Barcelona’s Boqueria Market is a colorful place in the heart of the Catalan capital, where you can buy fruits, vegetables, seafood, baked goods and sweets.
General information
Sant Josep or Boqueria in Barcelona is a huge market located in the central part of the city. It covers an area of 2500 sq. m.and is a popular tourist attraction. Even in bad weather, it is very crowded here.
According to historians, the modern name of the market comes from the Spanish word “boc“, which means” goat” (i.e., the market sold goat’s milk).
The market was first mentioned in chronicles in 1217 as an agricultural market. In 1853, it became the main market of the city, and in 1911 – the largest (because the fish department was added). In 1914, Boqueria acquired its modern look – an iron roof was built, the central entrance was decorated.
The market has surprisingly well-established logistics. Due to the fact that some goods quickly deteriorate, and their maximum shelf life is 2 days, shopkeepers regularly resort to the help of emigrants who are ready to deliver goods to the right place for little money.
What you can buy at the market
La Boqueria market is a real gastronomic paradise. Here you can find:
- Seafood. This is a favorite department of tourists. Here you can find hundreds of shops with freshly caught oysters, lobsters, shrimps and crabs. You can try the delicacies right on the spot. If your goal is to visit this particular part of the market, then it is better not to come here on Monday, as the Sunday catch is always small.
- Fruits and berries. The range is huge. Here you can find both traditional European fruits (apples, pears, grapes) and exotic ones brought from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean (dragon fruit, rambutan, mangosteen, etc.). Be sure to try the local greens.
- The meat department is no less large. Here you can find dried meat, sausages, sausages and hams. Fresh eggs can also be purchased in this part of the market. Most often, tourists buy jamon here, which can be of several types.
- Dried fruits and nuts, sweets. This part of the Boqueria market is very much loved by children. Here you can find hundreds of types of cookies, dozens of cakes and many types of nuts.
- Fresh baked goods are mostly popular with locals, who also pop in here.
- Dairy products include hundreds of varieties of cheese, fresh farm milk, and cottage cheese.
- Souvenirs. In this part of Boqueria, you will find dozens of T-shirts, mugs and pillows with the image of Barcelona, as well as hundreds of magnets and beautiful figurines.
Especially for tourists in the La Boqueria market in Barcelona, there are shops with ready-made food. So, you can buy fruit salad, cold cuts, sweet pancakes, smoothies or already prepared seafood. There are also several bars in the market where you can have a snack. Tourists recommend coming here in the early morning – in silence you can drink delicious coffee and try a freshly baked bun.
As for prices, of course, they are inflated in comparison with other markets and grocery stores in Barcelona (sometimes even 2 or 3 times). But here you can always find rare types of fruit and buy fresh seafood. Also, if you come in the evening when the shops are already closing, there is a high probability that the seller will give you a good discount (this applies only to quickly spoiling goods).
It should be borne in mind that vegetables and fruits on Sant Josep do not come from warehouses, but directly from beds and plantations, so it is unlikely to find tangerines here in the summer, or, for example, persimmons.
If you buy a certain product in bulk, then there is a high probability that you will be given a discount and a large plastic container. In some cases, you may need help getting the product delivered to your home.
Practical information
Where it is located and how to get there
Since the Boqueria market is located on the Rambla, which is considered the main street of Barcelona, it is very easy to reach:
- On foot. Sant Josep is a 6-minute walk from Plaza Catalunya, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guell Palace and other popular attractions. Many tourists wander here by accident.
- By metro. The nearest station is Liceo (200 m), green line.
- By bus. Bus routes 14, 59 and 91 stop right next to the attraction.
Take a taxi or rent a car experienced tourists do not advise – in the city center is always a big traffic jam, and you will go even longer than walking.
- Address: La Rambla 91, 08001 Barcelona, Spain.
- Barcelona’s Boqueria Market is open from 8.00-20.30 (closed Sunday).
- Official website: http://www.boqueria.barcelona/home
On the official website of Boqueria, you can find a detailed plan of the market with shops, get acquainted with the events that are planned in the near future, and see a list of products that can be purchased. Here you can find the exact location of the Boqueria market on the map of Barcelona.
Interestingly, site visitors who leave their email address are offered a 10 euro discount on their first purchase.
Bokeria has accounts in all social networks. social networks where they post daily photos of goods, vendors, dishes from a local bar, and other useful information for tourists.
Useful tips
- Come to the Boqueria market in the morning – at 12 pm, crowds of tourists are already beginning to gather here. If you arrive early, you can have time to chat with sellers or have a cup of coffee in silence.
- Keep a close eye on your belongings. There are a lot of pickpockets in Barcelona who will not miss the opportunity to take something else’s. And on the market, this is very easy to do.
- It is most profitable to buy seafood in the evening – a few hours before the end of work, sellers are more willing to give a discount, because they do not want to take the goods to the warehouse.
- Even if you don’t want to buy anything, tourists recommend coming to Sant Josep for the atmosphere-there is a very colorful audience here.
- More than 40% of the products on the market are quickly spoiled, so if you want to bring something edible home, take only products in a vacuum.
- One of the most interesting edible souvenirs is jamon. This is a raw pork leg, very popular in Spain.
- Despite the abundance of shops and shops, it is almost impossible to get lost here.
- Always check your change. Often, sellers may not specifically give a few cents.
- Do not buy the product at the first shop that catches your eye – prices are higher at the entrance, and if you go deeper into the market, you can find the same product a little cheaper.
- If you arrive by car, you can park it in a paid parking lot in the western part of the market.
Barcelona’s Boqueria market is one of the most colorful places in the Catalan capital.
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