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Mercat de La Boqueria Barcelona’s most famous food market is conveniently located on La Rambla.
Freshness reigns supreme and shoppers are spoiled for choice, with
hundreds of stalls selling everything from vine-ripened tomatoes to
haunches of beef and moist wedges of Manchego cheese. The city’s seaside
status is in full evidence at the fish stalls. La Rambla 91
Open 7am–8pm Mon–Sat
Els Encants Barcelona’s
best flea market, Els Encants (east of the city) is where you’ll find
everything you want, from second-hand clothes, electrical appliances and
toys to home-made pottery and used books. Discerning browsers can fit
out an entire kitchen from an array of pots and pans. Bargain-hunters
should come early. Discussions are being held regarding the market’s
location. Pl de les Glòries Catalanes Open 7am–5:30pm Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat
Fira de Santa Llúcia The
Christmas season is officially under way when local artisans set up
shop outside the Cathedral for the annual Christmas fair. Well worth a
visit if only to peruse the row upon row of caganers, miniature figures squatting to fer caca (take a poop). Uniquely Catalan, the caganers
are usually hidden in the back of nativity scenes. This unusual
celebration of the scatological also appears in other Christmas
traditions.
Fira de Santa Llúcia, Plaça de la Seu
Book & Coin Market at Mercat de Sant Antoni For
book lovers, there’s no better way to spend Sunday morning than
browsing at this market (west of the city). You’ll find a mind-boggling
assortment of weathered paperbacks, ancient tomes, stacks of old
magazines, comics, postcards and lots more, from coins to videos. C/Comte d’Urgell
Open 8am–3pm Sun
Fira Artesana, Plaça del Pi The Plaça del Pi
brims with natural and organic foods during the Fira Artesana, when
producers bring their goods to this corner of the Barri Gòtic. The
market specializes in home-made cheeses and honey – from clear clover
honey from the Pyrenees to nutty concoctions from Morella.
Cheeses, Fira Artesana, Plaça del Pi
Fira de Filatelia i Numismàtica Spread out in the elegant Plaça Reial,
this popular stamp and coin market draws avid collectors from all over
the city. The newest collectors’ items are phone cards and old
xapes de cava
(cava bottle cork foils). When the market ends (and the local police go
to lunch), a makeshift flea market takes over. Old folks from the
barrio and immigrants haul out their belongings – old lamps, clothing,
junk – and lay it all out on cloths on the ground. Pl Reial
Open 9:30am–2:30pm Sun
Mercat de la Barceloneta The
striking Barceloneta covered market overlooks an expansive square. As
well as produce stalls, there are a couple of excellent restaurants
including the Michelin-starred Lluçanès.
Mercat de Santa Caterina Each
barrio has its own food market with tempting displays but this one
boasts a spectacular setting. Opened in 2005, the building was designed
by Catalan architect Enric Miralles (1955–2000). Mercat del Art de la Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol At
weekends, local artists flock to this Barri Gòtic square to sell their
art and set up their easels. You’ll find everything from watercolours of
Catalan landscapes to oil paintings of churches and castles. Mercat dels Antiquaris Antiques
aficionados and collectors contentedly rummage through jewellery,
watches, candelabras, silver trays, embroidery and assorted bric-a-brac
at this long-running antiques market in front of the Cathedral. Pl de la Seu
Open 10am–9pm Thu
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