Mercado de Vegueta

The Mercado de Vegueta is the main covered food market of the historic Vegueta quarter in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, on Gran Canaria in Spain's Canary Islands. It stands on Calle de Mendizábal, about five minutes' walk from Plaza de Santa Ana, and has long supplied the old town's households and restaurants with fresh produce. The building's iron-framed hall and organised rows of stalls give it a traditional character, and it remains a working market where local residents shop alongside visitors.

Stalls sell fresh fruit and vegetables, including produce grown on the island such as bananas, papayas, avocados and the small potatoes used in the classic papas arrugadas. Fishmongers display the day's catch from Atlantic waters, butchers and delicatessens offer cured meats and sausages, and cheese vendors sell Canarian cheeses, including goat and sheep varieties. Bakers and sweet stalls add local pastries, and some counters sell flowers and household goods. Visitors can often sample cheeses or fruit, and a few stalls prepare simple food on the spot.

A visit usually takes forty-five minutes to an hour. Typical hours are Monday to Friday from early morning until mid-afternoon and Saturday morning into the afternoon, with the market closed on Sundays, though times should be confirmed locally. Entry is free. Saturday morning is the liveliest time, when the aisles fill with shoppers, while earlier weekday mornings give the best selection of fish and produce with fewer crowds. Photography of the colourful displays is popular, but visitors are expected to ask before photographing individual vendors. The market is a sensible stop on a Vegueta walking route, since it lies close to the cathedral, Casa de Colón and the old town's cafés, and it offers a more everyday view of Canarian life than the museums nearby. Visitors planning to buy local cheese or fruit should bring cash for small purchases, as some stalls prefer it.