Mutxamel/Muchamiel Weekly Market

Mutxamel is one of the historic municipalities of the Huerta de Alicante, an irrigated agricultural region that for centuries was organized around the Seco River and water from the Tibi Reservoir, whose fruit and vegetable production supplied the city of Alicante and its own residents. From this agricultural foundation stems the tradition of selling surplus produce on the street, which is the origin of the weekly farmers’ market—a format that became more professionalized and organized throughout the 20th century until it evolved into a non-permanent market with municipal authorization, a designated layout, fees for occupying public space, and inspections.

In recent years, the market has changed locations twice. Due to health concerns related to COVID-19, it was moved to Juan XXIII Street, where it remained on a temporary basis for several years. In 2022, the Local Development Agency commissioned a relocation study—based on 271 surveys of users and residents—that analyzed a census of 99 registered stalls: 34 for clothing, 25 for fruits and vegetables, 12 for food, 12 for footwear, accessories, and jewelry, and the rest for plants and flowers, restaurants, household goods, and occasional items—and confirmed that fresh produce was the market’s main draw.

The final relocation was approved at the May 2024 city council meeting and took place in July of that same year, when the stalls were set up for the first time on Carlos Soler Avenue to take advantage of its proximity to the new Plaça del Mercat and the El Salvador Municipal Market, with the stated goal of concentrating commercial activity in the city center. The change was accompanied by an amendment to the Non-Sedentary Sales Ordinance, which introduced separate summer and winter hours, increased the depth of the stalls from two to three meters, reserved spaces for farmers selling seasonal produce, and incorporated recycling stations. By Decree 1261/2026, dated May 14, 2026, the hours from May through September were permanently set from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

In addition to the weekly market, the municipality maintains a schedule of occasional markets tied to its festivals: the San Antonio Abad Market, the Milagro de la Lágrima Market, the Las Palmas Market, the Moors and Christians Market, and the All Saints’ Day Market. No specific year of establishment has been identified for the weekly market.