Almuñécar's municipal market is back in action

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Residents and visitors flocked to the new facility on Granada province's Costa Tropical as it reopened on Monday 10 March after a six-year wait

MJ Arrebola

Granada

Wednesday, 11 March 2026, 15:39

The chatter of stall holders and shoppers has returned to Almuñécar's municipal market after six years of closure for refurbishment. The facility reopened on Monday 10 March with traders hugging each other after years of not seeing each other and messages of "good luck" and "good to see you" heard at every stall.

The new market is certainly more modern: spacious, bright, with wooden ceilings and long aisles that let in the sunlight, a big transformation from the building that many people remember. But the familiarity and friendliness remain unchanged; thee market has always been a meeting place for locals, who have clearly missed it. Maria, a local resident, said that it has been part of her life for decades. "I've been looking forward to seeing it open, I've been shopping here all my life," she said.

A return with hope

Among the traders at the 44 stalls, there is also that mixture of excitement and caution that often accompanies new beginnings. For Miguel Fajardo, owner of the Caribe bakery and pastry shop, the return has a special meaning because his family has been linked to the trade all his life. In fact, the business is now run by the third generation of bakers.

At another stall, ice covers the fresh fish that had just arrived. Gabriela Joya, from the Óscar Medina fishmonger's, a family business with more than twenty years of history in the market, works there. When the building closed, they had to move to the San Sebastián district. The first day was busier than they expected. "The reception has been very good".

After the sudden closure of the market in 2020, for some traders, like Ana Isabel Rivas, from Frutería Rivas, the reopening means starting again after years of unemployment. "When I closed down I tried to hold on to the business but I only lasted a year", she admitted.

As she places boxes of fruit on the counter, she is thrilled to see some of her old customers: "Talking to the people who have always been there, that gives you life," she said.