Near Mercadona Market

The hours are the same on every trading day: 9am to 2pm, Monday to Saturday, with the market closed on Sunday. There is no late afternoon session, so an early lunchtime arrival on a Saturday is cutting it fine.

Trading is indoors, so rain makes no difference to a shopping trip here, and the hall is wheelchair accessible. Payment is easier than at most Spanish food markets: cash, credit and debit cards, contactless and mobile payments are all accepted.

Five kinds of counter trade here: fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, meat and poultry, fish and seafood, and bread and bakery goods. Between them they cover an ordinary weekly shop, which is what the market is for.

Nothing here is a souvenir counter. If you are self-catering in the town, this is the practical alternative to a supermarket run, and the fish and meat counters are the ones a supermarket cannot match on the same street.

La Carolina is a small town, so your best bet is to stay close to the centre, where you're within easy reach of the market and the main square. Town Centre puts you right where you need to be, with cafes and restaurants close at hand.

For a comfortable base with good amenities, Hotel NH La Carolina is a reliable option that many visitors use when passing through this part of Jaén. If that's fully booked, Avenida de la Constitución has a few smaller hotels and hostals worth checking.

The market's address is C. Navas de Tolosa, 12, 23200 La Carolina, in Jaén province, Andalusia. Access is step-free, and because the whole market is under cover the route from the door to the counters stays level and out of the sun.