Mercat Central

The Mercat Central is the main covered market of Tarragona, a city whose Roman history gives Tarragona’s old quarter its fame, a Modernist building opened in 1915 at Plaça Corsini, just off the Rambla Nova. It belongs to the wave of market halls built in Catalonia in the early twentieth century, when towns replaced open-air stalls with iron-framed buildings that were hygienic and well lit. The attribution of the design is a matter on which sources differ, so this guide does not name an architect. What is clear is the style: a high central hall with semicircular arches, slender metal supports, decorative capitals and ceramic details, giving the building a light and airy appearance that is typical of Catalan Modernisme.

Inside, the stalls are arranged in orderly rows. The fishmongers display what the fishing fleet from the port has landed, much of it from the neighbourhood of El Serrallo, the old fishermen’s quarter, and the range includes prawns, squid, hake and anchovies. Butchers, greengrocers and bakers fill the other aisles, and there are specialist counters for cheese, olives, nuts, dried fruit and cured meats. The Tarragona region is known for romesco, the nut and pepper sauce, for calçots, the long spring onions from nearby Valls that are grilled in winter and early spring, and for olive oil and wines from the surrounding countryside. Many of these products can be found on the stalls in season.

The market is still a place where residents do their weekly shopping, so mornings are busiest, with a good mix of older customers and visitors. Small bars and cafes inside the hall serve coffee, tapas and breakfast, and it is a good place to eat something simple and watch the routine of the stallholders. Entry is free, and there is no obligation to buy. Many stalls close in the early afternoon, so go in the morning.

The market is a short walk from the Rambla Nova, the main boulevard that leads to the Balcó del Mediterrani, a lookout above the sea, and from the Casa del Poble. The Roman heritage of Tarragona, which was the Roman city of Tarraco and is now on the UNESCO list, is also close: the Roman Walls, the Roman Amphitheatre by the sea and the National Archaeological Museum of Tarragona are all in the old part of the city, and the cathedral stands at the top of the hill. The Museu d'Art de Tarragona and Plaça de la Font are other nearby stops.

The market suits people who enjoy local food and everyday life, and it is a pleasant half-hour stop between sights. Opening hours vary, with closing on Sundays, so check before going.