If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you already know that I took off for sunny Barcelona last weekend… The truth is, it was a bit of a “get-up-and-go” sort of trip, with very little planning involved: all we knew is that we needed to get some sun, and loads and loads of tapas (obviously).

So we booked tickets, settled on staying with great Airbnb hosts and pinned a few things on a brand new Barcelona board before jumping in a plane! We arrived rather late on Friday evening and went -almost- straight to bed (after a few croquetas, because we have very clear priorities in life!!).

In true Spanish fashion, we woke up late and (see above priorities) headed to the world-famous Boqueria market for a taste of the best food the city has to offer!

We grabed juice (each cup was 1€, so we might have had several…) and wandered along the stalls, oh-ing and ah-ing and pointing fingers. My mum would certainly not approve of such a behaviour, but everything was looking so fresh, colourful and incredible that I couldn’t help myself. Meat, fish, veggies, La Boqueria is like heaven for any foodies and I just wanted to take it all in. So that’s what I did, happy-snappy style!Dreaming up a little barbecue right there! Some of the most beautiful fish I’ve ever seen…As well as some of the scariest one!Obligatory chorizo, ham and salsichon… Olives wherever you looked… Creative egg displays… Fragrant spices… La Boqueria really has it all! And then there’s the fruit… Piles upon piles of fruit! And then some more! I could happily have gone for a full box of those beauties for lunch, but we thought loading up on more croquetas was a good idea, so we headed to Bar Boqueria, one of the tapas counters nestled inside the market itself.

If you happen to see an empty seat, JUMP on it! The small counter is so popular that you might have to wait for a bit, but don’t be afraid to settle in by yourself as soon as you get an opportunity!

Then you can indulge in some menu-reading with a side of serious plancha-cooking action!! Those guys are incredibly quick, so before you know it, you’ll be presented with all the delicious treats you’ve picked!
Jamon croquetas are obviously a must-have. We also threw in a plate of grilled red peppers… you know, for the vitamins! And some zucchini tortilla too! Plus obligatory patatas bravas!

I loved the Boqueria Market and its atmosphere. So much that I had to be dragued out to go and explore the city…

And this only worked because 1. a walk seemed like a great way to digest this first round of tapas before we went for more. 2. I knew there was also terrific ice cream to be had later that day (best ice cream I’ve ever had. Coming soon on the blog, stay tuned!) 3. I was promised we’d go back before the end of the weekend!

Mercat de la Boqueria, La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, Mon-Sat, 8:00-5:00