Shopping in Altea: The Best Markets, Craft Shops & Local Finds (2026 Guide)

Shopping in Altea is nothing like wandering through a generic tourist trap. After ten years living here on the Costa Blanca, I can tell you that this town genuinely rewards those who slow down, duck into doorways, and chat to the people who made what's on the shelf. Whether you're after handmade ceramics, local olive oil, artisan jewellery, or a memorable Saturday morning at the market, Altea delivers in a way that very few Spanish coastal towns still can.

June is one of the best times to shop here. The summer season is just getting going, stalls are well-stocked, the old town isn't yet overwhelmed, and the evening market nights are back in full swing. Here's exactly where to go and what to look for.

Altea Old Town: The Craft Quarter

The steep cobbled lanes of the Casco Antiguo — particularly Calle Mayor and the smaller streets that wind off the main square, Plaza de la Iglesia — are lined with independent shops that have been here for years. This is not souvenir row. You'll find proper artisan studios where you can watch someone throw a pot or paint a tile before you buy it.

Cerámica Altea on Calle Mayor is my first recommendation. The blue-and-white geometric tiles you see all over the old town? You can buy originals here, along with hand-painted bowls, jugs and platters. Prices start around €8 for a small tile and go up to €60–80 for larger decorative pieces. They'll wrap them for travel too — I've sent pieces home in a carry-on without a single crack.

A few doors down, look out for small galleries selling original oil paintings of the bay, the domed church, and the sierra behind the town. These aren't mass-produced prints. Several resident artists sell directly from their studios, and you can often pick up a small canvas for €40–70. It's the kind of thing that actually looks good on a wall back home.

Jabonería Artesanal near the top of the hill sells handmade soaps and natural cosmetics using local almond oil, rosemary, and citrus from the region. The lavender and orange blossom soap (about €4 a bar) smells exactly like the Costa Blanca hillside in spring. I buy it in bulk every year.

Altea's Weekly Market: Saturdays on the Paseo

The Mercado Semanal de Altea takes place every Saturday morning along the lower part of town near the seafront and the Paseo de la Mar. It runs from around 9am to 2pm and covers everything from fresh produce and flowers to clothing, leather goods, and handmade crafts.

Come before 10am if you want the pick of the fruit and vegetable stalls — local strawberries and cherries in June are extraordinary, often sold by small farmers from the inland valleys. There's also usually a stall selling homemade jams, honey from the sierra, and locally pressed olive oil in ceramic jars that make perfect gifts.

The craft section varies week to week but you'll regularly find silver jewellery, handwoven bags, leather sandals (the kind you can get made to measure in 24 hours), and hand-embroidered linens. Prices are fair — hagglers aren't expected, but a friendly smile and a genuine compliment will often get you a small discount.

The Summer Evening Market

From June through September, Altea hosts a Mercado Nocturno (night market) several evenings per week, typically Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings in summer. The stalls set up along the seafront promenade from around 7pm and run until midnight or later.

This is a much more festive affair than the Saturday morning market. There's usually live music at one end, the restaurants and chiringuitos are buzzing, and the light over the bay as the sun goes down is genuinely spectacular. The crafts here lean more artisan and bohemian — hand-dyed fabrics, macramé, recycled glass jewellery, hand-bound notebooks. It's worth a long browse even if you're not planning to buy anything.

In June the crowds are manageable. By late July and August it gets packed, which is fun but a different experience entirely.

Local Food Shops Worth Seeking Out

Bodega Cooperativa de Altea is a proper local wine cooperative just outside the old town. They sell bottles of locally produced white, red, and rosé starting around €3.50 — these are table wines made a few kilometres inland and you won't find them in any supermarket. Buy a few bottles for evenings on your terrace. If you're staying in one of the holiday rentals in Altea, having a couple of local bottles waiting in the kitchen is half the holiday.

For olive oil, Aceites El Vall in the commercial area below the old town sells cold-pressed extra virgin oil from the Marina Baixa region in both standard bottles and beautiful gift tins. A litre tin makes an excellent — and completely carry-on-legal — present.

What to Budget

Altea isn't the cheapest shopping destination on the Costa Blanca (that would be the markets in Benidorm or Dénia), but it's also not overpriced. Here's a rough guide:

• Hand-painted ceramic tile: €8–25
• Local olive oil (500ml): €7–12
• Artisan soap bar: €3.50–5
• Original small canvas painting: €40–80
• Leather sandals (standard, not bespoke): €25–45
• Local wine (bottle): €3.50–9
• Handmade silver jewellery: €15–60

Practical Tips

• Most old town shops close between 2pm and 5pm — this is Spain, even in summer. Plan morning or evening visits.
• The Saturday market gets busy parking-wise. Walk from your accommodation or use the public car park near the port and walk up.
• Many ceramic and glass items can be bubble-wrapped by the seller for a small fee — ask.
• Cash is still preferred at the market stalls, though most permanent shops take cards.
• If you're looking for properties in Altea with easy walking access to the old town, the La Olla and Sierra de Altea urbanisations put you within a 15-minute stroll of most of what's described here.

One Last Recommendation

Before you leave Altea, walk up to the mirador beside the church one more time. Look out over the bay and the blue-domed tower, and then look down at whatever you're carrying. Chances are it's something made by someone who actually lives here. That's rarer than it sounds, and it's exactly why shopping in Altea still feels like it means something.

Staying nearby? Browse our Altea holiday rentals and book direct — you'll save up to 18% compared to booking through Airbnb, with the same properties and better personal service.