12 May The Boqueria Market: a must if you stay in a holiday apartment in Barcelona

At Lodging Management, we know how to manage a holiday apartment in Barcelona and ensure that your stay in the city is unforgettable. It’s not for nothing that our services have gotten top ratings on portals like Airbnb and Booking, confirming the benefits of our more than 15 years of experience. There’s no doubt that besides our professionalism and attention to detail, there’s another important factor: the broad range of attractions in the privileged city of Barcelona, including its mild climate and unparalleled cultural and tourism attractions. Among the many places you should visit, today we recommend one of the greats: the Boqueria Market.

Once you’ve settled into your holiday apartment in Barcelona, your first objective will likely be to get out and visit the monuments and restaurants that have made this town so famous. But sometimes what you need is to breathe in the culture, feel like a resident, and live by local customs. To this end, what could be better than going to the market, buying fresh products, and preparing a wonderful local recipe in the kitchen of your holiday apartment? If this sounds good, don’t miss this fascinating market to which thousands of Barcelona residents throng every day, not only to buy produce, but also to marvel at the beauty of the building itself.

The Boqueria Market is considered one of the top in the world for its surroundings, size, the variety of products on offer, and its undeniable aesthetic charms. Situated on the grounds of the former San José Convent (from which it derives its alternate name, the San José Market), it was built in the middle of the XIX century after a major fire in the temple. The location was prime: at the foot of Las Ramblas, in the very centre of Barcelona. A short while later, merchants initiated the custom of gifting buyers with a flower, and these were the origins of the famous florists that line the Ramblas all the way up to Plaza Catalunya, which have become an attraction in themselves.

The Boqueria is a fine example of Modernist architecture. Its portal, inspired by Gaudí, was designed in 1913 by architect Antoni de Falguera. It includes blue stained glass and yellow circles, with the crest of the city in the centre, and branches out into an enormous iron structure – the market itself – that encompasses five identical sections with a total surface area of more than six hectares. Wander, mix with the locals and marvel at the myriad of stalls featuring local and exotic products, and even animals and plants.

So if you’re enjoying your holiday apartment in Barcelona and one fine day you decide to prepare a good Catalan dish like escalivada, empedrat, or coca de recapte, or even find yourself a bit homesick, head to the Boqueria. There are numerous establishments that offer prepared food from near and far, perfect for tasting and eating on the premises, or carrying back to your apartment to savour them slowly, surrounded by the comforts that Lodging Management’s tourism apartments always offer. What could be better?