Discover Spain’s best food markets

There’s a growing global trend for food tourism with travellers increasingly driven towards destinations for the culinary experiences. Spain is a top choice in Europe, renowned for its full flavours, inventive use of seafood, speciality cheese and wines and community culture around meals.

As well as trying tapas during evening drinks and visiting vineyards and farms, one of the best things to do on a gastronomic tour of Spain is to go to a local food market. There you’ll be able to sample unique regional delicacies and the freshest produce while picking up ingredients for your cooking.

Explore five of the best food markets across Spain to add to your itinerary:

1. La Boqueria, Barcelona

La Boqueria, located on Barcelona’s famous La Rambla, is the most iconic food market in Spain. Dating back to the 13th century, this historic landmark remains a bustling meeting place with a sensory overload of colours, smells, and sounds. Try to arrive early in the day to avoid to crowds and experience the lively set-up.

Visitors can find everything from fresh seafood and meats to exotic fruits, cheeses and spices. The highlights are the traditional Catalan delicacies, including jamón ibérico, botifarra sausage and the locally famous panellets.

2. Mercado de San Miguel, Madrid

Mercado de San Miguel near Madrid’s Plaza Mayor is a beautifully restored iron-structured market that has become a hotspot for gourmet gastronomy. Here you can get refined dishes which blend classic flavours with contemporary culinary techniques.

Indulge in top-end tapas: this will be croquetas and tortilla española as you’ve never tasted before, served with small glasses of Spanish wine or sherry. This market is particularly lively in the evening, a great place to fuel up and mingle with locals and fellow travellers before heading out on the town.

3. Mercado de Atarazanas, Málaga

In the heart of Málaga, one of Spain’s most beautiful beach towns, the Mercado de Atarazanas combines history with gastronomy. Housed in a 19th-century building that once served as a Moorish shipyard, this market is a treasure trove of Andalusian flavours with a strong emphasis on local produce and seafood.

If you’re staying in one of the beautiful beach villas on Spain’s south coast, take the opportunity to cook some regional dishes using fresh food from the market and top tips from the vendors. Local specialities like boquerones (anchovies), gazpacho and jamón serrano will result in tasty meals with flavours to suit your seaside setting.

4. Mercado Central, Valencia

Housed in a stunning modernist building typical of Valencia’s striking architecture, Mercado Central is one of Europe’s largest and oldest food markets. It truly is a mecca for foodies and a paradisical experience with over 1,000 stalls selling a vast array of fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood and freshly prepared traditional dishes with a twist.

The traditional Valencian paella is a must-try, a dish that has become synonymous with Spanish cuisine worldwide. Visitors should also try horchata, a refreshing drink made from tiger nuts which is particularly popular with locals. The market’s stained-glass windows and intricate tile work provide a stunning setting for the experience.