Mercado de Abastos

The Mercado de Abastos is the covered food market of Ronda, and it gives a better picture of everyday life in the town than the better-known viewpoints and bridges. Ronda sits high on a plateau in the mountains of the province of Málaga, split in two by the gorge of El Tajo, and the area around it, the Serranía de Ronda, is a farming and herding region with a distinctive larder of local products. The market is where many residents buy their fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and cheese, and where stallholders and shoppers know each other by name. The sources available here give only limited detail about the building and its opening hours, so this guide concentrates on the character of the place and what you can expect to find, and it suggests checking locally for times.

A Spanish municipal market, or mercado de abastos, is usually organised into counters for different goods. In a mountain town like Ronda, you can expect the butchers’ stalls to offer cured ham and sausages from the pigs of the sierra, lamb and kid, and the local beef used for rabo de toro, the oxtail stew that is a Ronda speciality, linked to the town’s bullfighting tradition. Fishmongers bring in fish and shellfish from the coast, which is not far away, and the fruit and vegetable counters show what is in season from the orchards and gardens of the valleys, such as oranges, figs, tomatoes, peppers and beans.

The region is also known for cheese. Goat’s milk cheeses from the Sierra de Grazalema, such as those sold under the name Payoyo, are among the best of Andalusia, and many are produced in nearby villages. Olive oil from the groves of the region, local honey, almonds, and wines from the Serranía de Ronda, where a small wine industry has grown, are other products to look for, and some stalls sell them in a form suitable as gifts. Bread and pastries are baked in the town.

The market is a free place to wander, and there is no charge to enter. Visitors are welcome to look, ask questions and buy small amounts, and a few stalls offer tastings or sell sandwiches and snacks. It is best to go in the morning, since many traders close in the early afternoon, and to avoid Sundays and holidays, when it may be shut.

The market is in the town centre and is easily reached on foot from the main sights. The Puente Nuevo, the Museo de Ronda, the Casa del Rey Moro and the bullring are all within walking distance, so it is a convenient stop before or after sightseeing, especially to pick up food for a picnic on the cliffs. Allow about half an hour.