as a barcelona citizen, i can say La Boqueria is a place not to miss in your visit to the city: enjoy this market in all its senses, and if you have the possibility, visit “Pinotxo” restaurant bar: its cuisine is one of the best you can try in the city and its charm will get you…. for sure…. even if you have to eat elbow to elbow with your neighbour…....

It’s a very cute market on La Rambla. The nearest tube station is Plaza de Catalunya. It’s all about food, everything looks yummy but it is very very very expensive. Example is a kg of cherries in April: 68 euros!!! The good deal is to come at about 8 pm when it is about to close because it’s the time when you can bargain.

La Boqueria market is absolutely amazing but filled with tourists, which kept me from doing my shopping there. Also the prices are higher because of the tourists. But having said that there’s nothing like it.

La Boqueria market is in the heart of Barcelona, and sits right off the popular La Rambla walkway that is frequented by just about every tourist that visits Barcelona. To sum up this market is to call it a foodie paradise. It is actually a sister-market to Borough Market in London, albeit with a somewhat shorter legacy but covers a bigger mass and has just as much variety for foodies to peruse and admire.
Needless to say I bee-lined for the entrance and immediately got lost (on purpose) amid the rows and rows and fresh fruit, produce, meat (lots and lots of ham!), fish of all varieties, gourmet chocolate, nuts, cheese, wine, and small restaurants within the market that use the freshest ingredients that are right at their fingertips. I even saw a small bar where you could grab a seat and sample the wine varieties on offer. With so many options I have to admit I ended up buying a slice of pizza among my other purchases, and what a slice it was! On my second trip (the very next day of course) I went later in the afternoon and the pizza stand was closed… a big disappointment that leads me to recommend going earlier in the day so you don’t miss anything this amazing market has to offer.

This market is a real tourist trap and you would almost certainly not shop here if you were a local: the prices are high due to the very central location and also to the fact that now this place is mainly visited by tourists. However, it is most definitely worth heading here on your way up (or down) Las Ramblas- you can buy fresh produce or just browse the stalls taking in the magnificent looking foods: the colours are gorgeous and the display of every stall is immaculate. Every apple is arranged to face the right way (whichever that may be!), every nut is positioned to show its best selling feature… If you are not in the mood for shopping, I’d recommend heading here anyway for a meal if not just a coffee. Amongst the food stalls there are a few restaurant/café stalls where you can sit around the central part where the chefs and waiters serve you from. It’s a very fast service and you can see them cook the food in front of you and it truly is a unique experience!