131 nature-park producers take over Mercado de Colón today

Today's essentials (5 key points)

• The rain episode across the Comunitat Valenciana has produced 60,000 lightning strikes and rainfall totals of up to 254 litres per square metre, according to Valencia Plaza.
• Open-Meteo forecasts storms over Valencia city on Saturday 3 October, with a 100% chance of rain and temperatures between 21 and 24 degrees.
• Valencia Secreta reports that Renfe trains heading north of Valencia are cancelled and that Metrovalencia is running a reduced service after the overnight rain.
• Thousands of people marched in Valencia against property speculation, and the organisers called for a general strike over housing.
• The Bono Hostaleria 2026 lets adults registered in participating municipalities recover 50% of what they spend in bars and restaurants, up to 50 euros, according to Valencia Bonita.

Today's essentials

131 nature-park producers take over Mercado de Colón today. Today, Saturday 3 October, the 12th Mostra de la Marca Parcs Naturals runs from 10am to 9pm at the Mercado de Colón (Calle de Jorge Juan 19, Valencia), with free entry and 131 certified businesses from the Valencian Community's natural parks, according to Valencia News.

The label behind the fair matters. Marca Parcs Naturals was created by the Generalitat Valenciana in 2011 and is managed by the public company Vaersa. It certifies products made around the natural parks from local raw materials and under sustainability criteria: wines, honeys, olive oils, cheeses, citrus fruit, vegetables, cured meats, traditional bread, rice, craft beer and jams. It also certifies experiences such as active tourism, rural accommodation and environmental education. Five businesses joined the label this year. Vicente Martínez Mus, the Generalitat's environment councillor, attended the event and said that environmental protection and economic development "can and must move forward together", Valencia Extra reports.

Inside, FindeValencia describes a nature tourism area for outdoor activities and park stays, plus a children's corner with workshops on ecosystems and biodiversity. The sources disagree on how many parks took part. FindeValencia counts 14 Valencian natural parks at this edition, while Valencia Extra puts the regional total at 17 (5 in Valencia province, 5 in Castellón and 7 in Alicante) but doesn't say whether all of them were present.

The stalls are also a good way to plan trips. Closest to the city is the Parc Natural de l'Albufera, the lagoon and rice fields just south of Valencia around El Palmar and El Saler, which you can reach by bus or a short drive. The Parc Natural del Túria follows the river west of the city towards Riba-roja de Túria and Vilamarxant. Further north, the Serra Calderona rises between the provinces of Valencia and Castellón, and the Serra d'Espadà covers the cork-oak hills of Castellón province. To the south, Alicante province has the Montgó above Dénia and the Font Roja woodland near Alcoi. You'll need a car for most of the mountain parks.

Keep the trips for another weekend. Open-Meteo forecasts storms over Valencia today, and trains are disrupted after the heavy rain, so this isn't a day for mountain trails. The Mercado de Colón is a covered modernist market hall, so the fair is a good plan even in the rain.

What this means for you: you can drop in for free at any time before 9pm today and buy directly from the producers. Look for the Marca Parcs Naturals logo on honey, oil or rice you buy later, because it means the product comes from around a protected park. If you have children, the biodiversity workshops are a good way to spend a wet Saturday.

Weather today

Storms and rain over Valencia all day. Valencia city faces storms on Saturday 3 October, with a 100% chance of rain, temperatures between 21 and 24 degrees and wind of up to 16 km/h, according to Open-Meteo.

Inland, Cofrentes stays drier, with overcast skies, an 18% chance of rain and 18 to 24 degrees, with gusts of up to 15 km/h. On the southern coast, Gandia is also expecting storms (80% chance of rain) and 20 to 23 degrees, with lighter wind of up to 11 km/h. Take a waterproof rather than an umbrella, plan indoor activities, and check your route before driving.

Transport & traffic

• Renfe trains north cancelled, Metrovalencia reduced. Renfe trains running north from Valencia are cancelled today and Metrovalencia is operating a reduced service after a night of moderate rain, Valencia Secreta reports. The outlet says Castellón and Tarragona provinces recorded the heaviest rainfall, which explains why the northern line is the one affected. If you were planning a trip towards Castellón or Catalonia by train, postpone it or check Renfe's updates before leaving. On the metro, expect longer waits between trains.
• 60,000 lightning strikes and up to 254 litres per m². The rain episode across the Comunitat Valenciana has produced 60,000 lightning strikes and rainfall totals of up to 254 litres per square metre, according to Valencia Plaza. Rainfall on that scale saturates the ground and drains, which is why rail services stay disrupted even after the heaviest showers have passed. If you commute by train or drive on regional roads, allow extra time over the coming hours.

What's changing for you

• Housing march calls for a general strike. Valencia's housing demonstration has called for a general strike, Valencia Plaza reports. None of the reports gives a date for the strike yet. If you rely on public transport, schools or public services, keep an eye on union announcements over the coming weeks, because a general strike usually means minimum services only.
• Rents at the heart of the protest. According to Valencia Extra, the protest, held under the slogan "Ni gente sin casa ni casas sin gente" (no people without homes, no homes without people), comes after the Spanish Congress rejected the housing decrees. The march focused mainly on rent prices. If you rent in Valencia, the rejection of those decrees means no new national rental measure is coming for now, so check your contract's renewal clauses and the date of your next rent review.

Local news to know

• Housing protest ends in police charges at Les Arts. Thousands of people marched against property speculation in Valencia and ended at the Palau de les Arts, where a real estate investment congress was taking place, and riot police charged and fired smoke canisters, elDiario.es Comunitat Valenciana reports.
• Pérez Llorca criticises Pedro Sánchez. Generalitat president Pérez Llorca says Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is "more focused on resisting than governing" and accuses Madrid of neglecting housing and water, according to Libertad Digital Comunidad Valenciana.
• Flood-hit towns close parks ahead of the rain. In towns hit by the DANA, such as Aldaia and Torrent, parks have been closed and residents told to move to upper floors, with barriers in place and school activity suspended, Libertad Digital Comunidad Valenciana reports.
• Bono Hostaleria 2026 refunds up to 50 euros. Adults registered on the padrón in participating municipalities will be able to recover 50% of what they spend in bars and restaurants, up to 50 euros, through the Bono Hostaleria 2026, according to Valencia Bonita.

Tonight and tomorrow, Valencia

• Museu de la Mar: free guided tours on Saturdays. The new Museu de la Mar, in the Casa dels Bous in El Cabanyal, offers free guided tours every Saturday in October, Valencia Extra reports, so today, Saturday 3 October, is one of them.

The Valencia curiosity

• Jaume I camps in Parc Central. This weekend Valencia's Parc Central is hosting a 13th-century living history camp for Jaume I and his entourage, with knights, foot soldiers, crossbowmen, nobles, scribes and members of the military orders, according to Valencia News.

See the full agenda, tonight and tomorrow