Triana Market (Mercado de Triana)

The Mercado de Triana is the covered market of Triana, the district of Seville on the west bank of the Guadalquivir River, and it is one of the best places in the city to eat and shop like a local. Triana has always had a strong identity of its own. It was the home of sailors, potters, bullfighters and flamenco singers, and its people take pride in being different from the rest of Seville. The market stands beside the river, near the Puente de Triana, the Isabel II bridge that connects the district to the city centre, and it forms a natural entrance to the neighbourhood.

The market occupies the site of the Castillo de San Jorge, the Castle of San Jorge, a fortress with Muslim roots that later became the headquarters of the Inquisition in Seville, and for a long time it was a symbol of power and fear. The castle was largely demolished in the nineteenth century, and a market was built over the site. The present market building was renovated in the early 2000s, and in the process the remains of the castle’s foundations were uncovered and incorporated into a small exhibition area, which can be visited by going down below the market floor. It is a surprising piece of history underneath a busy food hall.

The market itself is arranged around a central hall under a high roof, with stalls along the sides and across the floor. The fishmongers sell the fresh catch of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, laid out on ice, and the butchers and delicatessens offer cured ham, sausages and cheeses. Fruit and vegetable stalls provide produce from the farmland around Seville, such as oranges, tomatoes, peppers and strawberries in season, and bakers and pastry makers sell bread and sweet things. The stallholders are friendly and used to explaining their products.

In recent years part of the market has become a place to eat as well as to shop. Several stalls have been converted to bars and small restaurants where tapas and raciones are served at the counter or at shared tables, so you can try fried fish, seafood, jamón and other Andalusian dishes on the spot. This gives the market a lively atmosphere at lunchtime and in the early evening, when locals and visitors mix. Entry is free, and costs depend on what you eat and drink.

The market is easy to combine with a walk through Triana. Calle Betis, the riverside street, offers views back across the river to the Torre del Oro and the cathedral, and the streets behind lead to the ceramics workshops and the flamenco bars. The Plaza de España and the Real Alcázar are a short distance away on the other side of the river. Opening hours vary, and many traders close in the afternoon, so go in the morning.