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.

Oh my holy goddess! I was so happy when I stumbled upon this jewel. I sacrificed my shampoos,…read moreconditioners, and sunscreen from Whole Foods for clothes (still didn't bring enough)! and so I was aching to find some natural products. This little shop has it all! Healthy, natural snacks and the beauty and hygiene products you need, many that this American girl recognized. Oh, Welda, I'm glad you exist everywhere. The owner was such a sweetheart, showing me where things were and even directing me to a delicious restaurant in Santander which served organic food (Días Desur). I was so grateful for this place. I know I will come back should I ever be in the city again. Good prices as well. I love her!!!!

Mercadona is a fine supermarket. They have low prices, but do not have a butcher on site…read more My biggest gripe with Mercadona is that they do not have an express checkout line. Most people shopping at Mercadona have a shopping cart full of bulk items. I'm normally there to buy only a couple of items. Also, Spaniards love Mercadona; it's the new hotness (kinda like the gin/tonic). So, expect the store to be always crowded.

Great food and service!! Seafood is fantastic, just like the service!!…read moreGo, you will be happy you did!!

This was a major pleasant surprise for us. We just had great snacks and drinks, but someone said,…read morenow is the time for real food. The local reviews were great, so we wandered in search of La Mulata (it's named after a kind of crab). It is quite far from the main waterfront and it is in an unlikely spot inside a collection of stores. When you enter, you think that you are just in a seafood market as there are chairs and the bounty of Santander is right there for you to see. But then you are escorted to the back and there is this wonderful private spot with white table clothes. We had no idea what to expect as this is a truly local spot, there weren't any English menus as far as the eye could see. Still, we were put in the good hands of the place and she rattled off a host of things and we just nodded and said yes. Boy, are we glad that we did. The prices are incredibly reasonable (like the rest of Santander compared with the tourist prices of say San Sebastian), but the quality is incredible. This place prides itself on great fish and plenty of it. We started with a great appetizer of shrimp and then we had some terrific stew that was so rich and wonderful. The best thing was the whole seabass though. We each had a portion and they were delicious and flavorful. So if you are in Santander and have an appetite this is the perfect place.

We visited the morning of All Saints Day - November 1 - which is a holiday in Spain…read more That being said this is a great space that has been very thoughtfully turned into a Market with lots of different vendors inside. We had a coffee and a bite to eat before most of the other vendors were open. 20c to use the toilet if you to and they have very nicely provided a change machine for you.

Mercado del Este is an amazing place to get a taste of Santander…read more It's a nice place to get some bites, having a couple of gin tonics, and just relax for a few minutes...or hours. Generally speaking, Mercado del Este is a huge food hall, but it's a bit more elevated than your typical food hall US malls. Even on busy days, it should not be too difficult to find a table unless something is happening in El Centro. Depending on where you sit, you might have table service, but in most cases, you will have to order your food and drinks from one of the bars and bring it to the table. For US standards, the prices food and drink are not bad. In terms of bites, I recommend a plate of rabas and zamburiñas from Casa Del Indio (I might be off by a letter or two for the bar's name). Overall, service was pretty good, and I have not had any complaints regarding the service and friendliness of the staff.