On Sunday mornings, a souk takes over a stretch of the old Spanish airstrip on the eastern edge of town, and it is unlike any other market in the region. The setting alone — a crumbling runway with Saharan light and a stiff Atlantic breeze — would make it worth visiting even if the goods were unremarkable. They are not unremarkable: traders come from the surrounding villages with produce, animals, cloth, metalwork, and household goods; there are storytellers and musicians working the crowd; and the atmosphere is of a genuine weekly gathering rather than a tourist market.
Arrive by 8am to see it at its fullest. By noon it is winding down. There is no entrance fee and no organised layout — find your way in from the eastern edge of town and follow the crowd. The goods on sale are primarily for local buyers, which is part of what makes it worth watching even if you are not buying.