Situated just off Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s Boqueria (or more correctly Mercat de San Josep) market is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. I think it says a lot about the enduring attraction of food markets that the Boqueria is still so popular in spite of the fact that our supermarkets ... Read review
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Advantages: A colouful and compelling sight, pick up some tasty food Disadvantages: You may not be able to take some of it home
...I recommend a visit to La Boqueria? If you're really passionate about food then definitely. If you're on Las Ramblas anyway, then drop in if you have time. Otherwise I'd say that these days it's perhaps not so exciting. We can buy a lot of this stuff at home, though admittedly, the presentation is not so good and the rather pale and often insipid stuff we buy at home is no match for the tasty produce to be bought here.
Situated just off Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s Boqueria (or more correctly Mercat de San Josep) market is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. I think it says a lot about the enduring attraction of food markets that the Boqueria is still so popular in spite of the fact that our supermarkets now stock excellent produce from all over the world and that air travel and border restrictions have made it more difficult to take fresh produce home from trips abroad. When I first visited the Boqueria I was filled with excitement at the array of colourful fresh produce – fruit and vegetables, herbs, fish and shellfish, meats – fresh and cured, bread, nuts and dried fruit – on sale at the market but over time, as I have traveled more widely, "La Boqueria" has lost a little of its gloss.
You’ll find the Boqueria quite easily just off the Ramblas, almost in the centre of those pedestrian streets. What you'll not know from your visit is that the market stands on the site of a former monastery and the decision was made in the nineteenth century to demolish the monastery of St Joseph and build a market - possibly one of the best tourism moves ever made in Barcelona!
If you enter from the Ramblas you’ll see a wrought iron gateway bearing the name "Boqueria". The stall are arranged (almost entirely) into groups of foodstuffs and if you come in from the Ramblas the first section you come to is the fresh fruit and vegetables. One of the things that I find interesting about the popularity of such markets with tourists is that unless you are staying in self-catering accommodation you’re unlikely to buy much from them. Stallholders have wised up to this and a couple of them sell pre-prepared fruit salads in plastic cartons; they do look delicious and were much cheaper than I thought they’d be – the cost of course depends on the contents of each box and there are different options available. Some stalls also sell freshly made juices and smoothies; on our last visit we shared a delicious mango smoothie but it was quite hard going as the straw was not quite wide enough for the roughly blitzed fibres of the mango! We paid around €2 for this which didn’t seem too extortionate.
Next, depending on which way you choose to navigate, we found the stalls selling dried fruit and nuts; we didn’t linger as I have a nut allergy that easily flares up with just the dust from nuts, without me even having to eat any.
Passing through the death trap (for me) of the nuts we came to the fish section. The produce is displayed on large metal tables, usually on top of ice. I love to see the heads of sword fish sliced off and displayed so the "sword" sticks up into the air. As our local fishmarket at home might only have around ten varieties at any one time, I find the selections of fish in Spanish markets absolutely thrilling and the fish section of the Boqueria is probably my favourite part of the market.
Although there is plenty of fresh meat on sale you'll also see lots of stalls selling cured hams and sausages. Huge hams hang from huge hooks suspended from frames built above the stall and the fat that drips from the hams is collected in a little cup at the bottom of the joint.
As many visitors now come to Barcelona on budget airlines and carry only hand luggage, its much less likely they'll buy things from the boqueria to take home. Fortunately, you can still sample some of the markets best produce at the handful of pintxos (the Catalonian version of tapas) bars inside the market where you eat sitting at the counter. The best known are Bar Central and Bar Pinotxo. If you want to do this get there mid morning otherwise you'll be competing with local workers who love to eat here.
Generally morning time is the best time to visit the Boqueria before it gets really crowded. if you come quite early you'll see local restaurant owners and chefs coming to see what's good so they can decide on their daily specials.
Would I recommend a visit to La Boqueria? If you're really passionate about food then definitely. If you're on Las Ramblas anyway, then drop in if you have time. Otherwise I'd say that these days it's perhaps not so exciting. We can buy a lot of this stuff at home, though admittedly, the presentation is not so good and the rather pale and often insipid stuff we buy at home is no match for the tasty produce to be bought here.
Advantages: The best market in the world? ...Probably. Disadvantages: You will loathe the sight of shrink-wrapped vegetables when you come back...
...day were not to visit la Boqueria, but having got off the metro at the wrong station, there it was, right in front of us, so we decided to have a quick look. We ended up spending most of the morning there, and even went back another day to buy a few things. This busy Barcelona market is really a must-see.
~Las Ramblas~
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The market is situated off La Rambla de les Flors, one of 5 Ramblas, which are basically wide pedestrian avenues. ... ...really quite good. On la Rambla de les Flors, you will see dozens of flower-sellers, creating a glowing display. And right across from the metro station Liceu (line 3), the Modernista iron and glass structure that houses the market can be seen to the side of the main thoroughfare. Let's enter…
~La Boqueria~
************
This market will grab every one of your senses. It is a visual feast, a riot of colours as your eyes are attracted by piles of ...
weetoon 26.04.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of La Boqueria
Advantages: In the immortal words of Homer Simpson: "Food..." Disadvantages: Language barrier; Petty crime
...As one wanders down La Rambla, one reaches the section appropriately named "Rambla de les Flors" for the beautiful flower stalls lining the street. Here, opposite the Museum of Erotica and beside the Liceu Metro station (L3 Green), the gentle fragrances of daffodils and roses mingle with the fresh aromas wafting out from the Boqueria.
Although Barcelona is blessed with numerous food markets, at least one in each district, the Boqueria has acquired ... ...further than the Boqueria on La Rambla de les Flors.
NB. This is the 8th instalment of my BS series. For the introduction, please kindly turn to "BS Uno - The Odyssey Begins"; general information on Barcelona is scattered throughout the series. Thanks for reading!
PS The Ciao management has informed me that none of my travel ops may be considered for the latest competition, because I'm not old enough :( It's very disappointing, but I'm enjoying ...
jefferson 29.05.2001 (21.06.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of La Boqueria
Advantages: Variety, Value, Central Disadvantages: None
...complete without a walk down La Ramblas, which runs from the centre at Placa de Catalunya to Port Vell. This long straight tree lined avenue is alive day and night. The pedestrian strip in the centre is lined on one side with stalls selling small birds, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and tropical fish and on the other side flower stalls. Dotted between the two are kiosks selling newspapers and small items. As you reach halfway down on the right slightly ... ...large stained glass arches of the oldest market in Barcelona where you are taken into foodie heaven. A food market might not be on your 'to do' list but make an exception with this one. You won’t be disappointed. As I entered the covered market I was hit by the colour and the displays of vegetables, not just heaped into sections but also beautifully displayed. Cauliflowers are proudly displayed in baskets lined with leaves. Oranges and apples ...
Freddydog 31.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of La Boqueria
Advantages: Amazing range of fresh produce, cheap prices, chance to practice Spanish Disadvantages: None
Situated on La Rambla, the busy main drag in the heart of Barcelona, this wonderful market was like an oasis when I visited early one morning!
My boyfriend and I were staying in a small apartment just off of La Rambla (with a great company called Loving Barcelona - who I would review if they were listed but really recommend anyway!). Having arrived on Sunday afternoon ready for a cosy night in our apartment with bottle of wine and tasty local cusine, ... ...far more noisy atmosphere of La Rambla, we decided to make the market our first stop the next day, and I am soooo glad that we did.
Firstly this place is huge! There are various other markets in the various areas of Barcelona (including one set up specially for Brits apparently), but this one by far exceeds anything I have seen there or elsewhere.
Open from roughly 8 in the morning until late (depending on when most of the produce is sold, earlier ...
daisydaisym 11.09.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of La Boqueria
The history of this place is the following. There was this noble who had promised he would help the King of Castilla to regain the city of Almeira, which had fallen in the hands of the arabs. It was not an easy task, but at the end Alemira was again under Castillan control, and, just as a souvenir, since at that time there were scarcity of postcards, this noble decided to take the most beautiful door which the arabs had put in Almeira at the entrance ... ...product of the arabesque art and when local folks in Barcelona went to view it, they all remained with their mouths open. "Boca" is the Spanish and Catalan word for mouth, hence the name Boqueria. The place were this door was shown to the locals was, guess what (!), the actual market of Boqueria! Nice eh! ...
NATALIA70 29.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of La Boqueria
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translator means: "it encourages". This certainly is an encouraging place to go but I am not convinced of the translation, if anyone Spanish speaking can enlighten me I'd be glad.
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Ānima Address:
c/ angels no 6 1 08001 BCN 1 933 424912.
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