Shopping Local In Spain

Gata de Gorgos

The little town of Gata de Gorgos is situated on the banks of the Gorgos River in the Alicante region of Spain. You can drive right through it in five minutes, but it’s well worth the stop if you are in the region and are in the market for traditional Spanish goods.

The town is described as the bazaar of the Costa Blanca. Traditional Spanish crafts continue to thrive in the area, as they have for millennia. Local grasses and reeds provide the raw materials for the baskets, bags, hats, and home furnishings that spill out from the stores onto the sidewalks.

My art director friend and husband were there a year ago and initiated the trip when I said I needed a good straw sun hat. As my regular readers know, I will stubbornly hold out for something on my wish list, waiting for years to find the just-right item. A straw hat has been on the list for at least 5 years. I have something that was never exactly right, but out of necessity wore it for too many summers. Now, the misshapen droopy brim obliterates my field of vision. For this trip, I finally said no mas, I will replace this. And thank god I did, otherwise I’m not sure I would have found this little slice of local, artisanal heaven.