# Rastro, flea markets



## Marc1978 (Jul 6, 2017)

Hello, I'm looking for markets with more variety. Although a lot of the markets say they are rastro etc they all seem to be stall after stall of fruit, veg, shoes, clothes etc. I'm looking for Antiques, crafts and handmade items. Please if anyone has any info on the locations, days and times they run that would be great. 
Thank in advance


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Marc1978 said:


> Hello, I'm looking for markets with more variety. Although a lot of the markets say they are rastro etc they all seem to be stall after stall of fruit, veg, shoes, clothes etc. I'm looking for Antiques, crafts and handmade items. Please if anyone has any info on the locations, days and times they run that would be great.
> Thank in advance


Rastro Madrid every Sunday. Clothes, antiques, vintage, records, books, crafts...

Mercado de motores Madrid . Second Sat and Sun every month. Clothes, vintage, food, crafts and live music...
https://mercadodemotores.es/artesanos-y-emprendedores/


----------



## Europa47PG (Sep 11, 2017)

Marc1978 where abouts in Spain are you?


----------



## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Marc1978 said:


> Hello, I'm looking for markets with more variety. Although a lot of the markets say they are rastro etc they all seem to be stall after stall of fruit, veg, shoes, clothes etc. I'm looking for Antiques, crafts and handmade items. Please if anyone has any info on the locations, days and times they run that would be great.
> Thank in advance


Yes give those you ask a clue Marc ?
Bilao or Marbella ?


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Europa47PG said:


> Marc1978 where abouts in Spain are you?


It doesn't really matter (well it probably will to Marc) as in the title of the thread it only says *Rastro, flea markets *without any mention of where. This could be a good place to pool info about this kind of market on the forum, so go ahead just make sure it's not your usual fruit and clothes stalls market


----------



## Marc1978 (Jul 6, 2017)

Thanks we're in hondon de los Frailes but will travel around to get to the good ones


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Rastro Madrid every Sunday. Clothes, antiques, vintage, records, books, crafts...
> 
> Mercado de motores Madrid . Second Sat and Sun every month. Clothes, vintage, food, crafts and live music...
> https://mercadodemotores.es/artesanos-y-emprendedores/


I've read about this one... is it very good or a bit touristy? Sadly we have no real rastros near us


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Megsmum said:


> I've read about this one... is it very good or a bit touristy? Sadly we have no real rastros near us


The rastro in Madrid?
It's an experience I think. I don't think it's touristy, but there are a lot of vultures/ pickpockets so you do have to watch your bag and not do silly things like take your passport with you. I have actually seen them working (bumping into people, getting the wallet and passing it on to another) and felt hands around my bag a couple of times. It's usually very crowded in parts and you have to go with the flow a bit.
It's big and has so many parts - new trendy clothing, second hand stuff (vintage now of course), crafty things, antiques, furniture, camping/ outdoors equipment, comic books. I haven't been for ages (hmm maybe I'll make a visit this autumn), but there used be a fair few desperados with a blanket out on the floor selling a collection of rusty keys, a book and a couple of cd's...
It's definitely something to put on your list.


----------



## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> The rastro in Madrid?
> It's an experience I think. I don't think it's touristy, but there are a lot of vultures/ pickpockets so you do have to watch your bag and not do silly things like take your passport with you. I have actually seen them working (bumping into people, getting the wallet and passing it on to another) and felt hands around my bag a couple of times. It's usually very crowded in parts and you have to go with the flow a bit.


I think it has got quite touristy really, but that's just my opinion!

Years ago I was there wandering around the Rastro and an Asian tourist was paying at a stall as I walked by, opening his wallet wide and showing all around the huge stack of Euros he had in there, needless to say a hand reach through the crowd and grabbed the packed wallet.

I guess it was just an automatic reaction but me and several other people nearby instinctively started to chase the thief. Once out of the Rastro and into more open space he seemed to realise that he was in trouble and that we were gaining on him. He stopped turned to face us, took a couple of notes from the wallet (probably about 40 - 60 Euros) and threw the mainly full wallet on the ground and ran off.

I think we were all quite pleased with ourselves and handed the wallet back to its owner, who than proceeded to shout and scream that there was some money missing... and not a word of thanks. I guess its unfair to blame him, but I remember thinking that I won't be chasing after any theives again if that's the gratitude you get!


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Overandout said:


> I think it has got quite touristy really, but that's just my opinion!


But would you recommend a visit or not?


----------



## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> But would you recommend a visit or not?


Certainly, but keep your wallet in your pocket! There's more than one way to get robbed at the Rastro!

Go for the experience, not for the vintage "bargains", which I think is what the OP was driving at.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Overandout said:


> Certainly, but keep your wallet in your pocket! There's more than one way to get robbed at the Rastro!
> 
> Go for the experience, not for the vintage "bargains", which I think is what the OP was driving at.


Well at one point the OP was asking about putting a stall in Torrevieja I think.


----------



## Poloss (Feb 2, 2017)

We were asking Spanish friends about flea markets and second hand stores last month. 
They said that it wasn't well-considered socially to give or accept used material. You bought it new, it lasted a lifetime.
Maybe that was just because they lived in rural Jaen region.

I noticed that the milanuncios website advertises consistantly good-looking stuff, far from the wicked and shameless offers often found on similar French sites.

No second hand shops seen even in poor quarters.
Why buy pre-loved when the Chinese sells cheaper?

Or am I wrong?


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Poloss said:


> We were asking Spanish friends about flea markets and second hand stores last month.
> They said that it wasn't well-considered socially to give or accept used material. You bought it new, it lasted a lifetime.
> Maybe that was just because they lived in rural Jaen region.
> 
> ...


There are secondhand shops in areas where there are immigrant populations, British or otherwise, and it's slowly becoming trendy in some places like Madrid or Barcelona, but nothing to compare to Weston Super Mare where I can think of 6 charity shops in the Town Centre alone and numerous second hand furniture shops dotted around.


----------



## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

Benidorm has quite a large flea market every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Lively Rastro every Sunday. Obviously there are loads of tourists there. It's about 3 miles away from the town on the way to Albir.

Steve


----------



## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Poloss said:


> We were asking Spanish friends about flea markets and second hand stores last month.
> They said that it wasn't well-considered socially to give or accept used material. You bought it new, it lasted a lifetime.
> Maybe that was just because they lived in rural Jaen region.
> 
> ...


Certainly the Spanish culture is different to the Northern European culture with regards to 2nd hand goods, people are not very trusting when it comes to private deals. Many perfectly good cars for example go to scrap yards because the owners don't want the risk of selling on the 2nd hand market (risk of being robbed, scammed, wasting of time etc). But I think this has changed in my time here. The success of Wallapop seems to demonstrate that. 

I recall when I bought my first flat in Madrid, a colleague asked me if it was new build of 2nd hand, when I said it was 2nd hand his response was "oh well, never mind, maybe next time you will be able to buy new". I was really shocked, I don't believe that any English person would ever have that persepective.


----------

