Sants-Montjuïc

The market stands in the middle of this bustling shopping street of the Sants neighbourhood, and was built during the city's major population boom to provide foodstuffs for the people who had moved to this factory district. It retains a traditional flavour which can still be glimpsed when you shop there or take a stroll between its stalls.

Hostafrancs Market, on Carrer de la Creu Coberta, is the oldest in the district and one of Barcelona's century-old food markets. It opened in 1888, as the rapid growth in the population made it necessary to find premises for the many street sellers in the area who sold provisions to the working-class families from the neighbourhood. The building replicates the classic form of the markets of the period, with a metal structure and brick walls enclosing a spacious interior with three aisles. Once inside, you gain a glimpse of the life and trading tradition of the Sants-Montjuïc district, among the stalls where you can buy anything you want.