Cooking Class & Boqueria Market Visit, Barcelona

5.0 (11 reviews)
Join a local chef at the Mercat de la Boqueria to source ingredients for your cooking class, which features four courses and wine.
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J
Jane K.
Aug 15, 2024
The tour of the Boqueria Market was very brief and it was difficult to hear with all the noise. We did not really spend much time... Read more
Graciela
Graciela S.
Jun 25, 2024
Loved it!
Lisa
Lisa M.
Jun 02, 2024
This experience was perfect, starting with the market, actually preparing the feast, and the best of all, eating the feast!!!
A
Amber B.
Oct 23, 2023
If you like great food and learning about the Spanish culture and cuisine, this is what you need to sign up for. Our chef and guide... Read more
J
James H.
Oct 05, 2023
Great experience and would highly recommend. Information about shopping in these markets was invaluable. Only disappointment was not receiving the recipes that the chef promised.
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Overview

Discover the techniques behind traditional Spanish cuisine with a cooking class under the instruction of a professional chef. You'll start by visiting Barcelona's biggest and most important market: Mercat de la Boqueria. Your guide will lead you through the stalls where you can try a few items, learn about culinary traditions, select ingredients for your course, and purchase any artisanal goods you'd like to take home with you. Then, you'll head to a local kitchen for your cooking class, learning how to prepare four courses, including a classic paella dish.

Highlights

  • Enjoy a guided visit to La Boqueria, Barcelona's famous market
  • Meet with vendors and locals selling produce and other artisanal goods
  • Help the chef pick out the ingredients needed for your cooking class
  • Learn how to prepare and cook traditional paella, plus three additional dishes
  • Sip Rioja and Galician wines as you enjoy your meal

Know before you go

Duration
4 hours
Recommended for
All ages
Group
Small group, 12 people or less
Food & Drink
Lunch Included

What you'll do

A country's gastronomy says a lot about its culture, which is why this market visit and cooking class lets you dive deep into authentic Spanish cuisine and culinary traditions. Combine a visit to Barcelona's most famous and popular market with learning how to prepare and cook four dishes with a professional chef. In the end, while enjoying your meal, you'll better understand Spanish gastronomy and culture—and have a new skill to show off!

The activity starts by visiting Mercat de la Boqueria to source your ingredients for your lunch, meet with vendors (some selling their goods for generations), and learn more about gastronomic traditions in Spain. Since 1835, this has been the most famous covered market in the city. Over 200 vendors open their stalls daily and sell everything from fresh produce and spices to fresh fish, cured meats, and artisanal cheeses. Because this market is big and notoriously busy (it averages over 40,000 daily visitors), it's helpful to let an expert guide lead the way and direct you to the best stalls.

Next, after touring the Boqueria and gathering the ingredients you'll need to make your lunch, you'll head to a local kitchen to partake in your social and hands-on cooking class. Under the guidance of an expert instructor, you'll learn to make traditional Spanish specialties, including paella, a typical starter soup, an appetizer, and dessert.

To end your culinary experience, you'll sit with your chef and enjoy the lunch you just prepared. Savor each bite of these traditional dishes, and feel free to continue asking questions about the cooking process or Spanish gastronomy. You'll pair your courses with the kitchen's private-label premium Rioja and Galician wines, which provide reds and whites that perfectly complement all the flavors.

Start times

  • Monday
    10:00 am
  • Tuesday
    10:00 am
  • Wednesday
    Not available
  • Thursday
    10:00 am
  • Friday
    10:00 am
  • Saturday
    10:00 am
  • Sunday
    Not available

What's included

  • Guided visit to Mercat de la Boqueria
  • All ingredients for the cooking class
  • Cooking course with a professional chef
  • A four-course meal with wine from Rioja and Galicia

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Traveler photos
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Traveler reviews

11 total ratings, 7 with reviews
5.0
Feature ratings
Quality of Experience
4.9
Food
5.0
Guides, Drivers and Staff
4.9
Transport
4.1
J
Jane K.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Aug 15, 2024
The tour of the Boqueria Market was very brief and it was difficult to hear with all the noise. We did not really spend much time at the stands and couldn't really purchase anything. However, I think it was because we needed to make it back in time for the cooking class which was awesome. Our chef/teacher (Janella) was great-she was funny, clear with her instructions, and her excitement for the food and cooking was infectious. We loved everything we cooked. Read more

The tour of the Boqueria Market was very brief and it was difficult to hear with all the noise. We did not really spend much time at the stands and couldn't really purchase anything. However, I think it was because we needed to make it back in time for the cooking class which was awesome. Our chef/teacher (Janella) was great-she was funny, clear with her instructions, and her excitement for the food and cooking was infectious. We loved everything we cooked.

Tips for future travelers

The cooking class by itself was amazing, I don't think a tour of the market was necessary or maybe do the market tour separate from the cooking class to fully enjoy the market.

Quality of Experience
The cooking class was amazing. The tour was very short and basic.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The cooking class was amazing and our chef/teacher was great. The tour guide for the market was ok-hard to hear him and he was not really engaged in conversations with us as we were walking which other guides were.
Transport
Everything was an easy walk.
Graciela
Graciela S.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Jun 25, 2024
Loved it! Read more

Loved it!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lisa
Lisa M.
Florence-Graham, CA | Reviewed on Jun 02, 2024
This experience was perfect, starting with the market, actually preparing the feast, and the best of all, eating the feast!!! Read more

This experience was perfect, starting with the market, actually preparing the feast, and the best of all, eating the feast!!!

Tips for future travelers

While there is plenty of food, if you are allergic to shellfish, you'll be sad at missing the paella.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
A
Amber B.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 23, 2023
If you like great food and learning about the Spanish culture and cuisine, this is what you need to sign up for. Our chef and guide was wonderful and so knowledgable. We started going to the market which was a treat in itself. I could have stayed there just looking around for the morning. The cooking class itself was awesome. There were 12 of us and we each help prepare the tasty dishes. Do Not Miss Out On This Opportunity. It was the Best! Read more

If you like great food and learning about the Spanish culture and cuisine, this is what you need to sign up for. Our chef and guide was wonderful and so knowledgable. We started going to the market which was a treat in itself. I could have stayed there just looking around for the morning. The cooking class itself was awesome. There were 12 of us and we each help prepare the tasty dishes. Do Not Miss Out On This Opportunity. It was the Best!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
J
James H.
Middleton, WI | Reviewed on Oct 05, 2023
Great experience and would highly recommend. Information about shopping in these markets was invaluable. Only disappointment was not receiving the recipes that the chef promised. Read more

Great experience and would highly recommend. Information about shopping in these markets was invaluable. Only disappointment was not receiving the recipes that the chef promised.

Quality of Experience
Food
We cooked it - it was great
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
NA
S
Sandra B.
Madisonville, TX | Reviewed on May 15, 2023
Such a fun activity with the best chef and guide! We were a little apprehensive about who the other "cooks" in the workshop would be, but everyone from many walks of life and countries was courteous and such good company for our cooking and dining experience. Read more

Such a fun activity with the best chef and guide! We were a little apprehensive about who the other "cooks" in the workshop would be, but everyone from many walks of life and countries was courteous and such good company for our cooking and dining experience.

Tips for future travelers

It was our last activity for this trip and that was really nice since it was a very casual and friendly experience.

Quality of Experience
The chef was super!
Food
CHOCOLATE! but the other food was nice, too
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
David
David M.
Marlborough, MA | Reviewed on Jul 24, 2022
Fabulous! We enjoyed all 3 parts of this experience. First, a tour of the market. Second, the chef cooked different tapas and explained the food in the different areas of Spain as we ate and drank. Finally, we prepared our meal under her watchful guidance. All 3 parts were engaging, intriguing, and educational. The chef was extremely personable, fun, yet professional. To add to this, the shared small group experience was delightful. Read more

Fabulous! We enjoyed all 3 parts of this experience. First, a tour of the market. Second, the chef cooked different tapas and explained the food in the different areas of Spain as we ate and drank. Finally, we prepared our meal under her watchful guidance. All 3 parts were engaging, intriguing, and educational. The chef was extremely personable, fun, yet professional. To add to this, the shared small group experience was delightful.

Tips for future travelers

The chef is personable and entering her home and shopping with her is a win.

Quality of Experience
It is a great concept and the chef makes in a win.
Food
Come on, a chef prepared it.

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Chat with our local specialists and let us help you customize your trip with experiences like this.

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