Portugalete Municipal Market

The current building dates to 1938, designed by architect Santos Zunzunegui and inaugurated in February 1940. After closing in 2010, it was revived in 2015 and now combines traditional food shopping with community and cultural spaces. It's one of the more characterful municipal markets in Portugalete.

The stalls cover everything for daily cooking: fresh fish and seafood from the Bay of Biscay, seasonal fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry, Basque cheeses and dairy, and bread from local bakeries. Cash, credit cards and debit cards are all accepted, and there is a cash machine inside the hall. Arrive before 11am for the best selection, particularly at the fish counter.

Portugalete is a small town, so staying central puts you within easy walking distance of the market and the famous Vizcaya Bridge. Try Town Centre for the most convenient base, or look at options in Las Arenas just across the river if you want a slightly wider choice of accommodation.

If you prefer to stay in Bilbao City Centre and make a short metro trip across, that works well too. The metro line connects the two towns quickly, and Bilbao has far more hotel options at every price point.

The market is at El Solar Plaza, 7, a short walk from the UNESCO-listed Vizcaya Bridge in Portugalete's old town. Take Metro Bilbao Line 2 to Portugalete station and walk into the town centre. Bilbao is just across the estuary and reachable in minutes by metro or the Vizcaya Bridge transport gondola.

The hall is wheelchair accessible and has public toilets, so a wet morning on the estuary makes no difference to the shopping. To check on a stall or a closure before you travel, the market's number is +34 944 966 226.