Hotels near Mercado de la Ribera

The Mercado de la Ribera runs about 10,000 square metres along the Nervion, which earned it a Guinness listing as the most complete municipal food market in Europe. The current art deco hall went up in 1929, replacing centuries of open-air trading on the same stretch of bank, and a 2010 renovation added glass, lifts and a first-floor eating gallery.

The ground floor still functions as a working market. Fishmongers sell hake and Cantabrian anchovies, butchers hang whole cuts, and grocers stack Idiazabal sheep cheese and Gernika peppers. Upstairs, about a dozen counters serve pintxos, cider and txakoli from midday, where a plate and a glass together cost roughly 5 EUR. Entry is free and hours run from around 08:00 to 14:30 Monday to Thursday, longer on Friday and Saturday.

Pro Tip: Arrive at 12:30 on a Saturday for the fullest version of the market, then eat upstairs. The fish stalls start packing away by 14:00, so leave the browsing until after you have seen them.