The Mercado de Mariscos

The seafood market sits on the bay between the modern city and Casco Viejo, and it works in two halves. Downstairs is the market proper: the morning landings from the Pacific fleet, corvina, snapper, octopus, shrimp, jumbo and small, sold on ice with the auction over by mid-morning. Around the outside are the ceviche counters, selling small plastic cups of corvina cured in lime with onion and chilli for a couple of dollars, which is what most visitors come for. Upstairs are simple restaurants cooking whatever is downstairs. It is loud, wet underfoot and entirely functional.

What you actually see

• The morning landings - the Pacific fleet unloading from around dawn.
• The ceviche counters - corvina cured in lime, sold by the cup.
• Corvina - the Pacific fish the country builds most of its seafood on.
• The upstairs kitchens - cooking what is on ice below.

When to go

Year-round. Early morning for the landings and the auction; the ceviche counters run through the day and are busiest at lunch. It closes for a deep clean one day a week, generally Monday.

Honest expectations

Ceviche is raw fish cured in acid and hygiene at the counters varies; pick busy ones with high turnover and avoid the quiet stalls late in the day. The floor is wet and slippery. The surrounding area is fine by day and less so late. It is a working market, so it smells like one.

Nearby

Casco Viejo is a short walk; the Cinta Costera runs east along the bay.