At the heart of one of Barcelona’s busiest pedestrian streets, Las Ramblas, you can find the Mercat de la Boqueria (also known as Mercat de Sant Josep), a covered market that will appeal to all your senses!
Unlike many tourist attractions, the Mercat de la Boqueria (literally: Butcher’s Market) is still deeply associated and intertwined with the lives of the locals.
On any given day you can find elder Spanish señoras picking up fresh ingredients from one of the many 3rd or 4th generation venders for the day’s lunch or groups of friends enjoying some delicious dishes at one of the many small restaurants inside, all surrounded by clusters of tourists taking photos of the colorful fruit displays that one could even consider artwork.
The hustle and bustle, sounds and smells just add to the overall experience of what you feel like a big market should be!
Interesting fact: It’s really old, too!
Commercial activity at the Mercat de la Boqueria dates back to the 13th century. Even during those times Las Ramblas was highly frequented street in the city and therefore an ideal location for a market. It originated just as a place to sell meat (hence the name).
It operated unofficially as a market for many centuries until it was officially recognized in 1827 and the current market was founded. In 1861 fruit and vegetable venders received the rights to sell their goods. Then came flower venders, and some merchants would even include a flower with customer purchases!
Up until 1914 the market was still open air, but that changed when a metal roof was installed to provide protection from the sun and bad weather.
What can you buy at the Mercat de la Boqueria?
A lot.
There are, of course, many butcher stands selling fresh cuts of meats such as beef, lamb, chicken, rabbit and even oxen, which was the original purpose of the market. You can also find deli stands selling famous Spanish Jamón as well as other cured meats and cheeses. (Tip: ask to try a sample of the Jamón!).
Then of course, there are many stands selling fresh fruits and vegetables, juices and olives as well as legumes and other beans.
And we can’t forget the many fresh fish venders, where some even have live catches waiting to be bought!
And to top it off- tons of candies and sweets!
For a comprehensive list of the all the current venders and were they are located click here.
If you’re not in the mood to prepare something yourself, just stop at one of the many quick eateries inside the market, which offer a wide variety of food and drink options- everything from pizza to fried calamari at reasonable prices.
You can also make a reservation at one of many of Barcelona’s well-known restaurants through the Eat Boqueria program. Starting at 40,00 € for a complete menu, select which restaurant appeals the most to you. The entire menu is prepared using super fresh ingredients from the La Boqueria Market.
A visit to the La Boquería Market is a great way to spend a few hours up close and personal with traditional Spanish cuisine– one of my favorites- try some new things and get a taste of what the Barcelona life is all about!
[Boqueria]
