Market on la rambla: Boqueria Market Barcelona

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La Boqueria

General Information

History of La Boqueria

What do you see in La Boqueria?

Tips and Recommendations for Visiting La Boqueria

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Map

La Boqueria Market and Cooking Class

La Boqueria Market and Cooking Class

General Information

Welcome to one of the most amazing sites in Barcelona – the world’s famous La Boqueria food market, a bustling place abounding in flavors and color. You will find it as an offshoot of La Rambla Boulevard in the Saint Josep area. The market’s entrance is just 2 minutes away from where La Rambla’s promenade is brought to life by Joan Miró’s mosaic artwork (oddly enough, a masterpiece ignored by the bulk of passing tourists – it stars however on most of the photos of the area).

History of La Boqueria

The market’s history is fascinating. Its origin can be traced way back to the 12th century when it started off as a meeting place of the local butchers who sold pigs on an open field next to the St. Josep monastery. However, this gathering of local and nearby food merchants that evolved there over the centuries was officially established and recognized as a market only in 1826. Then, after the St. Josep monastery complex was destroyed during the anti-church riots of the first half of the 19th century (for additional information – History of Barcelona), the local authorities decided to construct in its place the structure that gradually developed into the incredible marketplace that we see today.

It has been claimed by many that La Boqueria is probably the best food market in the world.

La Boqueria’s Entrance, also known as The Mercat de St. Josep, welcomes you into the most famous market in Barcelona, which is today a blooming and famous tourist attraction.

 

What do you see in La Boqueria?

Unlike most of the images that might come to our mind as we picture a regular food market (busy, noisy and messy), La Boqueria is a neat and orderly managed association of merchants.

They conduct regular cooking workshops and food school classes, available for all ages. All such ongoing and upcoming activities are regularly updated on the market’s official website. Another interesting fact is that La Boqueria is one of the few food marketplaces in the world that has its own website.

Almost all types of food can be found here including baked goods, fruits and vegetables, fine chocolates, dried fruits and of course, fish and seafood. This place is not only rich in flavors and scents but also in an impressive historic legacy that stands for centuries and that can be felt all around its lively stall lanes.

Sweets, spices and dried food are all a significant part of the wonderful gastronomic experience that is provided by La Boqueria market. The locals are putting in their best efforts to deliver excellent services to their costumers. Therefore, if you are looking for natural and high-quality food, then this market will surely meet your expectations.

 

If you love chocolate as much as the people from Barcelona do, then this is the place for you. The market offers you the opportunity to find different types of chocolate to suit all tastes, both cheap and expensive. And if you are that fond of chocolate, there is a variety of flavors that you can take with you while visiting around the city.

 

Because the market is also very popular for its sea food, you can easily find such food around La Boqueria. You can usually buy all types of fish, oysters, shrimps and calamari, which come from all around Catalonia, from Costa Brava to Tarragona.

A Guided Tour of the Market

You can also sign up for guided tours of the market, where you can learn all about the local Catalan cuisine, from selecting and ordering the products to food preparation process and tasting sessions. (for additional information – Private Tour: Barcelona Cooking Class with Boqueria Market Walking Tour).

Tips and Recommendations for Visiting La Boqueria

• Even though the market opens at 08:00, there is no reason to get there before 09:30 when most of the traders wake up and arrange their merchandise. Noteworthy though, you should not arrive after 16:00 as most sellers and especially the fishermen close their stalls by then. The best hours to visit are between 09:30 to 11:00, when the market is fully active and it is not overcrowded by visitors.
• The recommended way of getting to the Ramblas in general and to the market in particular is the metro. Be advised that the market cannot be reached by private car (for additional information – Car Rental in Barcelona and Car Rental in Spain).
• The marketplace is wheelchair accessible and even though maneuvers on the crowded lanes might be challenging, most people are very polite and accommodate to a disabled person’s needs (for additional information – Accessibility in La Boqueria and Accessibility in Barcelona).

Tips for Shops and Restaurants in La Boqueria:

• If you are also interested in shopping – if you walk up La Rambla you will reach to the huge department store El Corte Ingles and the El Triangle. On the other hand if you go down the Ramblas you will get to the Maremagnum in Port Vell (for additional information – Shopping in Barcelona).
• For when you feel the need to take a break and grab a bite, there are several nice restaurants close to the market. Some are ordinary tourist traps, while others are a worthwhile option such as: Falafel Maoz, Wok To Walk, Roser, or Escribà (for additional information – Restaurants in Barcelona).
• There is a little chocolate specialty shop located at the back end of the market, where you can enjoy some sweet tasting offers at a particularly low price. If you find chocolate interesting we also recommend you to visit Museu De La Xocolata (Chocolate Museum). Avoid shopping at the stores from across the entrance to the market – these are qualified tourist traps!
• Before you start exploring the stands, get yourself some freshly squeezed natural fruit juice from one of the fruit stalls located around the entrance, especially on hot summer days as the drinks are usually chilled on crushed ice. The price for the fresh juices lowers as you go further inside the market – and as you will find out, so are the chocolates!

Tips for Attractions near La Boqueria:

• We highly recommend to integrate this site with other nearby sites such as Plaça de Catalunya. From there you can continue for a nice walk on La Rambla Boulevard to the market. The Gran Teatre del Liceu and the historic El Raval neighborhood are not far from the market either.
• Do not forget, La Boqueria food market is Barcelona’s most famous and spectacular market, but you can further explore the Catalan lifestyle by visiting some other spectacular marketplaces in this beautiful city. You can shop like the locals or just look around and meet new people. Either way, we recommend the following places: Mercat Santa Caterina, Mercat de la Concepcio, Mercat del Ninot, Mercat de Sant Antoni, Mercat dels Encants (the city’s biggest flea market), Mercat Gotic (antiques). (for additional information – Markets in Barcelona).

Tips for Kids & Families in La Boqueria:

Tips for Hotels near La Boqueria:

• Accommodation near La Boqueria market is similar to lodging in every other section of the La Rambla Boulevard. It is an excellent area and very sought after to stay in due to its proximity to the main sights. However, when selecting a hotel in this area, one should take into account the relatively high prices as well as noisy street and a high density of tourists. On the other hand, you can be sure that you will be in the spotlight of the city. Recommended hotels surrounding the market are Hotel Bagués, Petit Palace Boqueria and Boqueria Eurostars Ramblas. (for additional information – Hotels near La Boqueria, Hotels near La Rambla and Hotels in Barcelona).

Recommended Blogs and Articles About La Boqueria:

• La Boqueria Barcelona: Incredible Food You Don’t Want to Miss at Migrationology
• A Visit to La Boqueria in Barcelona at Eat Like a Girl

Useful Information

Getting there

directions_subway

Metro

L3 (green) – Liceu station.

directions_bus

Bus

No. 59 and V13.

Location

La Rambla, 91
Ciutat Vella
08001 Barcelona
Spain

Opening Times

Monday to Saturday:
08:00 – 20:30

Official Website

www.boqueria.info

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All about the Barcelona Boqueria Market on La Rambla (Spain)

A GUIDE TO THE BEST STALLS OF LA BOQUERIA IN BARCELONA​

Awesome morning spent today at the famous La Boqueria market in Barcelona! I was invited by Let’s Bonus Barcelona to one of their gatherings for local bloggers: a private tour of La Boqueria Food Market led by Isidre Gironés, owner of the renowned Ca l’Isidre Catalan restaurant. Yes, I have been giving my own tour of La Boqueria Market (Mercat de la Boqueria) and being already familiar with the market stalls and vendors.

But I can’t compare to such a master that has been coming to this Barcelona open market to buy produce for his restaurant daily for over 40 years. It was an honor to learn from him. Moltes gràcies!

COME TO THE MARKET WITH THE BEST FOOD TOUR IN BARCELONA

Mr. Isidre’s favorite shops at the Mercat de la Boqueria:​

Mas Gourmet​

Everyone wants Spanish Ham, but they are lost when it comes to buying it. In this shop of La Boqueria you can compare the different qualities and origin denominations, and find out by yourself. A tip: look (at the fat streaks), smell (its slightly wooden aroma) and taste (it doesn’t have to be salty! actually, really good ham is almost sweet).

Peix Pili​

From all the fish market area, Mr. Isidre seem to prefer this one and Peix Puri above all the other. We learned the difference between turbot and brill, discussed how to tell which fish is fresher, and we even got to see where to buy fresh baby eels. Not to speak of the live lobsters and scampi, who are spawning now.

This gorgeous grocery is the only place in the market where you’ll find the Swiss Kanzy apples, according to Mr. Isidre, the best of the best. 

He also showed us a dozen different types of tomatoes, as well as seasonal fruit such as persimmon, and some gorgeous snow peas. Artichokes were still too hard for Mr. Isidre’s taste, though!

SEE ALL OUR FOOD TOURS OF BARCELONA

El Mas del Mercader​

This gorgeous olive oil shop is right off the market building, under the column portico. Mr. Isidre explained that virgin oil is good to eat raw, but not to fry, and recommended to use oil from the olive variety espeltre for cooking, as its flavor is very mild. We also tasted the gourmet vinegar Forum, made with cabernet sauvignon grapes. Beautiful!

Petràs​

Finally, he took us to an all-times favorite of mine at the Mercat de la Boqueria: possibly the very best mushroom store in Barcelona. Today they had some beautiful ceps, so he explained how to prepare a cep carpaccio (I couldn’t stop myself from buying some for tonight’s dinner!). Chanterelles, black trumpets and of course morels looked gorgeous too.

AND BONUS! Want to know the most unique shop in the market?​

Rosa, the offal stall​

This family-owned shop is one of the most surprising shops at the Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona. You’ll find here all kind of animal insides: head, brain, liver, 3 types of cow tripe… even bull testicles!

TAKE OUR GAUDI TAPAS AND WINE TOUR

But if you are an adventurous eater you can also buy some of the ready-made dishes prepared by the owner! And that’s just the highlights of the 2 hours we spent with Mr. Isidre at La Boqueria Market (also called Mercat de Sant Josep).

We also visited the game and poultry shop at Avinova, the species at Morilla… and here and there we were crossing people who stopped him to say him (and to express their surprise that today I wasn’t being the tour guide but the guest!). It was a lovely morning, and I’m sure that from now on my tours of the market will have an even more insider touch.

Have you been to La Boqueria in Barcelona?​

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AUTHOR BIO

Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.

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Boquería Market

I am convinced that if you want to understand the city, it is not enough just to see its key sights, you must not only see it, but also hear it, feel it, taste it.

To really get to know Barcelona, ​​head to the famous La Boqueria market, a realm of tastes, smells, sounds and colors. This is one of the most atmospheric places in the city, despite the fact that today there are much more tourists there than local residents.

How to get to the Boquería market

Perhaps one of the reasons for the popularity of the market among tourists is its good location. The entrance to the market is located in the very center of the main street of Barcelona – on La Rambla, which you can read about here.

The map clearly shows that Boqueria can be easily reached on foot from the port of Barcelona, ​​the Barceloneta district, the Gothic quarter or the ancient streets of the El Raval district. From Plaza Catalunya (number 1 on the map) – the main transport hub of the city – it takes only 8-10 minutes to walk to Boqueria along the Rambla (indicated by a dotted line). If you decide to go to the Rambla from the embankment, then the walk will take a little longer: from the Columbus monument (number 2 on the map) to Boqueria go 15-18 minutes, and from the Aquarium (3) – 20-25.

If you are not ready for such a long walk (this is especially likely in the summer months, when the heat in the city can reach +40 and you really want to hide from it in the shade or cool rooms), you can use the subway. The closest station to the market is Liceu on the light green line L3. Using the metro, it is convenient to get to the market and from remote areas of the city. If you prefer buses, you can safely take any to Plaza Catalunya. One trip on the Barcelona metro will cost you 2.15 euros, by bus – 1.40 euros.

What to see and try at Boqueria

Boqueria is somewhat different from the markets we are used to, primarily the size and design of the counters. Many of the local stall owners are multi-generational market traders and see trading in the market not just as a job, but as a true craft. They strive to present the product in the best possible way, decorating the counters with decorative figurines, straw, herbs and ribbons. It seems to me that many professional marketers would envy the competent placement of goods and window dressing in this market. Watch this video where Boqueria shop owners talk about what their work means to them (English subtitles available):

Another important feature of Boqueria is the variety of products you can buy here. Let’s see what to try and buy on Boqueria in more detail, and also look at the scheme where to look:

Fresh fruits, juices and smoothies

you will find that almost half of the market is stalls with fresh fruits and vegetables. They are mainly concentrated at the entrance to Boqueria from the side of the Rambla, they are marked in green on the diagram.

Already at these stalls you will understand the key difference between this market and ours: most sellers offer not only fresh fruits and vegetables by weight, but also sell them in the form of fruit salads. You can buy a bowl of washed and chopped pineapples, strawberries, mangoes, melons, watermelons, peaches and grapes to enjoy right away without having to wait until you get home. Large and small portions, mixes of different fruits or cuts of just one, discounts when buying two portions – everything to satisfy a wide variety of customers. Seeing these beautiful and juicy fruits, my appetite immediately woke up, I wanted to try everything at once.

But do not rush to buy them at the first counter: although the price is relatively low – only 2-3 euros per glass, going a little deeper into the market, you will find the same fruit salads for only 1.5 euros, and sometimes sellers discount prices up to 1 euro per serving.

The taste of fruits is really amazing: it turns out that I have never eaten ripe pineapples and melons before, it is simply impossible to bring them to us, so most of the fruits are delivered to our shops and tents “green”. Here, everything was so juicy, rich – a real delicacy. True, you may be disappointed by the local strawberries, they are a bit rubbery here and not as sweet as those from our summer cottages. This is due to the fact that mainly greenhouse varieties are grown here, and they are somewhat different from those popular in Russia. But we can eat strawberries at home, but passion fruit, pineapples, peaches, grapes are not at all the same with us, that all this should be tried in Spain!
If you prefer not to eat fruit on the go, you can drink it: the same stalls in Boqueria offer a wide selection of freshly squeezed juices and smoothies.

Local smoothies are blender-blended fruits with ice, so they are great refreshing in the heat. You can find up to 20 different mixes on one counter: bananas, coconuts, kiwi, plums, cherries, papaya, carambola are added to the previously listed fruits … If you are ready for experiments, choose exotic combinations, but I warn you, the taste can at least surprise you. After trying about 5 smoothies, I came across a couple of sugary-sweet ones, so after them I wanted to drink another smoothie, neutral and thirst-quenching. Prices for juices and smoothies also range from 1.5 to 3.5 euros per glass, so look for the best deal.

On a hot day, these fruit tents in Boqueria are the best escape from the heat. All fruit cuts and drinks are on ice, so they will really refresh you! By the way, for lazy tourists who do not want to turn to the market, the same fruit sets and smoothies are sold in a couple of tents on the Rambla, but the prices there are immediately higher – 3-4 euros. Why pay more if you can find a much larger selection and at better prices in just a couple of steps?

Fish and seafood

Having fortified with fruits, you can move further along Boqueria. In the center of the market you will find circular rows. Here they sell fish and seafood, so it is strictly necessary to inspect this part of the market. Barcelona is located on the coast, and the market, as we have already noted, is only a 20-minute walk from the city’s port, so fresh catch is delivered here daily.

Early in the morning, as soon as the market opens, chefs from the city’s restaurants come here in search of delicacies and the freshest products. Of course, today this market has become more of a tourist attraction and restaurateurs buy ordinary fish or squid in less busy markets, as well as directly from fishermen at reduced prices. However, local vendors also boast rare delicacies. However, this is unlikely to interest you as a tourist (only if you do not rent an apartment or an apartment and do not prefer to cook at home). But the opportunity to taste fresh seafood right at the market will definitely attract you. Shrimp, mussels, octopus cooked in batter and grilled on the grill are offered here in paper bags and plastic containers. Prices also vary, but on average one serving will cost 4.5-6 euros.

For those who are looking for a heartier meal and don’t want to eat on the go: some local snack bars offer whole hot meals: seafood burgers, grilled sea creatures mixed with vegetables or rice. Such a lunch will cost 6-8 euros, but there are few seats behind the counters of these mini-cafes, so I advise you to take a more convenient bag or container and taste the food at one of the tables in the special dining area of ​​​​the market located at the entrance. If you decide to buy fresh fish, it’s better to come in the morning – there will be more choice, prices for trout and sea bass (the most delicious types of fish, in my opinion) – from only 10-12 euros per kg, this is really amazing.

Meat stalls

Well, what is Spain without its famous jamón and various sausages? On Boqueria you will find more than 15 points where they sell sausages. Of course, prices here may be slightly higher than in chain supermarkets, but jamon will be of higher quality: the cheapest varieties will cost 10-15 euros per 100 grams, and the maximum price can reach 30-35 euros. But you will see a leg from which the thinnest strips of meat will be cut right in front of you and you will be sure that you are buying the best jamon. But be careful, such cuts are stored only for a couple of days and in the refrigerator, so if you want to bring it home, buy it on the last day or in vacuum packs – such meat will be stored longer, but its taste will be less bright.

Among the sausages in Spain, chorizo ​​is especially famous, which you can easily find here. The price of one stick is from 2 euros, depending on the size.
If you don’t want to buy meat products without tasting them, it doesn’t matter, local merchants have provided for everything. These tents sell small pouches with sliced ​​​​various sausages, as well as traditional jamon with melon, so you can try everything here. The price of such a snack is from 3-4 euros.

What else is sold in Boqueria

Among other goods that you will find in this market, spices, nuts and dried fruits, dried and fresh mushrooms, sweets, loose chocolate, olives and olive oil, cheeses, wines … It seems that here There is everything, even a souvenir shop! It sells aprons, potholders, kitchen towels and crockery with the market’s branding, so if you like the Boqueria as much as I do, be sure to check it out. True, the prices for souvenirs here are quite high, from 5 euros.

And for those who like the atmosphere of the market, but don’t feel like eating anymore, there are several bars on Boqueria (orange on the map) where you can taste Spanish wine, beer and even cocktails. The choice here is relatively small, but the prices are quite normal (3-4 euros for a glass of wine or beer), and the atmosphere makes these bars so special and enjoyable.

Tours and cooking classes in Boquería

The market is diligently developing and adapting to the needs of tourists, so today it offers group tours and tastings, as well as cooking classes for children and adults. Sightseeing tours start from 15 euros, and a traditional Spanish cooking lesson from a chef in a group of 12 will cost you 68 euros! All in English or Spanish, more information can be found here. For children and teenagers, group classes are much cheaper, 25-27 euros, but they are held only on Saturdays, the language is Spanish, details are here.

Opening hours and tips for visitors

Boquería market is open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 20:30, so you can stop by here for breakfast or lunch, or for an early dinner. However, it should be borne in mind that in the early morning they are just starting to lay out goods and prepare snacks, so you will have to wait and also try to outshout the buyers from cafes and restaurants. It is better to come here by 10:00-11:00 to walk along the rows without interfering with either the main stream of tourists or professional chefs and restaurateurs. The bulk of tourists and excursion groups come here by 12:00-13:00 and walk around the market until 15:00-16:00. After that, another lull sets in, some of the stalls complete their work – by this time they have already sold out all their goods. But bars and grill stalls are actively preparing for the evening influx of guests, who are expected at 18:00-19:00. By 20:00, most of the tents will already be closed, and no one will be preparing new dishes, so try to get here before this time. Otherwise, you will not only not taste all the variety of local dishes, but also will not feel the authentic atmosphere of the market!

The exact address of the market is: La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, ​​all information about the history, special events and outlets of the market can be found on its official website.

***

A taste of Spain is a must, and Boqueria is one of the best places to do it.