Best food markets in Barcelona (and other markets you shouldn’t miss)
WHICH ARE THE BEST BARCELONA MARKETS TO VISIT?
Who doesn’t like to explore local markets? Visiting a food market is a great way to get in contact with locals, see what kind of produce their meals are made of, what spices do they use, what grows in their farms… And non-food markets are also fun to visit, as you can always find there original gifts to bring back home, or score a piece of clothing or a cool object for yourself. Markets are a treasure trove for discovering affordable food and drinks, as they often house small eateries, all set against a backdrop of vibrant, bustling energy.
And Barcelona is a fantastic destination for market enthusiasts! Its food markets, like the famous La Boqueria, are full with local delicacies, and gourmet treats. And beyond food, Barcelona boasts charming vintage markets, perfect for finding unique fashion pieces and retro treasures, animated street food festivals and a picturesque variety of other outdoor markets. Plus during the holiday season, the Christmas markets transform Barcelona into a festive wonderland, filled with handmade crafts and quirky traditional decorations. Exploring these markets offers a true taste of the city’s rich culture and dynamic spirit. Are you coming with us to explore them?
Top Barcelona food markets
1
La Boqueria market (Mercat de Sant Josep)
The vibrant stalls of the famous Boqueria market in La Rambla has captivated visitors not for just decades but for centuries, being probably the oldest food market in Spain. Its entrance welcomes you with the colorful fruit stalls displaying fresh produce, both local and imported from exotic locations, as well as candy shops full to the brim with sweets, marzipans and chocolates. The central part of the market is occupied by its spotless fish market, with fresh Mediterranean local catches, seafood from the Spanish Atlantic ocean coasts, and crab and lobster still alive.
And as you continue to explore the market you’ll find any kind of foods you can imagine: cheese, Spanish ham and cold cuts, olives and oil, salted cod, spices, eggs, meats… even offal! There’s also delicious tapas bars (pricey, but well worth it if you have the budget), as well as plenty of options for street food to go. Some stall owners have run their shops for a couple of decades, and some have been run by the same family for a few generations. Don’t let others convince you of the market having lost its soul to the tourists: if you have the patience and approach it with respect and a curious eye, you’ll still be able to find there true hidden gems.
LOCATION: 91, La Rambla (Old Town)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Liceu (L3, green line)
OPENING HOURS: Mon-Sat, from 8AM to 8.30PM (but only partially closed on Mondays and after 4PM)
FOUNDED IN: 1200’s (current building from the 1840’s)
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Strictly food.
NUMBER OF STALLS: Over 300. Check out our Guide to the Boqueria Market
NUMBER OF BARS AND CAFES: 11. Find out where to eat in La Boqueria.
2
Sant Antoni market
LOCATION: 1, Comte d’Urgell (Eixample)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Sant Antoni (L2, purple line)
OPENING HOURS: Mon, Wed and Sat from 7.30AM to 3.30PM. Tue, Thu and Fri until 8.30PM.
FOUNDED IN: 1848 (current building from 2005)
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Mostly food (plus one souvenir shop, a lotery stall and a cleaning products store.
NUMBER OF STALLS: 60+ stalls
NUMBER OF BARS AND CAFES: 4
3
Santa Caterina Market
A similar offer and less people (and more locals than tourists!), although being a new building it doesn’t have the same charm as the Ramblas marketplace.
LOCATION: 16, Av. Francesc Cambo (Born district)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Jaume I (L4, yellow line)
OPENING HOURS: Tue-Fri from 8AM to 8PM (Mon and Sat only until 3PM. Closed from mid-July to early September.
FOUNDED IN: 1888
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Food, plus two flower shops and one appliances store.
NUMBER OF STALLS: 60+
NUMBER OF BARS AND CAFES: None.
4
Mercat de la Concepció
LOCATION: 317, Arago st (Eixample)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Girona (L4, yellow line)
OPENING HOURS: Mon-Sat, from 8AM to 8.30PM (but only partially closed on Mondays and after 4PM)
FOUNDED IN: 1200’s (current building from the 1840’s)
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Strictly food.
NUMBER OF STALLS: Over 300. Check out our Guide to the Boqueria Market
NUMBER OF BARS AND CAFES: 11. Find out where to eat in La Boqueria.
5
Mercat de la Barceloneta
LOCATION: 1, Plaça de la Font (Barceloneta)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Barceloneta (L4, yellow line)
OPENING HOURS: Mon-Thu, from 7AM to 2PM, Fri until 8PM and Saturdays until 3PM
FOUNDED IN: 1884 (current building from 2007)
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Mostly food, plus a handful of clothing stalls in the outside perimeter.
NUMBER OF STALLS: 25+
NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS: 2
6
Mercat del Ninot
LOCATION: 133, Mallorca st (Eixample)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Hospital Clinic (L5, blue line)
OPENING HOURS: Mon-Fri, from 8AM to 9PM, Sat until 6PM. Non-food stalls from 9AM to 8PM and Sat until 2PM.
FOUNDED IN: 1893
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Food, cosmetics, fashion, books, mattresses, houseware…
NUMBER OF STALLS: 40+ food stalls and 20+ fashion and houseware stalls in the outside perimeter.
NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS: 14
7
Mercat Galvany
LOCATION: 65, Santalo st (Sant Gervasi)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Muntaner (FFCC)
OPENING HOURS: Mon-Sat, from 7AM to 2.30PM, Fri until 8PM (except during school vacations).
FOUNDED IN: 1927
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Food, fashion, flowers, jewelry, houseware, cleaning products…
NUMBER OF STALLS: 80+ food stalls and 15 non-food stalls in the outside perimeter
NUMBER OF BARS AND CAFES: 3
8
Mercat de la Llibertat
LOCATION: 27, Plaça de la Llibertat (Gracia)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Gracia (FFCC)
OPENING HOURS: Mon-Fri, from 8AM to 8.30PM, Sat until 3PM.
FOUNDED IN: 1875
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Food, clothes and kitchenware.
NUMBER OF STALLS: 35 food stalls and 5 non-food stalls in the outside perimeter
NUMBER OF BARS AND CAFES: 2
9
Mercat de Sarrià
LOCATION: 8, Pg Reina Elisenda de Montcada (Sarria)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Reina Elisenda (FFCC)
OPENING HOURS: Mon, Wed, Sat from 7.30AM to 3PM. Tue, Thur and Fri 8AM to 8PM.
FOUNDED IN: 1911
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Mostly food, plus some clothes and houseware.
NUMBER OF STALLS: 20+ food stalls and 6 non-food stalls in the outside perimeter
NUMBER OF BARS AND CAFES: 1
10
Mercat de Sant Andreu
LOCATION: 41, Plaça del Mercadal (Sant Andreu)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Sant Andreu (L1, red line)
OPENING HOURS: 8AM to 2PM (Thu also 5PM to 8PM, Fri 8AM to 8PM). Non-food stores open 9AM to 2PM, except Monday (closing at 1PM). Tue, Thu and Fri they reopen 5PM to 8PM.
FOUNDED IN: 1914 (current building from 2022)
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Food and clothes.
NUMBER OF STALLS: 15 food stalls and 7 non-food stalls in an adjacent building.
NUMBER OF BARS AND CAFES: 1
11
Mercat de l'Abaceria (Abaceria Central)
The metal arches from the 1800’s that covered this authentic food market stand now naked in the middle of a construction site where the restoration of the market should be starting soon. In the meantime, the neighbors have to walk a bit further away, to Passeig de Sant Joan where the city council has installed a giant tent to temporarily host the market stalls.
LOCATION: Currently in 168, Pg de Sant Joan (Eixample), but the original building is in 186, Travessera de Gracia (Gracia)
CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION: Joanic (L4, yellow line)
OPENING HOURS: Mon-Thu 8AM to 2.30PM and 5PM to 8.30PM (Fri until 8.30PM and Sat until 3PM.
FOUNDED IN: 1892
YOU’LL FIND HERE: Food, clothes, flowers, kitchenware.
NUMBER OF STALLS: 40+ food stalls and 10 non-food stalls in the outside perimeter.
NUMBER OF BARS: 2
Best outdoor markets of Barcelona
Food markets tend to be indoors. But what if you feel like being outdoors? The options are many, and the variety of markets available is enticing. Here are some examples (learn more about them in our blog post about them):
- Clothes, books and comics in St. Antoni
- Art in Plaça del Pi
- Flowers in La Rambla
- Antiques in the Gothic Quarter
- Toys in Sant Andreu
Flea markets in Barcelona
Are you a dedicated thrift hunter? Barcelona has also dozens of options for you! The most famous flea market is definitely Els Encants, but if you aren’t scare of a short train ride out of town, Mercantic in Sant Cugat will delight you. There’s a philatelic market on Plaça Reial, and a small flea market by the port, and “brocanters” antique dealers set up stalls in some local plazas regularly. Plus there’s so many cool hipster markets organized periodically that involve vintage objects but also live music, local clothing designers, street food… Flea Market BCN, Lost & Found, Palo Market and Markets Barcelona are some of them.
Other cool street food markets
Is that hipster vibe what you like? If a mix of street food, music and cool stalls are your kind of thing, there’s even more options for you! Van Van Market, Los Tilos, Eat Street… The city council also often organizes festivals to promote the local food markets such as Mercat de Mercats, where famous chefs are invited to cook with local produce and you can purchase tickets to try samples.
Barcelona Christmas Markets
Finally, if you are lucky to be visiting Barcelona during the Christmas season, you must check out the local Christmas Markets! The two most traditional ones are in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona and in front of Sagrada Familia. But there’s also a toy and crafts market in Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, a Christmas fair by the Port Vel… and much more!
Which are your favorite Barcelona markets?
Marta
Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.
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