Grao de Castellón Friday Market

Locally it is the Mercadillo del Grao de Castelló, and it belongs to the neighbourhood rather than the city centre: the plaza sits a few streets back from the harbour, so the market shares its morning with the fishing port and the seafront. Everything is outdoors, with no covered hall, so a hot July Friday is best tackled early. The five hours from 9am to 2pm are the whole trading window, and by half past one traders are folding tables.

Fresh fruit and vegetables take the largest share of the 150 pitches, sold by the crate as often as by the kilo, and the produce follows the Castellón season, citrus through the winter months, stone fruit and tomatoes in summer. The rest of the plaza is clothing and textiles, from work trousers and cotton shirts to cloth by the metre, plus footwear and leather goods: shoes, sandals, belts and bags.

El Grao is a working port district rather than a hotel quarter, so most visitors base themselves in town and ride the tram out for the Friday morning. Staying in the city centre keeps you within walking distance of the Mercat Central as well, and Hotel Intur Castellon is the more comfortable choice close to it.

Plaza Virgen del Carmen, 12100 Castellón de la Plana, is about four kilometres east of the city centre and reachable by local bus or the tram line that runs down to the port. Parking near the plaza goes quickly on Friday mornings, so leaving the car a few streets inland is the simpler plan. Other street markets in Castellón de la Plana cover the remaining days of the week, and the organiser's listing has further detail.