even-more-shopping

If your time in Valencia is limited and you are there on a Monday, it is worth using this time to visit the Mercado Central and Corte Ingles (when most museums and large buildings are closed). Great when you are out for even-more-shopping.

We do not recommend visiting Valencia’s other big market – the Mercado Colon. While it has been recently restored, it now feels more like a mall than a market. Remember that most of Valencia’s smaller shops close in the afternoons, and most are also closed on Monday mornings. If you have coffee or a pastry in a café, it costs a little more to sit at a table than to stand at the counter. The cost goes up a little more if you sit outside.

If you want a truly unique Valencian souvenir, pick up a traditional dress from upstairs at Corte Ingles. Even better, you can also buy rolls of material from which the dresses are made. Then you can make your own.

Corte Ingles is the leading department store chain in Valencia (and presumably in Spain). Our Valencia city map was sponsored by Corte Ingles, so we could see exactly where its four city-centre branches were when we needed some retail therapy.

We visited Corte Ingles with the intention of buying some durable groceries to take home. We visited the branch at Pintor Sorolla 26 on a Monday afternoon, when most of Valencia’s other tourist attractions are closed to visitors. It was time well spent, and we were persuaded to spend more than we had expected to.

At The Corte Ingles grocery we stocked up on olive oil and marconas (delicious salted almonds that are sometimes served with tapas). We were then drawn to the delicatessen by the impressive display of hanging hams.

Here we tested the patience of the friendly server by picking up an array of delicious ham slices and some bread for a picnic. Also on the fifth floor, we noticed the “promotions” section of the store. It appears that Corte Ingles groups all its bargain items in the same place, and this is not obvious to the uninitiated visitor to the lower floors of the store (where most of the clothes are). We found some inescapable bargains (24€ for some trousers) and was happy. It was a good find.

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