The Weekly Market in Andratx: Flavours and Craftsmanship to Take Home a Piece of Mallorca
Every Wednesday, from 8:30am to 2pm, the Passeig de Son Mas in Andratx fills with stalls, chatter and colour. It's easy to go for fruit and cheese — we've already told you about that elsewhere — but there's another, less obvious reason to set aside a weekday morning: the Andratx market is also a showcase of crafts still made by hand, and the best place to bring home something that truly comes from the island.
A market that's been changing address for a century and a half
This market has been documented since the mid-19th century, when it occupied its own building in what is now Plaça d'Espanya. That building was demolished in the 1960s, and the market carried on in the same spot until the late 1970s, when it moved to its current home on the Passeig de Son Mas. At heart, it's the same weekly appointment generations of andritxols have kept — just with a different backdrop.
Pottery, basketry and leather: craft in every stall
Among the fruit and flower stalls, it's worth looking out for the ones working in handmade pottery, with decorative pieces and tableware made by hand. You'll also often find traditional basketry worked in plant fibre — esparto grass, wicker — one of the island's oldest crafts, still made today in much the same way as it was decades ago. Alongside them, stalls selling leather goods — bags, belts — and small-batch jewellery round off a very different offering from your average tourist market; closer to an artisans' market than a generic street stall.
How to spot the handmade
Not everything sold at the market is local craftsmanship: alongside the stalls selling their own production, others sell imported goods, especially clothing and accessories. The difference usually shows in the details: pieces that aren't identical from one stall to the next, natural materials rather than synthetic ones, and sellers who know the process behind what's in front of them because, often, they made it themselves. It never hurts to ask; in a market this size, most artisans are happy to talk about their craft.
Before you come (or after)
The market is just a short drive from the aparthotel, so it's easy to combine with any other plan for the day. If you're also after the more gastronomic side of the occasion — the stalls selling pa payès bread, ensaimadas and seasonal produce — you'll find all the details in this article on the Wednesday market in Andratx.
After a morning at the market, our rooms are waiting for you to drop off your bags and rest, and you'll find the rest of the aparthotel's amenities under services. If you'd like help planning your visit, get in touch with us.
