Barcelona has one of the great markets of the world in La Boqueria. La Ribera and El Ravel are only a short walk away from the Ramblas. If you are looking for a taste of Spain, The Poble Espanyol is well worth a visit. It should be corny, but this series of Spamish villages, squares and architectural styles does seem to work.
La Boqueria market
Officially it’s called the Mercat Sant Josep but is known universally as La Boqueria, the city’s best-known produce market. It’s a fascinating place. Here you see, and understand, what makes Mediterranean life so vibrant as enthusiastic traders shout their wares and knowledgeable shoppers buy their daily food.
The hams, an amazing variety of fish and shell fish, superb vegetables, herbs and fruit, the noise and sheer atmosphere, will have food fans licking their lips and considering a permanent move to Barcelona.
It’s also a great place to eat. The Garduna restaurant for lunch, perhaps, or the numerous stand-up snack bars such as the Bar Central La Boqueria.
La Ribera and Picasso Museum
East of the Barri Gotic is the more modern area of La Ribera, home to the Museu Picasso. The artist lived in Barcelona from the age of 14 to 23 and the museum includes much of his early work such as his art school studies and painting from his Toulouse-Lautrec influenced period.
There are gaps, which will disappoint some, but there are works from his Blue and Pink Periods as well as Cubist and Neoclassical works. The museum opened in 1963 and is housed in specially converted medieval palaces, an attraction in their own right.
El Ravel
West of the Ramblas lies El Ravel, a once seedy area that housed a notorious red light district - the Barri Xines - but is now being modernized. The main attraction is the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), largely collections of art from 1945, all in a huge, white building. It’s located west of the northern end of the Ramblas.
Further south, just off the Ramblas, is the Palau Guell, one of Gaudi’s early works and a remarkable example that shows off his use of tiles, arches and twisted chimneys. You have to join a guided tour to see the interior. The tours are in English.
Poble Espanyol
Not strictly a museum, but a fascinating look at Spanish life and architecture on a grand scale. On Montjuïc, and so much better than it sounds, it consists of streets, squares, buildings, workshops, all typical of the regions of Spain.
Its main square is lined with cafes, there are restaurants and you can see numerous artisans at work including glass making, weaving, pottery and engraving.
It claims ‘Get to know Spain in one hour’ – in reality, you’ll be happy to spend longer here in a giant exhibit that was built back in 1929. It opens at 9am every day, so it's ideal on Mondays when so many other museums are closed.
The Olympics
The 1992 Olympics, which played a huge part in the renaissance of the city, were based on Montjuic with the main stadium – now home to the Espanyol football club – the Sports University, swimming pool and sports complex, plus the 17,000 seater Palau Sant Jordi.
Curiously, there had been an earlier ‘Olympics’ planned for the area. The ‘People’s Olympics’ were scheduled for 1936 as an alternative to the Nazi-run Berlin Olympics, but the Spanish Civil War broke out the day before the scheduled start and prompted their cancellation.
Bouqueria market
Market stall
Port architecture
Street art
