Mercat de la Boqueria
The city's most famous market, just off the Rambla: stalls of fruit, ham, fish and bar counters for tapas. Crowded but authentic if you go early in the morning.
Other places in Barcelona
Sagrada Família
monumentoGaudí's unfinished basilica, under construction since 1882 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its forest of columns and coloured stained glass is a unique experience; book your ticket in advance.
Park Güell
parqueGaudí's modernista park on the Carmel hill, with the wavy trencadís-tiled bench terrace and views over the whole city. The monumental area has timed, capacity-limited tickets.
Casa Batlló
monumentoGaudí's most fantastical house on Passeig de Gràcia, with its bone-and-scale façade and a roof evoking the dragon of Saint George. A jewel of modernisme in the heart of the Eixample.
Barri Gòtic
barrioThe medieval heart of the Ciutat Vella: stone alleys, the cathedral, remains of the Roman wall and hidden squares. The best place to get lost on foot in Barcelona.
Montjuïc
miradorThe hill above the harbour, with its castle, gardens, the MNAC museum, the 1992 Olympic legacy and the Magic Fountain. The best lookout over the skyline and the sea at sunset.
La Barceloneta
playaThe old fishermen's quarter and its urban beach, the most central in the city. A seafront promenade, beach bars and rice dishes facing the Mediterranean, minutes from the Gothic Quarter.