20 Epic European Markets

Exploring European markets is a tasty way to experierence new cultures through food. That's why we seek out food markets as soon as we arrive in a European city - both to get the lay of the land and to stock up on tasty treats like olives and charcuterie. Sometimes we linger to eat a morning meal or an afternoon snack depending on our hunger level and the time of day.

Mercat Central in ValenciaPhoto by2foodtrippers

Discover 20 food markets not to miss during your next European trip. Some of these markets are located in big cities like Rome and Madrid while other are in more intimate destinations like Dijon and Ljubljana. They're all epic.

1. La Boqueria in Barcelona

Located in the heart of the city just off bustling Las Ramblas, La Boqueria is a magical place filled with delectable Iberico jamon and premium Mediterranean seafood like razor clams, langostines and sea urchin as well as fresh-from-the-farm produce. Although tourists and locals crowd the world-famous market six days of the week, it's still a can't miss destination for food lovers. Beyond shopping, you can eat breakfast or lunch or sip refreshing fruit juice when you visit during a hectic day of touring the sites. Barcelona has dozens of neighborhood markets that are more frequented by locals, but La Boqueria, the city's most notable market, is the one not to be missed.

Market Highlights: Breakfast at El Quim, Colorful Fruit Juices and Whatever Else Catches Your Eye

2. Great Market Hall in Budapest

Open since the end of the 19th century, the design of the cavernous Great Market Hall would be reason enough to visit Budapest's Central Market. However, this market, which was heavily damaged during World War II and renovated in the 1990s, is also a reflection of the city's tumultuous history. During your visit, you can shop for a variety of local food or chow down on a traditional Hungarian lunch of either langos or goulash at one of the upstairs eateries. As a bonus, the market's location on the Danube near Fisherman's Bastion makes it convenient for both day trippers and slow travelers.

Market Highlights: Paprika, Pickles, Salami and Hungarian wine

3. Borough Market in London

Dating back to the 11th century, Borough Market is London's most historic and epic food market. Located just south of the London Bridge, the popular food market sells all kinds of meats and seasonal produce as well as a range of prepared foods like paella and fish & chips. Beyond shopping, it's also a great spot to graze or grab lunch before visiting the nearby Tate Modern.

Market Hightlights: Meat Pies at Ginger Pig and Shucked Oysters at Richard Haward Oysters

3. Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse in Lyon

Located in a nondescript modern building next to a spiraling brutalist city parking lot, the "belly of Lyon" is culinary explosion featuring 60 quality vendors selling fish, meat, cheese, pastries, chocolate and so much more. When you enter the market's northern entrance, you'll be greeted by some of the most beautiful pastries in France at Sève. Walk further to discover world-class cheeses at Mons and even Iberico Jamon at Bellota, Bellota. This is a market where shoppers and diners co-exist in harmony with many buying food items before or after slurping oysters at one of the market's many eateries.

Market Highlights: Bresse Chickens, Briny Oysters , Pâté en Croûte and Praline Tarts

4. Mercato Testaccio in Rome

In a city overrun with tourists, Mercato di Testaccio retains a neighborhood vibe thanks to locals who come here to shop for produce like tomatoes, artichokes, cheese and a host of precooked products to enjoy at home like suppli (fried rice balls stuffed with cheese) and porchetta. But it's not just locals. This market also attracts a throng of global food travelers. Some are specifically seeking locally sourced artisan products like prosciutto and salumi while others stop to eat pasta alla gricia at Le Mani in Pasta or a sandwich at legendary Mordi e Vai.

Market Highlights: Pasta at Le mani in Pasta, Pizza al Taglio at Casa Manco, Sandwiches at Mordi e Vai and a Host of Produce, Cheese and Charcuterie Stands.

5. Mercat Central in Valencia

While not as globally famous as Barcelona's La Boqueria, Valencia's Mercat Central is Spain's largest and most beautiful market. Filling more than 8,000 square meters and spanning two floors, the market's 1928 Valencian art nouveau building, designed in 1914 by Francisco Guardia and Alejandro Soler, bulges with more than 250 vendors selling a dizzying array of local products that include cheese, cured meat, fish, fruit, olives and veggies. However, its most notable feature is arguably its domed ceiling that's museum-worthy. More important, the market is full of Valencia's culinary bounty that includes olives, meats, cheeses and, of course, rice for paella.

Market Highlights: Breakfast or Lunch at Central Bar, Local Farm Products, Paella Rice Produced in Nearby El Palmar and Turkish Pastries

6. Mercado do Bolhão in Porto

Operating since 1914 in a neoclassical Porto building designed by Correia da Silva, the Mercado do Bolhão is Porto's famous multi-story public market. Closed for a multi-year renovation project that concluded in 2022, Mercado do Bolhão is a hub for both locals and tourists. Today, its bustles with vendors that sell fish, fruits, flowers, meat and vegetables to throngs of locals and tourists.

Market Highlights: Fish Tins, Fresh Flowers and Specialty Coffee

7. Varvakios Agora in Athens

Dating back to the 19th century, Athens' Varvakios Agora is so big that is has three distinct sections. The center of the massive food emporium is filled with fruits of the sea including some of the biggest prawns we've ever seen. The centrally located market also has a produce section with all sorts of fruits and vegetables plus a thriving meat market. If the timing works, you can enjoy a cafeteria lunch of homemade Athenian specialties at Epirus during your visit.

Market Highlights: Cheap Eats at Epirus, Feta Cheese, Fresh Fish, Meat, Olives and Seafood

8. St. George's Market in Belfast

Located in an impressive late 19th-century building, the St. George's Market is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Though open for just three days each week, the market packs a punch with its variety of fresh, local Belfast food staples as well as a cornucopia of ready-to-eat foods representing both local and global cuisines.

Market Highlights: Belfast Bap and Sweet Treats

9. Torvehallerne in Copenhagen

Copenhagen staked a claim in the contest for best modern food hall when Torvehallerne opened in 2011. Centrally located near the Nørreport metro station, this food hall is a popular destination for locals and visiting foodies who want to taste the best of Copenhagen without breaking the bank. At first glance, the market's two buildings designed by Hans Hagens are a show stopper. However, the stands and stalls inside the buildings are the real reason to visit Torvehallerne for breakfast or dinner or any time in between.

Market Highlights: Chocolate Treats, Comforting Porridge, Fresh Oysters and Tasty Tacos

10. Marché Victor Hugo in Toulouse

Dating back to 1926, Marché Victor Hugo is the city’s most prominent and largest public market with seven butchers, five poultry vendors, six produce stands, four cheese stands and five bakeries plus a pizzeria, five restaurants and a tripe stand. If you visit every stand, you'll see piles of foie gras, enormous magret de canard, all manner of sausage, magnificent steaks on the bone, gigantic prawns, whole scallops, cheeses from all over France and Spain, regional versions of pâte en croute and even Portuguese pasteis da natas. What you purchase is up to you.

Market Highlights: Baguettes, Raw Milk Cheese, Saucisson and Violet Candy

11. Mercato Albinelli in Modena

A city fixture since it opened in 1931, Mercato Albinelli is a Modena market where housewives and chefs buy daily supplies for their kitchens six days of the week. More than five dozen stalls sell locally sourced fruits, vegetables, cheese and meat as well as fresh pastas like handmade tagliatelle, tortellini and passatelli in various shapes and sizes. Plan to shop for all these things unless you simply want to eat a sandwich at Bar Schiavoni. Better yet, do both.

Market Highlights: Balsamic Vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Porcini Mushrooms in the Autumn and Vignola Cherries in the Summer

12. Central Market in Riga

Located in a building that originally housed German Zeppelins during World War I, Riga's Central Market is ginormous. Its five pavilions are separated to sell meat, dairy, fish, groceries (dried fruit, nuts, pastries, honey, etc.) and vegetables. Not just a tourist attraction, it's one of Europe's largest markets that welcomes 80,000 visitors every day. Those visitors buy food for their daily meals, with some opting to eat at one of the market's many restaurants and eateries too.

Market Highlights: Doughy Donuts, Pickled Vegetables and Soft Cheese

13. Mercado 31 de Janeiro in Lisbon

Located in Lisbon's tony, non-touristic Saldanha neighborhood and renovated in 2014, Mercado 31 de Janeiro is fun to shop at all year long, not just on January 31st. Its rectangular high-ceilinged space is filled with dozens of vendors that sell fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, bread, cheese and more. It also has one of the city's best seafood markets where giant whole fish like fresh grouper are sold to both local marchants and shoppers.

Market Highlights: French Cheese and Suckling Pig at HM Caneira and Some of the City's Freshest Seafood

14. Marche Les Halles in Dijon

Built in the 19th century, Marche Les Halles Dijon is a grand market filled with vendors that sell a melange of local products including fruits and vegetables plucked from the earth that morning. While many French cities have covered markets, Dijon's market stands out since it offers a wide variety of Burgundian classics including a large variety of pâte en croute and saucissons.

Market Highlights: Bresse Chickens, Charolais Beef and Jarred Cassoulet

15. Mercado de la Paz in Madrid

Mercado de la Paz has been part of the Salamanca neighborhood since it opened in 1892. But, thanks to the tortillas española at Casa Dani, the market is a destination for food lovers throughout Madrid. Those tortillas are just part of the centagenarian market's story since its selection of cheese, cured meats and seafood is outstanding.

Market Highlights: Local Products, Seasonal Fruit and Tortillas Española at Casa Dani

16. Central Market in Ljublujana

Located between the Dragon Bridge and Triple Brindge, Ljubljana's Central Market is busy every day of the week except for Sunday when it's closed. Locals shop here for local, seasonal produce, fish, meat and grains. On the weekends, they also shop for organic farm products and Slovenian handicrafts.

Market Highlights: Farm Products for Your Table

17. Mercado dos Lavradores in Madeira

Located in the city of Funchal, Madeira's Mercado dos Lavradores isn't a typical European market. This Portuguese market sells a range of tropical fruits more typically sold in Africa and South America. Some fruits like mangos, passion fruit and pineapples are familiar. Others like tamarillo (tree tomatoes), tabaibo (prickly pear) and anona (custard apple) are more exotic. If you plan your visit well, you'll also find some of the world's best bananas sold in a rainbow of colors.

Market Highlights: Yellow, Green and Black Bananas

17. Naschmarkt in Vienna

Although Vienna's Naschmarkt dates back to the 16th century, it wasn't a full food market until the 18th century. Back then, local farmers sold fruits and veggies to locals. Today, the market is more than a kilometer in length and its vendors sell eclectic products to an equally eclectic customer base. The market is espeically crowded on Saturdays when it morphs into a flea market.

Market Highlights: Austrian, Israeli and Turkish Food

18. Hakaniemi Market Hall in Helsinki

Located in a grand two-story brick building, Hakaniemi Market Hall is a vibrant market with 70+ stalls that sell products like seafood, bread and pastries. Ironically, many of the prices at this market are higher than prices in the city's chain supermarkets. Is the extra cost worth it? After one glance at the vibrantly red salmon, you'll know that the answer is yes.

Market Highlights: Pastries and Salmon

19. Mercato di Rialto in Venice

Merchants at Mercato di Rialto have been selling fresh produce and even fresher seafood for centuries. Famous around the world for its location at the foot of the Rialto Bridge, this Venetian market sells local products to local chefs and housewives. Tourists are also welcome to this Venice market both to shop and take photos of some of the pristine seafood like shrimp and mantis prawns. Some also buy spices and magnets, both of which are great souvenirs.

Market Highlights: Fresh Seafood including Eels, Octopus, Scallops, Swordfish and Tuna

20. Mercados de Olhão in Olhão

While Olhão's two municipal markets are culinary treasure troves during the week, Algarvian locals and savvy food travelers know that Saturday is the very best day to shop at Olhão's markets. This is the day when the fish market has the best selection of sardines, anchovies, octopus and clams. It's also the day when Olhão's massive outdoor market comes alive with fresh produce and chocolate-dipped churros fried to order.

Market Highlights: Seafood, Seafood and More Seafood

Bonus - Marchés de Noël in Strasbourg

Europe has a plethora of Christmas markets but Strasbourg's Christmas markets are special. Aptly nicknamed Capitale de Noël, Strasbourg lights up each December and, like clockwork, crowds descend in droves to shop for holiday items, eat Alsatian comfort food and sip vin chaud (i.e. hot wine).

Market Highlights: Bretzels, Munsterflette, Pain d'Epice and Vin Chaud

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