Barcelona's best markets: 9 stops from food to fashion and local favorites

There are few better ways to tap into Barcelona’s soul than by devoting an hour or two to nosing around one of the city’s extraordinary markets – many of which are Modernista marvels built from wrought iron and brick. La Boqueria gets a lot of love, but frankly it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Stray away from the crowds, push into lesser-known neighborhoods, and dust off your Catalan or Spanish pocket phrasebook to buy picnic fixings or order tapas.

Whether it’s a weekend browse for vintage clothes or collectibles or a lunchtime spin of a food market where the salt-tang sizzle of just-caught seafood on an open grill and stalls piled high with sun-ripened fruit and veg entice, there’s a market with your name on it in Barcelona. Read on for eight of our absolute favorites.  

1. Mercat de la Terra

Best for fringe fun

Though just a quick metro trundle from the center, Mercat de la Terra in Jardins de les Tres Xemeneies still flies under the radar. And that’s a good thing. In the shadow of the lofty redbrick towers of an old power plant in the once-gritty, now-hip Poble-Sec neighborhood, this farmers’ market run by Slow Food Barcelona delivers a feast of sustainable, largely organic produce.

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Join Barcelonians for a Saturday morning wander around the stalls to stock up on picnic provisions. Alongside regional cheese, charcuterie, oils, honeys, craft beer, and sourdough bread, you can stop to try seasonal dishes like calçots (a tasty cross between a leek and spring onion) in early spring, grilled sardines and paella in summer. There’s plenty of fringe fun, from live music to workshops, tastings, cooking demos, and kids’ activities.

Opening times: 9am-3pm Saturday
Getting there: Take metro line 2 or 3 to Paral-lel

2. Mercat de Santa Caterina

Best for a between-sights shop

The kind of produce market that is the envy of every food-loving city-dweller, Barcelona’s curvaceous Mercat de Santa Caterina is a real treasure in La Ribera neighborhood. You’re right in the thick of the sightseeing action here, just a few minutes’ walk from the Museu Picasso and Parc de la Ciutadella.

Rolling like the crashing waves of the Med, the vibrantly colored, mosaic-tiled roof was designed by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue and completed in 2005. Under a soaring, vaulted, wood-paneled ceiling, you’ll find a wonderland of edibles, from seafood, olive oil, and chorizo to herbs and spices, nuts and pulses, and freshest fruit and veg.   

Arrive nice and early for morning coffees and pastries at the polished wooden bar of gloriously retro Bar Joan. Or pop by later for a satisfying lunch of capipota (Catalan beef and chickpea stew) or paella.

Opening times: 7.30am-3.30pm Monday-Thursday, 7.30am-8pm Friday, 8am-3pm Saturday
Getting there: Take metro line 4 to Jaume I

3. Mercat de Sant Antoni

Best for glorious food

La Boqueria is more popular, but those in the know squeeze in a visit to the equally outstanding (and less touristy) Mercat de Sant Antoni, a 10-minute walk away. It’s amazing how the crowds of La Rambla quickly vanish when you head just a few blocks over. This gorgeous red-and-gold brick and wrought-iron market was originally designed by Catalan starchitect Antoni Rovira i Trias in 1882. Following a massive revamp and reopening in 2018, it has brought a real buzz back to the Sant Antoni neighborhood.

Cured meats, eggs, cheese, bread, fish, dried fruit and nuts, tomatoes as big as your fist – you name it, it’s here. On Sunday morning, fresh produce gives way to the Mercat del Llibre Dominical, a collector’s trove of second-hand books, plus magazines, posters, stamps, and vinyl.

Fancy a bite to eat? Swing over to chilled Bar Bodega Chiqui for tapas and sushi paired with vermouths and wine from the barrel, or try cozy, retro-cool Casa Dorita for wood-fired bread topped with fantastic charcuterie.

Opening times: 8am-8pm Monday-Saturday, 8.30am-2pm Sunday
Getting there: Take metro line 2 to Sant Antoni 

4. Mercat dels Encants

Best for flea-market finds

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A great, silver-gold mirrored canopy, towering 25m high, floats like a futuristic magic carpet above the architecturally striking Mercat dels Encants (‘Market of Charms’). Designed by architects b720 Fermín Vázquez, the edifice is a real attention-grabber in Barcelona’s Eixample neighborhood. It’s also a cracking place for a flea market shop. Vintage posters, comics, cheap clothes, crafts, retro electronics, art and second-hand books – sift through the junk to find treasures. For an added shot of atmosphere, time your visit to catch one of the auctions in full swing (early morning is best).

Want to tie in a market trip with sightseeing? Gaudí’s unmissable masterpiece La Sagrada Família is a 15-minute walk away. But before you scoot off, pause for coffee and cake or tapas with a glass of vermouth at Bar Encants. Or try Stop & Mos for gourmet burgers and organic veggie creations whipped up with market-fresh produce.

Opening times: 9am-8pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; auction 8am-8pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Getting there: Take metro line 1 to Glòries 

5. Mercat de la Boqueria

Best for a central shop

A rainbow of fruit and veg, strings of chiles and garlic, hanging jamón and fresh seafood - benvinguts (welcome) to Barcelona’s big one: Mercat de la Boqueria, a Modernista marvel of a food market right just off La Rambla, which takes you gallivanting around Spain on a tapas-sized plate.

In business for more than 800 years, this market is more than just a place to shop: it’s a place to throw yourself wholeheartedly into Barcelona life. Chat with the stallholders, then pull up a stool at a bar for a glass and a plate. Is it busy? You bet. Touristy? Without doubt. But come between 8am and 10am in the morning and skip past the stalls at the front and head for the back to find fewer crowds and a more authentic vibe. 

Lunch, you say? Make it El Quim de la Boqueria, a much-loved tapas bar of chefs. It’s worth the wait for creatively prepared signatures like fried eggs with baby squid zhuzhed up with olive oil, garlic, chilli and sea salt, butifarra sausage with beans and garlic, and one of Barcelona’s best tortillas. 

Opening times: 8am-8.30pm Monday-Saturday
Getting there: Take metro line 3 to Liceu  

6. Palo Alto

Best for fashion and music

Though hidden away in a repurposed 19th-century wool factory in Poblenou, this monthly market has become Barcelona's most stylish weekend hangout. Push past the industrial facade where 19 creative studios operate year-round and you'll discover a leafy oasis with plants winding through brick buildings and sunny courtyards.

The first weekend of each month, this creative hub transforms into Palo Alto Market, where carefully selected stalls showcase Barcelona's emerging designers, sustainable fashion, and organic skincare and beauty products. The vibe is decidedly cool but unpretentious.

Food trucks line the path offering street food, while bars pour natural wine and craft cocktails to enjoy while catching live music performances of DJ sets. Unlike the city's traditional markets, Palo Alto asks for an entrance fee (€6.50 /US $7) (purchased in advance) and a timed window (five hours: morning to afternoon or afternoon to evening) ensuring a more relaxed growing experience without the tourist crowds. 

Opening times: It's open the first weekend of every month, from 11am to 9pm
Getting there: Take metro line 4 to Selva de Mar or Poblenou

7. Mercat del Ninot

Best for neighborly atmosphere

No frills or fuss, sensible prices and nicely off the tourist trail – there are many reasons to lure you slightly north of Barcelona’s historic center to Mercat del Ninot. The market is named after the figurehead of a cabin boy that graced a nearby tavern in the 19th century (now on display in the Museu Marítim).

In a vaulted, light-drenched space, the stalls heave with everything from meat, fish, and freshly baked bread to glossy olives and melons, tomatoes, and strawberries that taste of sunshine. Once you’re done with shopping, prop up the bar at one of the tapas joints. A firm fave is Barra Perelló, where you can dig into stunners like grilled artichokes with anchovy cream, codfish fritters with garlic mayo, and Cantabrian anchovies with smoked butter toast.

Opening times: 8am-9.15pm Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm Saturday
Getting there: Take metro line 5 to Hospital Clínic 

8. Mercat de la Barceloneta

Best for a seafood feast

A whisper away from the Med and its briny breezes and Platja de la Barceloneta, Mercat de la Barceloneta is all about the fish. Originally a Modernista marvel constructed in 1887, the market was revamped in 2007 by architect Josep Miàs and is now a wavy glass-and-steel, solar-paneled space. Dip in and you’ll find the kind of seafood that makes the supermarket offerings back home pale by comparison. We’re talking great shiny mounds of boat-fresh mussels, clams, oysters and scallops, lobster, crab and ginormous prawns.

Stay for lunch. One of the best picks is La Cova Fumada, a family-run, old-school tapas bar, with the menu chalked up on a board and pocket-money prices. Grilled squid, sardines, finger-licking gambas, and everyone’s favourite bombas (deep-fried potato and meat balls) go well with a jug of the house sangria.

Opening times: 8am-3pm Monday-Saturday 
Getting there: Take metro line 4 to Barceloneta

9. Mercat de la Llibertat 

Best for a low-key vibe

Doing a brisk trade since 1888, Barcelona’s Mercat de la Llibertat bears the elaborate Modernista hallmark of Francesc Berenguer i Mestres, once Gaudí’s sidekick. With its soaring redbrick walls and ornate wrought-iron swirls, it’s now the beating heart of Barcelona’s boho-cool Gràcia neighborhood, full of good smells, friendly vibes, and busy shoppers. You won’t find overwhelming crowds here - just a well-edited selection of goodies from freshest fruit, veg, meat and seafood, to bacallà (dried, salted codfish), chorizo, cheese, jamón serrano, olives and preserves.

Hungry? Try to snag a stool at the bar of Hermos Peix, boasting brilliantly fresh ingredients from the adjacent fishmonger. Watch chefs sizzle and stir as you sample the likes of ajo blanco (chilled white gazpacho soup) laced with crushed almonds and herb oil, and monkfish tempura slick with kimchi mayo.

Opening times: 8am-8.30pm Monday-Friday, 8am-3pm Saturday
Getting there: Take metro line 3 or 5 to Diagonal

Bonus recommendations

Lost & Found Market: Fashion-forward visitors should also check out this vintage market featuring stalls with overflowing clothes, accessories, and other pre-loved items like second-hand cameras, luggage, and more. It is typically held every three months at Estació de França (check their website for exact dates and locations) from 11m to 9pm on Sundays. Take metro line 4 to Barceloneta or Jaume 1.

Flea Market Barcelona: Barcelona's wandering second-hand market transforms city spaces into pulsating market places every month. Beyond vintage clothing and pre-loved items, visitors can expect DJ sets and food pop-ups. Follow their Instagram for upcoming locations. Metro connections vary by event.

Mercantic: A rabbit hole of retro delights, this Sant Cugat market transforms a former factory into the ultimate vintage wonderland. Wander through stalls brimming with mid-century furniture, architectural salvage, books, records, and more. There's often DJs, live music and food, and wine tastings too. Open Saturday 9.30am to 8.30pm and Sunday 9.30am to 3pm. Take the FCG train, line S2 to Volpelleres.