"La Boqueria es de visita obligada porque es el mejor escaparate de materias primas de la ciudad [...]. Aquí se encuentra lo que no se encuentra en lugar alguno de Barcelona." ("You must visit La Boqueria because it is the best showcase of the city's [Barcelona's] raw materials. There you can find things you cannot find in any other place in Barcelona"). If Manuel Vázquez Montalbán wrote so, better trust him and not missing a visit to one of the most exciting places in Barcelona, the Mercat de la Boqueria.
And indeed, the creator of the well-known detective Pepe Carvalho was quite right about what he said of La Boqueria (not by chance, as in his books he shows a knowledge of Barcelona and anything related to food and eating in the city). After a tour for the marketplace, which turned out to be a very interesting experience, I can confirm it myself.
Looking out onto the Rambla, within walking distance from Plaza de Catalunya or the Cathedral, the marketplace is located in the heart of the city centre. Though according to the line of demarcation of the city it would be correct to situate it in the district of El Raval, it is probably more accurate to say that La Boqueria is a world of his own, a magical corner where all the souls of the city meet or just brush one with the other for a moment.
Turning away from the chaotic hustle and bustle of the Rambla, the visitor may enter La Boqueria hoping to find an oasis of peace offering shelter. As a matter of fact, the concentration of human beings is even higher than outside, with hundreds (or maybe thousands) of people coming and going along the narrow ways between the stalls. Though the visitor has to fight his way in the crowd, his eye will be caught by a myriad of colours, belonging to a variety of products of any sorts and shapes.
The colourful fruit stalls will be a joy for the eye, with bunches of bananas hanging and fresh grapes looking tempting at you from their boxes. Not less interesting will be the vegetables sections, boasting an incredible exposition of mushrooms of all sorts, followed at short distance by multicoloured clusters of chilli pepper, which despite being a pleasure for the eye would not probably be so good for your stomach. However, the heart of the market is devoted to some of the most typical products of Catalonia: cured meats, cheese and fish. The latter is brought twice a day from the harbour area, assuring therefore the freshness of the products. If you have not had your fill yet, there is much left to be seen: stalls offering an unbelievable variety of eggs, olives prepared in several different ways, not to mention the delicious sweets stalls which will be a hard trial for your diet.
However, it is important to remember that La Boqueria, rather than an attraction for tourists, is a real working place for hundreds of people. You will probably hear some salesmen complaining about tourists who mess up their work, clustering in front of the stalls and finally going away without buying anything. Therefore, it would be a good idea not leaving the market without having bought something. Personally, I opted for a fresh fruit salad, but you can count on such a variety of products that it will not be difficult to find something to your taste.
At any rate, you will not be the only customer in the market: some of the most famous and eminent restaurants in Barcelona have their products bought there, as a confirmation of the very good quality of the raw materials. And on the other hand, it is also the place where common people go for their grocery shopping: it is not unusual to see elderly ladies slowly plodding among the stalls with their trolleys, carefully looking for the right thing to buy.
Borrowing again the words of Vazquez Montalbán, "La Boqueria no sólo es el mercado total, sino también un itinerario humano en el que vendedores y compradores posan para la retina del mirón que les sorprende en los mejores gestos, en las mejores interpretaciones de vendedores y compradores" ("La Boqueria is not only a total marketplace, but also a human itinerary in which sellers and customers pose for the eye of the onlooker, who catches them in their best performance of salespersons and customers").