-Museum, a few minutes' walk away.
Torroella de Montgrí: a market painted a century ago
On Mondays, the market in Torroella de Montgrí (22 km) sets up in the Plaça de la Vila, in the heart of the old town. It is a pleasant place for an unhurried stroll.
The painter Francesc Gimeno portrayed it around 1918 in his work “Market Day in Torroella”.
Organic and producers' markets
- Mercat Món Empordà in Torroella de Montgrí (22 km): about 30 minutes from the house. On the fourth Saturday of each month it brings together organic and local producers selling what they grow or make themselves.
- Mercat Món Empordà in La Pera (about 30 min): about 30 minutes on inland roads of the Baix Empordà. On the third Saturday of each month; in summer it moves to Púbol, next to the Gala-Dalí Castle, so you can combine the market with a visit to the castle.
- Figueres antiques market (8 km): 15 minutes away. On the third Saturday of each month the Rambla fills with furniture, objects and curiosities from other times. Please confirm the date before you go.
Tips for market day
Bring a bag or basket and some cash in case a small stall does not take cards. In summer it pays to arrive early to find parking.
With what you buy you can have a barbecue in the garden of the house, which has a barbecue and a table for 14 on the porch.
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