Top Rated Shopping in Valencia

One of Europe's largest markets and a masterpiece of modernist architecture, Valencia's Mercado Central is a joyously lively, colorful and welcoming place to do your shopping. Visit in the morning and you'll see an astounding array of fresh produce attractively displayed in all the stalls. It opened in 1928 opposite La Lonja. It's a huge 8000 square meter expanse of steel and glass decorated with typically colorful Valencian ceramic tiles. Proud local architects Soler March and Guardia Vich even included the colors of the regional flag (Senyera) in its windows.

The combination of luxury and elegance has a name and the typical initials of the fashion brand embellish everything your heart desires. In addition to the classic bags for men and women, they can also be found on shoes, eyewear, watches and selected garments. The shop also impresses with its elegant interior and understated design.

This is the Mecca of comics in Valencia. If you are looking for a rare or difficult to find edition, Futurama is the place to come. When you go into Futurama, you'll wish you had as much money as Bill Gates. The first thing you see is a lot of big boxes with old comics inside, organised by series: Conan, X-men, Dragon Ball, and many more. On the walls are shelves filled with books, full-size comics and, above these, complete series at affordable prices. In front of the counter, you'll find examples of the most recent comics. If you want to get rid of your collection, you can also sell your old copies here.

París Valencia is a chain of bookshops with a total of five in Valencia. The stores vary a lot in terms of size. They can be large and modern or small and cosy. For example, the store on Navellos Street, a pedestrian area off the Plaza de la Virgen, is tiny and looks like a kiosk from outside. Inside, however, you'll find a wide variety of publications. Since the five shops share merchandise and stock lists, it is very easy to find whatever you are looking for, but that may mean walking to another of the shops. They also have a lot of books on special offer. You can get old magazines and the latest novels at very affordable prices.

The female designer with roots in the north-west of Spain is hailed as an icon of the spanish fashion scene. In 1985, she opened her first store in Antwerp, several others in Japan followed suit. It was not until 10 years later that she actually set up shop in her home country, too. The label bears her own name for a good reason, as her collections are always a reflection of her personality. Garcia designs classical and casual fashion for men and women that is admired for its understated elegance.

In the 1950s, the Lladró brothers started up their business in a small workshop in Almácera, a town surrounded by the fields of Valencia. This is how the porcelain giant began. Today, Lladró figurines are made in what's called The City of Porcelain, an industrial complex occupying more than 100000 meter square of floor space in Tavernes Blanques, a small town only 6km from Valencia. More than 2200 people work there, most of them craftsmen. Visiting the City of Porcelain is a privilege reserved exclusively for members of the Lladró Collectors Society.