Mercat St Josep La Boqueria

For anybody who reads our adventures, you all know we love those Spanish food markets. Recently, we found ourselves in Mercat de la Boqueria, a stunning colourful market located in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona.  
The market came into existence in 1217 as a meat market, and has grown into one of Barcelona's main tourist attractions. The current market hall dates back to 1840 and was built on the site of the former Convent de Sant Josep that was destroyed by a fire in the early 19th Century.

Walking into the market, you can't but admire the striking stained-glass Modernista gate and metal roof that were added at a later stage. Once you enter the market, you are greeted by the freshest locally sourced ingredients that are displayed on the overflowing counters. From cheese to seafood, from vegetables to olives, you can find it all at the market

The best time to visit the market is early morning when the local restaurateurs buy their ingredients from the stall holders and the tourists are just not there yet. Where the market's has been plagued by over tourism, we would advise to arrive at 8am when the market opens and enjoy the stalls, the chatting and the tasting to its fullest.

Once you bypass the central tourist-focused stalls selling colourful juices kept cool by ice, ... that is when you start discovering the stalls selling local classics like percebes from Galicia, jamon from Extremadura,.... The cheese stalls are so tempting, especially for a cheese-lover like myself. There is even a stall selling nothing else than eggs, but the amount of variation on offer is just stunning.

Another part to the market are the many tapa bars where you can taste some of the freshest ingredients. These bars are popular for lunch or just a light snack. You be doing well finding a seat, but you always do in the end. Sample some cured ham, try some of the local cheeses or just enjoy a drink.

In Barcelona, there are many other markets worth a visit. 

a) Mercat de la Concepció: Located in the heart of the Eixample district, it hosts food related events and workshops.

b) Mercat de Sants: Located in the Sants district, this lively market is housed in a stunning brick building in the Modernista style.  

c) Mercat de la Merce: Located in the north of the city, it has a great offering of fish stalls. A typical local market with friendly stallholders.

d) Mercat de la Barceloneta: This is the seafood market to visit. From its fine restaurants to its tapas bars, it's a great market to visit.
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These are only a few of the markets in Barcelona, there are plenty more in the city.