Mercat del Ninot

Not far from the Plaza de Catalunya, but hidden enough to be off the tourist trail, the Mercat del Ninot is a popular market for Catalans who do their daily shopping here. If you are visiting Casa Batlló or Casa Milà La Pedrera, you should know that you are only a 15 minute walk away from this picturesque, popular and local market, which is the opposite of the atmosphere of the Boqueria Market, the star of Barcelona's markets ;-).

The Ninot market in Barcelona: One of our favourite food markets!

The market is very large and offers no less than 48 food stalls and 33 non-food stalls such as men's and women's fashion shops, jewellery shops, book shops and even a haberdashery...

Unsurprisingly, it is absolutely fresh: vegetables, fruit, fish, meat and of course no less than eight charcuterie shops (including some very good Jabugo stands).

Our advice: To recover your strength, there are 12 tapas bars and restaurants, one of which we particularly like and recommend "El Ninot Cuina ".  

The name Mercat del Ninot in Barcelona has its originsin a historical event related to a statue of a child (in Catalan, "ninot"). In the 19th century, there was a sculpture of a child playing the flute in the park adjacent to the current market site. This statue was popular with the people of Barcelona and became a symbol of the neighbourhood. However, in 1931, a fire broke out in the park and almost completely destroyed the statue of the child. Because of the affection that people had for the sculpture, the inhabitants of the neighbourhood decided to name the market built on the site of the park "Mercat del Ninot". Thus, the market was named after the statue of the child that was lost in the fire.

Mercat del Ninot - Barcelona

The Mercat del Ninot has recently been renovated to modernise its facilities and improve the visitor experience. The renovation work began in 2009 and was completed in 2015. The architectural firms MAP Arquitectes and Mur Geganté Arquitectes, led by Josep Lluís Mateo, oversaw the transformation of the market while respecting the original architecture of the building, which dates back to 1892. The main objectives of the renovation were to reinforce the market's structure, modernise the electrical installations, redesign the interior spaces to optimise the use of the space and create a welcoming atmosphere for visitors. The renovation work preserved the traditional character of the market while introducing contemporary elements.

Today, the Mercat del Ninot offers modern facilities, quality stalls and a variety of fresh produce in a renovated and attractive setting.

Our advice: To recover your strength, there are 12 tapas bars and restaurants, one of which we particularly like and recommend "EL Ninot Cuina".