If you are in Benalmadena, Spain, love a bargain, and have not yet been to the Benalmadena Flea Market at Paloma Parc, what are you waiting for?
One of the most interesting Spanish flea markets I have been to, the Benalmadena Flea Market is held every Wednesday from 9am till 2pm.
You will find it on the large parking lot, aka the fairgrounds, at the back of the park.
What can you buy at the Benalmadena Flea Market?
The question should probably be what can you not buy? After all, with around 150 stalls, there is plenty of choice and, while most of the offerings are second-hand, you will find stalls selling new items dotted here and there as well.
Stalls at the market sell everything from second-hand clothes, most in beautiful condition, to shoes, scarves, jewelry, DVDs and CDs, books, toys, candy, household items, furniture, handmade pottery, glassware, mobile phone and tablet accessories, old containers that used to be filled with cookies and candy, and even a few actual antiques.
Some stall owners set up a typical market stall, while others just lay their wares on a blanket on the ground.
Stalls are set up anywhere so, unlike some other markets, there is not one section for clothes and another for household items. Instead, you just have to wander through checking out each stall, and see what you find.
During my first visit to the Paloma Parc flea market, I bought DVDs for a euro each (and that included several complete TV series including the first three seasons of The Wire for a euro each), a new dress for 4 euros, and two pairs of reading glasses for 3 euros each.
The reading glasses were a particular bargain, as I had seen the same brand at a store in Benalmadena selling for 10-18 euros and, even in the Chinese bazaars scattered around town, you could not find them any cheaper fthan five.
The stall owner, a Brit who has lived in the area for many years, told me his stall is at the market every week and that all of the glasses he sells are the authentic brand.
After having used them for well over a year, I can also attest to them being extremely high quality reading glasses.
I also bought a couple of paperback books for 50 cents each, a piece of handmade Spanish pottery for 5 euros, and a scarf for a euro.
The Benalmadena Flea Market reportedly begins at 9am, but we found getting there at 10am or later was better as, if you arrive earlier, some of the stalls are not properly set up. Especially as, while definitely popular with Spaniards and tourists alike, it is not ridiculously crowded in the winter months, which is when we were last there.
In the summer months, however, you will notice far bigger crowds so getting there early is usually the best option.
The Google map below will show you exactly where the market is and how to get there.
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