MOST FASCINATING MARKETS
1. Book and Coin Market at Mercat de Sant Antoni
C/Comte d’Urgell • Open 8am–3pm Sun
For book lovers, there’s no better way to spend Sunday morning than browsing at this market in Sant Antoni. 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.
2. Fira de Santa Llúcia
Pl de la Seu • Open 1–23 Dec: 10am–8pm (times may vary) daily
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 at the back of nativity scenes. This unusual celebration of the scatological also appears in other Christmas traditions.
3. Els Encants
Trading beneath metal canopies, Els Encants, east of the city, is one of Europe’s oldest flea markets, dating back to the 14th century. It sells everything from second-hand clothes, electrical appliances and toys to used books. Discerning shoppers can fit out an entire kit-chen from an array of pots and pans. Bargain-hunters should come early.
Stalls at Els Encants flea market
4. Mercat de la Boqueria
La Rambla 91 • Open 8am–8pm Mon–Sat
The most famous food market in Barcelona 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 wedges of Manchego cheese. The city’s seaside status is in full evidence at the fish stalls.
Produce at Mercat de la Boqueria
5. Fira Artesana
Pl del Pi • Open 10am–10pm first & third Fri, Sat & Sun of the month
The Plaça del Pi (see Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol and Plaça del Pi) brims with natural and organic foods during the Fira Artesana, when artisanal food producers bring their goods to this corner of the Barri Gòtic. The market specializes in homemade cheeses and honey – from clear clover honey from the Pyrenees to nutty concoctions from Morella.
6. Fira de Filatelia i Numismàtica
Pl Reial • Open 9am–2:30pm Sun
Arranged around 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 and immigrants from the barri haul out their belongings – old lamps, clothing, junk – and lay it all out for sale on cloths on the ground.
7. Mercat de Barceloneta
Pl Font 1, Barceloneta • Open 7am–3pm Mon–Thu & Sat, 7am–8pm Fri
The striking Barceloneta market overlooks an expansive square. In addition to colourful produce stalls, there is a good selection of bars and bakeries here.
8. Mercat dels Antiquaris
Pl de la Seu • Open 10am–9pm Thu (except Aug)
Antiques aficionados and collectors contentedly rummage through jewellery, watches, candelabras, embroidery and bric-a-brac at this long-running antiques market in front of the cathedral.
9. Mercat del Art de la Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol
Pl de Sant Josep Oriol • Open 11am–8:30pm Sat, 10am– 3pm Sun
At weekends, local artists flock to this Barri Gòtic square to set up their easels and sell their art. You’ll find a range including watercolours of Catalan landscapes to oil paintings of churches and castles.
10. Mercat de Santa Caterina
Av Francesc Cambó 16 • Open 7:30am–2pm Mon, 7:30am– 3:30pm Tue, Wed & Sat, 7:30am– 8:30pm Thu & Fri
Each barri has its own food market with tempting displays but this one boasts a spectacular setting. The building was designed by Catalan architect Enric Miralles (1995–2000).
The striking Mercat de Santa Caterina
