Ibiza’s covered markets
Mercat Vell covered market, the beating heart of local food
In the heart of the old town of Eivissa, the covered market has showcased the authentic flavours of Ibiza since 1873.
Rebuilt in the 1960s in a functional style, this landmark of local food keeps alive trading traditions suited to the island’s produce. It is also called the Old Market, as it is the oldest in town.
Practical information: Vila market
- Address: Plaza de la Constitución, Eivissa
- Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 7am to 2pm
- Access: pedestrian area, Vara de Rey or port car parks
- Specialities: fresh fish, local vegetables, artisan cured meats
Today, local fruit and vegetable stalls sit alongside flower stands and natural and craft products. The market is fairly small, but it still offers a good selection of the island’s typical products. On summer evenings it also comes alive with jewellery and souvenir sellers.
The market is ideally located in the heart of the La Marina district, opposite the Portal de Ses Taules, the main entrance to the walls and Dalt Vila.
Ibiza’s other markets
Places to stock up on fresh produce:
- The Mercat Nou
in the Eixample district, Carrer de Canàries, 5A, 07800 Eivissa - The Mercat Pagès
on Passeig d’Abel Matutes Juan, 07800 Eivissa
Santa Eulària, a tradition preserved
The traditional Santa Eulària market keeps the atmosphere of the old farmers’ markets in a more intimate setting. Located at Carrer del Sol, s/n, 07840 Santa Eulària des Riu, it brings together local produce in a friendly, family atmosphere. It is the ideal place to dive into everyday Ibizan life and find exceptional products.
Sant Antoni market
The Sant Antoni de Portmany market sells fresh produce every Friday, from 10am to 4pm, on the square behind the church. It is a regular date for anyone who wants to discover local flavours in an authentic atmosphere.
In the same town, another place is worth a look: the Mercat Pagès, open all year from 8am to 6pm. This market has a few stalls offering carefully selected, high-quality products.
Local specialities and produce
The culinary treasures of the food markets
Ibiza’s food markets reveal a little-known cuisine, heir to Catalan traditions and shaped by Mediterranean trade. Sobrassada, the spicy cured sausage emblematic of the Balearics, comes in local versions flavoured with the island’s wild herbs: fennel, rosemary and the precious frígola, which only grows on sunny rocky slopes.
Traditional pastries take pride of place: crisp orelletes flavoured with anise, soft greixonera made with eggs and milk, and flaó with fresh cheese and mint, which reveals an Aragonese heritage. These sweets, made from family recipes handed down for generations, go perfectly with locally roasted coffee.
Authentic wines and spirits
Despite its small size, Ibiza produces wines with character in its preserved micro-terroirs. The winemakers at the markets offer small-batch cuvées made from native grape varieties.
Hierbas ibicencas, the traditional liqueur made with 18 aromatic plants, comes in jealously guarded family recipes. Each producer grows their own herbs in secret gardens: green anise, wild fennel, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus and the mysterious “herba de sant Joan” (St John’s wort), picked only at the summer solstice.
“In our markets, every product tells a story: of a preserved land, of know-how passed down and of a community that resists uniformity.” Vicent Marí, artisan hierbas producer in Sant Josep
Budget and payment
Allow a budget of €15 to €40 for food shopping depending on your needs, and €50 to €250 for hippie crafts depending on what catches your eye. Food markets generally accept cards, unlike craft stalls, which prefer cash (though less and less so with mobile payments).
Cash machines are rare near the markets. Haggling is part of the fun, especially for bulk purchases or at the end of the day, but respect the prices, which often reflect quality craftsmanship. For hippie markets and crafts, see our guide to Ibiza’s hippie markets.
