This used to be the People's Market. It opened in 1904 after the Cabo Machichaco boat incident…read moremade people think about gathering places away from the marina and the water. The design was focused on iron and glass. There are two stories that can only be accessed from the outside separately. Downstairs is for fish and the upstairs is for meats and sundries. Today there area a few cafes and eateries on the upper level for those wanting to take a break from their market shopping Depending on the day of the week, the outside area of the market could host a vegetable farmer's market or a flea market.

This definitely is the place to be for all of your fish & seafood needs or if you would like to see…read morethe daily (food) shopping life of Santanderinos. Since this is off the beaten path, in terms of tourists, you will really get a vibe of the "real" Santander. For the fish/seafood portion of the mercado, you pretty much will have so MANY variety of items. I was shocked by the amount of vendors set up in this market. The best part: while there were plenty of vendors, the market did not smell extremely fishy, which means the fish & seafood were pretty fresh.