• Everyday Life
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Beverages
    • Breads and Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Cookies
    • Desserts
      • Cheesecake
    • Salad Dressings
    • Seasonings and Sauces
    • Soups and Stews
    • Vegetables
  • The Journey Girl Travels
  • Life in Germany
  • More Categories
    • Memories

The Journey Girl

CATEGORIES         COOKBOOK         CONTACT ME

La Boqueria! One Of My Top 3 Places To Visit In Barcelona, Spain

March 20, 2016 by Karen Giebel Leave a Comment

It’s never an easy task deciding where to go and what to see when you’re a tourist in a new city, but after 4 days of non stop touring, I narrowed it down to 3 essential “do not miss or you’ll regret it stops.”  One involves the heart and soul. Another speaks to the basic human need for sustenance, but with beauty, and lastly, but certainly not least speaks to our need for rest and relaxation.

Today, I give you my 3rd place choice,The Mercado de La Boqueria or La Boqueria for short. An amazing out-door Marketplace that rivals any other in Europe and can stand its own against Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market. Located in the Ciutat Vella area of the city, an area bustling with activity and full of people, it’s easily accessible from the Underground Metro. You exit the subway, pop up to the top and it’s right in front of you!

La Boqueria

The Market has been around for a while, a few hundred years in fact! It was first documented in the year 1217 and it has continued to exist in some fashion since that time. The first modern structure was completed in 1853 and the current metal roof has been in place since 1914. La Boqueria is open 6 days a week and there are not too many times that it’s not full of shoppers and tourists alike.

The street the Market is located on is in the old city where narrow lanes are the norm and shoppers can find some ahem….unique stores and well…other things. For instance this Ham Museum. That’s right, a museum devoted to the infamous delicacy, Iberian Ham!

Ham Museum - Copy

And then if you look to the left of the Ham Museum there is this rather umm….different museum that I’m sure attracts a few takers as well. Europe has a much more relaxed take on “things of this nature,” than Americans do.

Erotic Museum

But what to my wondering eyes should appear than this absolutely wonderful, amazing site that is located to the immediate left of the Market. YES!!! A vision of loveliness from home. Dunkin!

Dunkin - Copy - Copy

Now that I’ve given you all these visual landmarks, let’s take a deep breath and plunge into the incredibly fun, exciting and mouth watering  La Boqueria!

Vendor after vendor showing the world famous Iberian Hams and spicy sausages. These hams are dry cured and very pricey indeed! They bear no resemblance to ham as Americans know it. Paper thin slices are shaved off the ham and served alone or with bread, cheese and olive. One of these hanging hams would probably have 300 hundred servings.The aromas from the hams and sausages fill the Market air. There must be 20 Ham vendors in the La Boqueria. Those little packages for sale contain mere ounces of ham.

Iberia Ham

And it is the Easter season all over the world and Spain is no exception. Easter is widely celebrated as the most Holy Day of the year in Spain. And just like in the USA, candy and sweets are a big part of the celebration. Chocolate bunnies, eggs and chicks are very popular. And apparently shoes are too!

Candyland! - Copy - Copy

If there are 20 Ham vendors at the Market then there are 30 Fish Mongers selling a huge variety of fish and seafood. Some of which…well, may be a lot of which, I had never entertained eating before. This vendor sells a huge variety of Mollusks. I adore clams, mussels and oysters and wish I could have bought a bunch to take home and cook.

Mollusks

Then this vendor had the largest and freshest looking Langostinos! Such mouth watering delight! A staple in Paella, but not so commonly known in the USA, they are marvelous.

Langostinos!

In the “I never thought of eating that” category, are the live Barnacles. Huh…and I thought barnacles were just something you scrapped off the hull of your boat!

Live Barnacles

Dorado is a type of fish very commonly eaten in Spain. Also know as Sea Bream, they are often grilled and served whole.

More fish

Welllll….after a quick photo of these guys, I just kept walking! Just look at those teeth, will ya?

Rope Fish

And then there is the ever popular no matter where you are in the world, Salt Fish! In Spain, it is Bacalao.

Salt Fish

But Fish and ham are not the only wares for sale. Fresh vegetables so wonderful looking that I just wanted to snatch one up and take a bite. Look at these gorgeous shiny peppers!

peppers2

Did I mention the Funky Chicken? Well, here they are, 2 darling dancing chicks holding court over Ostrich and Emu eggs! Duck, Goose and Chicken are also available. And no, I was not tempted to buy an Emu egg!

Eggs - Copy - Copy

The Meat Butchers are also well represented. Cut to order beef, lamb and goat. Lots of goat. Skewered meats like kabobs are popular in Spain.

Meat

Strawberries are in Season in Spain and they are shipped all over Europe. Huge, sweet, juicy and full of flavor. Dan and I went through a whole box. Fruit vendors are also present and several had fresh juices by the glass. My strawberry coconut was delicious and thirst quenching.

Juice Stand

Several vendors had paper cups full of Iberian Ham or Sausages for sale that shoppers could snack on while walking the aisles. I can vouch for how wonderful they were!

Sausage Cups

And Tapas bars were very well represented! Simple counters with bar stools for seating, you pulled up a seat and ordered your small plates until your appetite was sated. There were very few empty seats anywhere. These photo shows a Seadfood/ Fish Tapas Bar menu. It all looked good until I saw the “Fried White Bait.” I think something was missing in the translation. I hope………….

Tapas Bar

Dried peppers or “Paprika,”Garlic, Onions, Olives of all kinds, Wines and Olive Oil. Plus a bakery or 4 completed this awesome La Boqueria Market!

Garlic peppers - Copy

I hope you enjoyed our visit to the Market today. I sure enjoyed sharing this wonderful grand experience with you my friends! Can’t wait to share my #2 choice of things not to miss in Barcelona with you.

If you enjoyed this visit, please go to my website, www.thejourneygirl.com and leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by today. Journey on!

Karen, TJG

www.thejourneygirl.com

Share this:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Print
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: The Journey Girl Travels Tagged With: buy, food, historic, Market, Meat, seafood, Shop, vegetables

« Tapas with Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions
La Sagrada Familia, One Of My Top 3 Places To Visit In Barcelona, Spain »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Nice to meet you

Karen Giebel, the Journey GirlHello and "WELCOME" to the Journey Girl! I'm Karen, a happy, optimistic retired RN living out my dreams with my husband Dan up here in the back of the beyond in Ferry County, Washington. High up in the mountains just 20 miles from the border with British Columbia, Canada. I enjoy writing and sharing with my friends all about our lives raising Alpacas, growing our gardens, all the gorgeous birds and wildlife that surround us. Sharing stories of our daily lives as we travel this journey through life. Cooking is my passion and I solve all the world's problem while standing at my stove and I love sharing my recipes with you. I am glad you are all here with me today and every day. Journey on!

What’s New?

Journey Girl Cooks Cookbook page link button

Let’s Get Social

  • Facebook

Get Blog Updates

Categories

  • Back of the Beyond in Ferry County, Washington (40)
  • Everyday Life (51)
  • Life in Germany (21)
  • Memories (5)
  • Pickles (3)
  • Recipes (226)
    • Appetizers & Snacks (26)
    • Beverages (7)
    • Breads and Baking (28)
    • Breakfast (27)
    • Cookies (9)
    • Dairy and cheese (3)
    • Desserts (23)
      • Cakes (7)
      • Cheesecake (2)
    • Jams and Jellies (1)
    • Main Dishes (23)
    • Pickles (4)
    • Rice (3)
    • Salad Dressings (10)
    • Salads (10)
    • Seasonings and Sauces (11)
    • Soups and Stews (22)
    • Vegetables (15)
  • Side Dishes (29)
  • Soups and Stews (5)
  • The Journey Girl Travels (72)
  • Washington (8)

Copyright © 2023 The Journey Girl · Privacy Policy · Website by:Web Radish