Mercado de Río Piedras

Lonely Planet review

If you like the smell of fish and oranges, the bustle of people, and trading jests in Spanish as you bargain for a bunch of bananas, the Mercado de Río Piedras is for you. As much a scene as a place to shop, the market continues the colonial tradition of an indoor market that spills into the streets.

The four long blocks of shops and inexpensive restaurants lining Paseo de Diego, and facing the market, have been closed to auto traffic, turning the whole area into an outdoor mall. You can shop or just watch as the local citizens negotiate for everything from chuletas (pork chops) and camisas (shirts) to cassettes featuring Puerto Rican pop-music wonders like Menudo. Shoppers will find the market and stores along Paseo de Diego open from early morning to late evening, Monday to Saturday.