The most historic markets in Barcelona. Much to discover
How long has it been since you last visited a municipal market? There you can find fresher and healthier food than in any shopping center or supermarket, with more detailed and personalized attention than anywhere else. The authentic Barcelona can be felt from one stall to the next. Apart from the food, each and every one of the markets that have been built in our city are witnesses to a very specific historical context. There are several historic markets in Barcelona. Just by going to any of them, you can discover that their facades, porticos, and domes have a lot of history to tell. Getting to know it is as easy as approaching them and wandering through their aisles with a critical spirit: Why is there a market here? Why is it built this way and not another? We explain it all in this post!
La Boqueria
The heart of Barcelona beats in La Boqueria. Or rather, that of the world. If there is a place where tradition and modernity, localism and exoticism coexist and intermingle perfectly, it is undoubtedly the Sant Josep-La Boqueria market. Here, the residents of Ciutat Vella, who do their regular shopping, coexist daily with the thousands of tourists who come fascinated by the echoes that qualify it as the best market in the world.
The earliest historical records date the presence of a street market in the current area of La Boqueria back to the 13th century. At that time, they were merchants from the outskirts of Barcelona who came down to the city to sell their products. The strong roots that this proto-market acquired among the local people over the centuries made it necessary to provide them with a permanent location, which was established in 1836 when the city council allocated the grounds of an old convent as the fixed site for the market, although it remained outdoors and the vendors had to erect canopies to protect themselves from the weather. It was not until 1913 that the Gaudí-inspired facade and the roof were built, giving the market the appearance it has retained to this day.
Whether it's for its modernist facade, its quality and local products, or the exoticism of some of its culinary offerings, La Boqueria leaves no one indifferent. Without losing its essence or its main functionality as a neighborhood market, this iconic place has known how to take advantage of its strategic location in the middle of Las Ramblas to capture the attention of tourists, becoming a must-visit stop in the main guides of our city.
Santa Caterina Market
Like insects to a flower. Thus hundreds of tourists flock to the Santa Caterina Market, observing from the esplanade of the Barcelona Cathedral a wavy and colorful roof. Their surprise is even greater when they discover that beneath those avant-garde shapes lies a traditional food market, where fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish complete the striking chromaticism of its exterior.
The current building dates back to 2005 and is a renovation of the old Santa Caterina market, which supplies one of Barcelona's most popular neighborhoods, El Born, on a daily basis. This market was the first covered market in Barcelona and was established in 1845 on the ruins of an old convent. The renovation was carried out by the prestigious architectural firm Miralles-Tagliabue, which designed a wavy structure inspired by Gaudi, colorful and eye-catching, intended to be seen from above. The roof merges with the market through wooden structures that add an avant-garde touch to a space as traditional as a food market.
Ninot Market
The Ninot Market was established in 1892 in an area that, at that time, belonged to the municipality of Les Corts before it became part of Barcelona. The market was originally named El Porvenir, as it was the first to open in that municipality and was meant to represent the future. However, over time it came to be known among the locals as the Ninot Market, because there was a tavern inside that displayed a “ninot”, which was nothing other than the figurehead of a brigantine from the port of Barcelona that was saved from being burned at the last minute when the ship was being dismantled.
That figure became so popular in the current Eixample that the popular name became official during the Second Republic (1931-1936) and, after the dictatorship, it remains so today. That Ninot can be visited today at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona.
The enormous success that the Mercat del Ninot once had in the Eixample district and its continuous adaptation to the needs of each era has led to the venue undergoing two major renovations. The first one took place in 1933, when it had already become a large shopping center that brought dynamism to the left side of Eixample. Already in the 21st century, a centennial venue like the Ninot was forced into a second major transformation. Thus, after a comprehensive reform that lasted five years, the new Mercat del Ninot was unveiled in 2015, featuring a new interior design, as well as amenities for shoppers, the installation of a supermarket, and the provision of free WiFi for visitors.
All these reforms have turned the Mercado del Ninot into a place where one can wander leisurely and enjoy the most authentic Barcelona through its stalls and shops while savoring its high-quality products at any of its tasting bars.
Sant Antoni Market
We are facing one of the greatest markets in Barcelona, as it is composed of three different markets: the food market, the clothing market, and the book market. It was inaugurated in 1882 by the then mayor Rius i Taulet and has been closed for 9 years due to a demanding rehabilitation process until its reopening in May 2018.
To understand the location of this market one must go back to the time of the Romans, when the area was one of the natural exits from Barcelona to the south. The Via Augusta passed through here, which over the centuries became the main road to Llobregat and the main road to Madrid. The convergence of carts and couriers gradually created a network of businesses and services such as hospitals and convents around it.
And so we arrived at the 19th century, when the exponential growth of Barcelona and its surroundings had created an open-air market in the area that provided provisions to everyone entering and leaving the city through its southern zone. Once the walls were torn down, Ildefons Cerdà proposed to erect a permanent structure that could house a market to support those that were within the city walls. In this way, the Sant Antoni Market was born, the first to be built outside the walls and which was inaugurated by the then mayor Rius i Taulet. Over time, taking advantage of the huge influx of people who came to the market, another one was created outside, where non-food products were sold, which led to the Encantes de Sant Antoni market. And the same path would be followed years later by booksellers and collectors, shaping the current Sant Antoni Sunday market.
Regarding the building, we are faced with a clear example of the iron architecture prevalent in that historical context. Its layout is different from other municipal markets as it creates a sort of Greek cross, with four large aisles converging in a grand central nave, topped by an octagonal dome or lantern, making it one of the most unique spaces in Barcelona, with modernist details that have earned it the classification as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest.
In 2009, the market began a profound transformation that lasted 9 years due to the discovery of archaeological remains that lead us back to Roman Barcino. Finally, it was inaugurated in May 2018, and since then has received about 20,000 visitors daily.
