no alt text

Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 10 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

This effervescent food market manages to pack almost a thousand stalls into its walls.

It’s famed for its fresh produce: the seafood is just off the city’s fishing boats that morning and the fruit and vegetables are locally grown and seasonal, plus there’s the usual selection of Iberian hams, olives and other Mediterranean treats.

Though busy with tourists, it’s a real local institution – the buzz is especially vibrant early in the morning and at lunchtime, when locals gather at the counters to eat tapas and street food, available to take away or eat at the counter, perched on (limited) stools.

The stalls in front take advantage of the passing tourist trade from Las Rambla: head into the interior to take in the truly mind-boggling array of goods (and lower prices).

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

When to do it

Open all year round, seven days a week. Get there early if you want to sit at a counter for lunch – around 11am.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Boqueria and Santa Caterina Markets with Food and Tapas Small Group Walking Tour

Boqueria and Santa Caterina Markets with Food and Tapas Small Group Walking Tour

Barcelona

Enjoy this 4-hour food market and tapas-tasting tour and savor the real taste of Barcelona. Discover local produce at some of the greatest f...

€91 | Rating 4.53 / 5 [13 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Food, Wine and History Tour with La Boqueria Market

Food, Wine and History Tour with La Boqueria Market

Barcelona

Taste the best of Catalonia’s culture and gourmet cuisine on this half-day, small-group, walking tour of Barcelona. On this tour, you will e...

€95 | Rating 4.83 / 5 [67 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
Paella class overviewing Las Ramblas & Boqueria Market at Barcelona Cooking

Paella class overviewing Las Ramblas & Boqueria Market at Barcelona Cooking

Barcelona

This cooking class and market tour are our most popular offering. Together, the tour and the class take approximately four hours. The tour s...

€99 | Rating 4.94 / 5 [133 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo
La Boqueria Market and Cooking Class in Barcelona

La Boqueria Market and Cooking Class in Barcelona

Barcelona

The experience begins with an optional tour around the nearby La Boqueria. From anecdotes about the sellers themselves to the history of Cat...

€110 | Rating 4.82 / 5 [97 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

Viator Logo

Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Hotel Bagues

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

A chic, intimate boutique hotel set in a former jewellers, right on the Ramblas, perfect for shopping and sightseeing.

Official star rating:

Hotel Neri

Barcelona, Catalunia, Spain

Historic charm, contemporary chic and great food combine in this beguiling bolthole, on a picturesque square in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.

Official star rating:

Mercer Hotel Barcelona

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

A thoughtfully-designed, modern boutique hotel in a striking building with historic features, hidden away in the heart of old Barcelona.

Official star rating:

Grand Hotel Central

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

A stylish, central hotel in the hip El Born district, with 1920s features and one of the best rooftop pools in town.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Barcelona

Catalonia, Spain

Spain’s cultural heart has unforgettable architecture, a pioneering arts scene, creative cuisine and nightlife that buzzes till dawn.

Website >
Overview >

Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Picasso Museum Barcelona

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Absorbing collection of early and late works by Picasso, in a beautiful Gothic palace. The collection includes Picasso’s 58 paintings inspired by Velazquez’s Las Meninas.

Best for ages: 18+ | £11

Casa Batllo

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

The former home of the Batllo family, Gaudí’s shimmering, colour-drenched townhouse is a Modernista masterpiece.

Best for ages: 8+ | £32

Casa Mila (La Pedrera)

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Marking the culmination of his experimentation with natural forms, Gaudi’s landmark apartment building resembles a giant cliff face battered by the sea. Inside, a remarkable Gaudi-style apartment, an attic filled with architectural exhibits, and the extraordinary roof and chimneys.

Best for ages: 8+ | £25

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

La Rambla

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

A thrumming, lively street running through the heart of Barcelona towards the sea, is a magnet for outlandish street performers – and tourists.

Best for ages: 4+ | Free

Website >
Overview >
External view of the Santa Eulalia Cathedral
Experience

Barcelona Cathedral

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

This massive pile is Catalan Gothic at its most grandiose, full of wonders: lavishly ornate chapels, Renaissance sculpted choir stalls, and crypt of patron saint Eulalia. The cloister is especially charming.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

Website >
Overview >
Inside view of The extraordinary La Palau Musica concert hall
Experience

Palace of Music

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Catalan’s gorgeous Modernista concert hall, Palau Musica, is a must-see for its extraordinary architecture. It’s now a UNESCO world heritage site.

Best for ages: 18+ | £17

Website >
Overview >
Beautiful gold and red long boat housed in a large warehouse room
Experience

Maritime Museum

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Barcelona’s seafaring past comes to life in this venue set in the city’s 14th-century shipyards, starring a life-size model of Don Juan’s flagship at Lepanto.

Best for ages: 13+ | £5

Website >
Overview >