Alongside visiting community urban gardens in Coimbra, we searched for spaces for community gatherings that hold food in a crucial way. The market turned out to be the perfect instance of such a space.

Justyna Jakubiec (Utrecht University) and Paula Barata Dias (University of Coimbra) visited a local market near Colégio Bissaya Barreto. What most attracted us there was the strong, visible urban-rural mix that characterises the city of Coimbra. Individuals selling their produce at this market are, predominantly, not professional growers but private individuals from the neighbouring villages, growing fruits and vegetables in their private gardens. While the professional farmers sell their produce in crates, private individuals use cardboard boxes or no containers at all.

This market allows the community living in the villages adjacent to Coimbra to maintain a strong tie to the city while remaining connected to their lives away from it. Markets like this are particularly crucial for individuals in a weaker economic position.