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Sign in with GoogleMercado de Sants – Modernist Brick Food Market in Barcelona
Mercado de Sants, a century‑old modernist brick market with cathedral‑like naves, fresh produce stalls, and a Mercadona supermarket
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About Sants Food Market
Started as an open-air market during the middle of the 19th century, construction of the current covered market began in 1892 with its inauguration in 1913.
The building is a modernist brick structure designed by architect Falqués i Urpí. Its layout recalls a cathedral, with a central nave flanked by two lower side naves. Decorative pillars, green tiled inlays, and wrought iron roofing supported by brick columns give the market a distinctive architectural character that blends functionality with artistry.
Inside, the soaring nave roof creates a light-filled, spacious environment reminiscent of a church interior, while the exterior brickwork anchors the building firmly in Barcelona’s modernist tradition. This combination of modernist architecture and cathedral-like design makes Mercado de Sants one of the most visually striking food markets in the city.
Compared to Barcelona’s most famous market, La Boqueria on Las Ramblas, Mercado de Sants feels like a palace of fresh food — spacious, authentic, and community-driven — whereas La Boqueria has become more of a tourist shed, crowded with over tourism and less focused on everyday shopping.
Beyond its architecture, the market is celebrated for its fresh produce stalls, offering seasonal fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood sourced from local suppliers. It remains a hub of daily life in the Sants neighbourhood, where residents shop for quality ingredients in a setting that connects heritage with modern convenience.
Image Gallery For Sants Food Market
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Visiting Sants Food Market
Mercado de Sants was fully refurbished between 2010 and 2014, blending its century-old modernist architecture with modern facilities. Today, the market covers 4,863 square metres, of which 2,582 square metres are dedicated to stalls offering fresh produce, meats, seafood, and baked goods. The interior retains its cathedral-like nave atmosphere, with high ceilings and wrought iron beams creating a spacious, light-filled environment.
Walking through the market is a sensory experience: the aroma of freshly baked bread, the vibrant colours of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and the lively calls of vendors create an atmosphere that feels both traditional and welcoming. Depending on the season, visitors will find local specialties such as calçots in winter and cherries in spring.
One highlight is a stall dedicated to traditional Catalan dishes, batch-cooked daily and sold in generous portions to eat at the bar or take away. Popular options include canalones (meat-filled pasta baked in cheese sauce), espinacs amb panses (steamed spinach with raisins), seafood classics such as paella and other shells and scales dishes, patatas a la pobre (slow-cooked potatoes with onions and peppers), and hearty rice and meat dishes. These meals are both delicious and affordable, making the market a great place to taste authentic Catalan home-style cooking.
The market sits within a pedestrianised square surrounded by independent shops and cafés, making it a lively hub for the Sants neighbourhood. It’s common to see locals meeting for coffee after shopping or stopping by nearby bakeries, reinforcing the market’s role as a community gathering place.
Alongside the traditional stalls, the market also houses a large two-floor Mercadona supermarket, ensuring convenience for residents while preserving the authentic atmosphere of a community food market.
Sants Food Market Opening Hours
- Monday: 08:30h to 15:00h
- Tuesday to Wednesday: 08:30h to 20:00h
- Saturday: 08:30h to 15:00h
- Mercadona Supermarket: 09:00h to 21:00h Monday to Saturday
Accessibility & What to take to Sants Food Market
Mercado de Sants is designed with step-free access from the street, ensuring smooth entry for visitors with wheelchairs, strollers, or mobility aids. Inside, the market floor is level throughout, with wide aisles that make navigation easy even during busy hours.
The adjoining Mercadona supermarket includes an elevator to the basement level, providing full accessibility for all shoppers. Clear signage and modern facilities added during the 2010–2014 refurbishment further enhance the visitor experience.
Outside, the market sits in a pedestrianised square with bicycle anchorage points located behind the building on Carrer Daoiz i Velarde. This makes it convenient for cyclists and ensures a safe, traffic-free environment around the market.
Visitors will find the neighbourhood welcoming and secure — this is not an area that suffers from pickpockets, unlike more tourist-heavy parts of Barcelona. Still, it’s wise to bring only essentials and keep belongings close.
What to bring: reusable shopping bags for fresh produce, a small backpack for prepared Catalan dishes, and cash or card for stall purchases. Comfortable shoes are recommended, as you may want to explore the surrounding shops and cafés in the pedestrian square after your market visit.
Sants Food Market Summary of Prices
Train/Bus Fare
Entry Ticket
Additional Information
Train/Bus Fare
Entry Ticket
Additional Information
Adult
Zone 1 T-casual
FREE
Child
€ 1.25
FREE
Group/Family Ticket?
No.
Notes
Market Days: Monday 08:30-15:00h, Tuesday to Friday 08:30-20:00h, Saturday 08:30-15:00h
Getting to Sants Food Market
Address: Carrer de Sant Jordi 6, Barcelona, 08028
Mercado de Sants is located in the heart of the Sants neighbourhood, easily accessible by public transport. The market sits in a pedestrianised square, making arrival on foot safe and pleasant.
Metro: The closest station is Mercat Nou on the red (L1) line, just a short walk from the market. Alternatively, Plaza de Sants station connects both the red (L1) and blue (L5) lines, offering more flexibility for visitors coming from different parts of the city.
Bus: Several TMB bus routes stop nearby along Avenida de Madrid and Carrer de Sants, including H10, V5, 50, 70, 91, and 115. These provide direct connections to other neighbourhoods and central Barcelona.
Train: The market is within walking distance of Sants Estació, Barcelona’s main railway hub, making it convenient for visitors arriving by regional or long-distance trains.
Tickets: Use a T-Casual card for single journeys or consider the Hola Barcelona travel card for unlimited travel during your stay.