Xàtiva boasts a long-standing tradition in trade and commerce which has endured and evolved over the ages. There is the trade in food, as embodied by the market held on the Plaça del Mercat market square on Tuesdays and Fridays. There is commerce in the form of a vibrant and diverse array of 700 shops spread throughout the city, with those in the old quarter, along La Albereda and the adjacent streets having a special character all of their own.

There is commerce in a unique setting, the traditional August Fair or Fira d’Agost being the highlight of the commercial calendar, among various other dates that confirm Xàtiva as a great place for shopping and leisure. Dates such as the Outlet Fair or Fira Outlet in October, which is already in its 20th year and which truly brings La Albereda to bustling life, and the picturesque Mediaeval Market or Mercado Medieval, which is held in the old quarter across the Christmas period.

Literally meaning “The Great Theatre Auditorium”, the Gran Teatre Auditori is the cultural heart of Xàtiva. Located on La Albereda and designed as a modern and multidisciplinary space, it can hold an audience of 800 and stages an interesting and diverse range of productions, from theatre and opera to dance, music and projections. The building also serves as a permanent cultural centre home to the city’s two musical societies.

Xàtiva is a city that can also be savoured by night, strolling through the historic quarter with the floodlit castle as a striking backdrop, and dropping into the countless clubs, bars and eateries.
The restaurants and pavements cafés of La Albereda are a great place to start, with perhaps a visit to the partially porticoed Plaça del Mercat with its views of the floodlit Colegiata church: enchanting spots for dining out and enjoying a drink or two.

A classic among the regional music festivals, Les Nits al Castell has been held every July since 1998, offering top-notch performances of music, theatre and dance.
With its heady and unique setting – at the castle, under the stars – it draws thousands of visitors each year and is a veritable highlight on the summer social calendar.

La Albereda is the main artery through which Xàtiva’s social life flows. Shaded by magnificent plane trees, some of which are over 100 years old, it traces the line of the old outer wall of the city, which has now largely crumbled into history.
In Xàtiva, everything goes through La Albereda. All of the city’s major celebrations and events. It is the main stage for the Fira d’Agost, for the huge Christmas nativity scene that attracts thousands of visitors each Yuletide, for parading sports trophies and for holding markets and fairs.
If you want to get a feel for Xàtiva, La Albereda is definitely where you take its pulse.