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Constant bustle at the main entrance to the Boqueria market, located
on la Rambla street. Unknown delights await inside!
An eye-catching stall specializing in "Jamón Ibérico".
Be sure to try some during your visit: you won't be sorry!
Freshly squeezed and chilled juice tempt from a fruit stall. Oranges,
papaya and kiwi are in season.
A shopper takes advantage of some great deals on fresh tomatoes at the
farmers’ market
A pigeon leaves the shelter of one of the Boqueria market`s two arcades
and its majestic columns.
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Images and Text by Gaston
Magrinat. Click on any image for a larger version.
Built on a site where an open-air market has existed since the 13th
century, just off of la Rambla street, the world-famous Boqueria market
is surely Barcelona’s greatest food market. From the fifteenth
century this area saw the gradual building of the Raval district, lying
west of Barcelona just outside the walls, between town and country.
It was the logical place for the local farmers, with their harvests
in tow, to meet and offer their produce to the city’s hungry residents.
Even after the demolition of the old city wall in 1854-56 and the gradual
incorporation of the area into Barcelona, the market did not move to
the new edge of the city, but has stubbornly remained in what is now
the heart of the Old City.
Today the Boqueria market is the largest, most competitive and most
comprehensive of Barcelona’s food markets, offering the freshest
produce, and its privileged location is an important meeting place.
One could easily spend an entire afternoon strolling under its enormous
iron roof amongst its varied and well-stocked stalls, especially during
the fall harvests. This is where you will find strawberries long after
they disappear elsewhere, the freshest seafood, tropical fruit, sausages
and Iberian ham, countless cheeses, meats, dried fruits, nuts, sweets
with hidden delights, bread and pastries, the freshest vegetables and
just about anything that you might or might not be looking for.
The stalls are a visual and sensual feast in themselves. Fruit is displayed
in a fantastic mix of flair and colour, with a visual appeal that makes
it difficult to resist stopping for a ripe peach, some fresh juice or
a bowl of fruit salad at each one. Rows of Iberian cured hams hang from
stainless iron hooks alongside a huge assortment of sausages. The buzz
of the crowd is punctuated by the shouts of vendors announcing the day’s
special.
The crowd is a mix of fascinated visitors in search of a snack, and
local shoppers buying the day’s ingredients. There are many places
to stop for a snack, a beer or a cup of coffee. Dotted throughout the
market are small, intimate bars, - just a few barstools and a counter
- where each day’s menu offers the freshest of the fresh. Under
the iron canopy of the Boqueria market there is something for everyone.
Back to the Top!
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Shoppers making their way down one of the Boqueria market's aisles with
its many colorful and well stocked stalls.
Fresh "merluza" ready to be turned into a mouth-watering meal.
The variety of seafood is amazing.
For those with a sweet tooth there is a vast array to choose from. This
stall is a vivid rainbow of sweet treats.
The Boqueria market has some of the best places to satisfy your hunger.
All ingredients are as fresh as the morning sun.
The outline of the iron roof of the Boqueria market against the backdrop
of the autumn sky.
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