Near Mercadona Market

Near Mercadona Market is La Carolina's covered municipal market, on Calle Navas de Tolosa in Jaén province, open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 2pm. It is a food shop rather than a visitor attraction, and the reason to come is that it does a full week's groceries under one roof, six mornings a week. It is one of the town's markets in La Carolina, listed alongside the town's other municipal markets.

About 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.

What to buy at Near Mercadona Market

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.

How to get to Near Mercadona Market

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.

Where to stay in La Carolina

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.

What are the opening hours of Near Mercadona Market?

Near Mercadona Market opens Monday to Saturday from 9am to 2pm and closes on Sunday. The hours are identical on all six trading days, so a Tuesday visit runs to the same clock as a Saturday one. It is a covered market on Calle Navas de Tolosa, so weather makes no difference to the timings.

What can you buy at Near Mercadona Market?

Near Mercadona Market sells fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry, fish and seafood, and bread and bakery goods. Those five counter types cover a full week's food shop, and with the market trading six mornings a week you can shop it the way residents of La Carolina do, in small amounts.

Does Near Mercadona Market accept card payments?

Yes, Near Mercadona Market accepts credit cards, debit cards, contactless and mobile payments as well as cash. That is worth knowing before a food market trip in Spain, where cash is often the only option, and it means you can shop the fish, meat and bakery counters here without finding a cash machine first.

Is Near Mercadona Market wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Near Mercadona Market is wheelchair accessible, with step-free access into the hall at C. Navas de Tolosa, 12. Because it is a covered municipal market rather than an outdoor one, the trading area stays level and under cover all the way from the entrance to the fruit, fish and meat counters.