A trip to the Alcossebre market is one of the rituals of a holiday here. There are two weekly markets: Alcossebre's, on Tuesday afternoons from May to October, by the seafront promenade, and Alcalà de Xivert's, on Friday mornings all year round, in the centre of the inland town. For everyday shopping there are supermarkets and shops in the centre of Alcossebre and in the Las Fuentes area.
Alcossebre market (Tuesday)
- When: Tuesday afternoons, May to October.
- Where: on Camí l'Atall, near the seafront promenade, between Avenida Blasco Ibáñez and Camino Palau.
- What you'll find: stalls selling clothes, accessories and all sorts of goods.
- Tip: as it's an afternoon market, you can combine it with a stroll and dinner by the sea.
Alcalà de Xivert market (Friday)
- When: Friday mornings, all year round.
- Where: in Plaza Ricardo Cardona, Calle San Fernando and Calle del Peso, in Alcalà de Xivert, about 12 minutes by car.
- Why go: it's the municipality's traditional market, open in winter too, and a good chance to see the town and its great bell tower.
Exact times may change: check the official Alcossebre markets page before you go.
Tips for the market
- Bring cash: many market stalls only take cash.
- Bring a bag for your shopping.
- Go early if you want to browse the stalls at leisure; in summer, the Tuesday market is a very busy afternoon outing.
- Combine the market with a stroll: Alcossebre's is right by the seafront promenade and Alcalà de Xivert's is in the town centre, near the church of San Juan Bautista.
Food fairs through the year
As well as the weekly markets, Alcossebre and Alcalà de Xivert hold fairs devoted to their produce. Exact dates change every year, but the timing is consistent:
| When | Fair | Where |
|---|---|---|
| April-May | Food Fair | Alcossebre |
| October | Fira de la Tomata de Penjar | Alcalà de Xivert and Alcossebre |
| December | Christmas Fair | Alcalà de Xivert and Alcossebre |
Supermarkets and shops
Alcossebre has the services of a holiday town all year round:
- Town centre: supermarkets, a chemist, medical centre, banks, restaurants and small shops.
- Las Fuentes: a supermarket, restaurants and shops by the beach and the marina, close to the Madeira Apartments.
- In summer more places open and some extend their hours; in winter there's less on offer, but enough.
Small shops usually close at midday and reopen in the afternoon, and fewer shops open on Sundays: plan your big shop for a weekday.
Local produce worth buying
- Tomata de Penjar d'Alcalà de Xivert: a traditional tomato hung up to keep for months. It has been grown for more than a century and carries a Valencia region quality mark. In October it gets its own fair, the Fira de la Tomata de Penjar.
- Almonds and almond sweets: pastissets, carquinyols, rosegons and almendrados.
- Local olive oil.
- Fish and seafood from the coast, to cook in your apartment.
Cooking in the apartment
The Madeira Apartments have an open-plan kitchen in the living room, with a ceramic hob, so you can make your own meals with what you buy at the market. If you'd rather eat out, typical Alcossebre dishes are arroz al horno (oven-baked rice), arroz a la marinera (seafood rice) and suquet de peix, a fish stew.
More useful information for your stay in the practical tips for visitors and in how to get to Alcossebre.