Gracia Neighborhood Food & Market Tour

TOUR SNAPSHOT

Barcelona is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Spain—but places like Gracia still exist. This neighborhood, just a stone's throw from the bustling center, feels a world away. That's because it used to be its own village, and has held onto those roots. For the true Catalan experience of mom’s cooking holes-in-the-wall and regulars-only bodegas, you can't do any better than Gracia.

STOP-BY-STOP

Just north of Eixample, a charming Catalan neighborhood is hiding in plain sight. A straight shot on the metro's line 3 will you get there from the heart of the center before you know it, but you'll feel like you've stepped back in time. After meeting your guide, you'll embark on a morning of discovering true Catalan culture the best way possible: through its food!

Our first stop is the neighborhood’s favorite hot chocolate, Catalan-style, and a homemade pastry that's perfect for dipping. It's all served in a local institution that's a kind of business unique to Barcelona.

Now it's time to embrace the Catalan tradition of second breakfast. On the menu? A bubbly glass of cava and a regional sandwich at a Gracia bar that embodies the tight-knight family feel of the neighborhood.

Next you'll visit a deli that specializes in Spain’s greatest delicacy: jamón! Watch as it's sliced right before your eyes by a master carver and then enjoy melt-in-your-mouth Iberian ham.

From here, we'll forget about the Boqueria and instead go to a true Catalan market. Neither overrun by tourists nor full of gourmet restaurants, this is where locals still go to shop. While learning about Barcelona's traditional market culture, we'll visit two market stalls to sample cheeses and olives.

Up next is a visit to one of Barcelona's few remaining family-run pastry shops—open since 1919!—where you’ll enjoy a warm drink and a Catalan pastry created almost a century ago.

Now it’s time to visit a traditional shop specializing in home-cooked Catalan food! Imagine if your grandma offered prepared meals for the whole neighborhood, and you'll get the idea. Here you’ll taste a couple of Catalan essentials: a roasted vegetable salad called escalivada and a hearty meatball and chickpea stew.

Finally, we'll practice the art of the aperitif with a glass of vermouth at a bodega. When you walk through the doors, you'll be transported to the Barcelona of last century—this bodega opened in 1939, and little has changed since then. The stop wouldn’t be complete without a few favorite bar snacks, so you’ll also taste locally-cured sausage and homemade chips.

By the end of the morning, you will have gone back to Barcelona's roots and experienced the city's most traditional food in a truly local way.

And as with all Devour Barcelona tours, you'll receive our Devouring Barcelona guide. Packed with all our favorite places to eat and drink in the city, put down your guidebook and get ready to experience Barcelona like a local!