Mercado Barcelo
Mercado Barcelo
3.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Mercado Barcelo and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Centro
Expansive plazas, local and foreign crowds, street performers, colorful lights, window shopping, restaurant signs promising the best paella, ham, and churros con chocolate- this is downtown Madrid, a collection of plazas interconnected by a network of side streets. Some of these side streets are wide pedestrian shopping routes, and some are hidden, so it's possible to duck in and out of the bustle as desired. The iconic Puerta del Sol is the giant crossroads of the city and a must-see attraction at any time of the day. The nearby Plaza Mayor, completely enclosed by historic red buildings, is an ideal place to grab a bite to eat outside, amidst scores of tables and people out for a stroll. Plaza Isabel II (also known as “Opera”) is smaller and a good meeting spot, and the stately Plaza del Oriente is the front yard of the Royal Palace. Centro can be touristy (pickpockets are unfortuately not unheard-of here), crowded, and sometimes gimmicky, but it is also the place to experience classic Madrid.
How to get there
- Tribunal • 3 min walk
- Alonso MartĂnez • 4 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
9,869 within 3 miles
Attractions
1,530 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.5
90 reviews
Excellent
32
Very good
17
Average
25
Poor
5
Terrible
11
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
Susan L
72 contributions
Jan 2020
We wanted to get away from the touristy mercado experience. Mercado Barcelo fit the bill perfectly. We had a lovely lunch with locals (no English menu) on the top floor at Cafe Barcelo and enjoyed roaming the floors to admire the fruit, vegetable, fish and meat stalls. Noted that the Cafe advertised desayuno (breakfast), which if we'd knoiwn earlier would have saved a lot of money on the okay but expensive hotel breakfas.
Written January 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dimitris L
Sydney, Australia53,312 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
We passed by Mercado Barcelo while on our way to another destination. We entered out of pure curiosity and walked through part of the Market very quickly only catching a glimpse of what is on offer. The place looked reasonable with lots of fresh produce, meat and deli items, as well as seating and eating in or take away food. Cannot vouch for the quality but it probably is worth a visit if you are close by.
Written July 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fritzi_10
Haifa, Israel37 contributions
Apr 2019
During day time the place offers fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, so if you are not cooking while in Madrid- not essential. I think at night its more active with bars etc
Written April 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Renzo B
Sao Francisco Xavier, SP193 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Beautiful market frequented mainly by locals, that is, with few tourists. You can have a few cups and tapas in peace. Jesus' gastronomic corner "Bistro BarcelĂł" stands out, a cordon bleu that serves French wines and very refined tapas, accompanied by good conversation.

Written May 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AJ R
Washington DC, DC22 contributions
May 2016 • Solo
The Mercado de San Miguel is a crowded, touristy disappointment when compared to el Mercado Barcelo. The produce is more varied. The quality better. The choices of stalls more numerous. I liked the second floor fruit stand the best. And the man behind the counter taught me the fruits' names in Spanish, having as much fun as I in the process. Most of the customers seemed local. Take a tip from them. Buy whatever you want here.
Written May 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frank Q
19 contributions
Oct 2019
Although the building is nothing to look at and a bit deceptive in that it doesn't look like a typical market for fresh meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, it is worthwhile visiting if you are cooking during a stay in Madrid. There are a number of vacant stalls, and when we asked the cheese vendor about it, she said that most people want prepared food and don't have time to cook. She has a sign up to sell her business because she is retiring. We always enjoy interacting with the vendors and asking questions, and even when there are other people waiting, they are ready to answer and give a taste of what they are selling. I'm hoping this market will still be there on future visits and not go the way of the San Miguel market, which became trendy, overcrowded and over-Instagrammed.
Written October 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil K
Liverpool, UK825,850 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
I love the mercado's in Madrid ,great hubs of the community ,one of the most authentic is Mercado Barcelo.
Set over multiple floors there's the usual meat,fish and veg stalls but the big attraction for me is the food courts ,this one's food court is superb ,a good range of cafe's and cafe bars,enjoyed a decent breakfast in here and some iced cold beers ,it's popular ,more with locals than tourists ,if you're in the area it's most definitely well worth checking out if you're in the area and easy to locate along Calle Barcelo .
Set over multiple floors there's the usual meat,fish and veg stalls but the big attraction for me is the food courts ,this one's food court is superb ,a good range of cafe's and cafe bars,enjoyed a decent breakfast in here and some iced cold beers ,it's popular ,more with locals than tourists ,if you're in the area it's most definitely well worth checking out if you're in the area and easy to locate along Calle Barcelo .
Written October 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Companion224635
2 contributions
Sep 2022
Madrid is a beautiful city... El Prado museum was the best I have ever been to...must see...also use the subway-- super clean and cheap-- stay just outside of city center and you will save $ as madrid is quite expensive... even for US standards...
Written October 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristelsea
Eleuthera82 contributions
Oct 2019
First... an eye full for foodies and photo shots! So much to see and taste! Lively and full of locals and expats exploring for the first time and returning to meet old friends. We ended up spending a good few hours here and took about 100 pictures. Highly recommend a visit.
Written October 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil K
Liverpool, UK825,850 contributions
Sep 2019 • Friends
Much more a locals market area ,most definitely not aimed at the tourists who flock to this most beautiful of cities, Mercado BarcelĂł is a fantastic modern market area,a lot of shopping outlets spread throughout this market area ,these are of no interest to me, the thought of shopping on any holiday I take sends a cold shiver down my spine but there are some great bars in here,my twin brother Stephen and I visited La Taberna De BarcelĂł and La Terraza De BarcelĂł were we enjoyed cold beers and ciders and sampled some of the best tapa we tasted on our nine days holiday to Madrid,a totally authentic experience.
A great mercado, well worth checking out if your in the area.
Easy to locate on Calle BarcelĂł, most definitely well worth checking out.
A great mercado, well worth checking out if your in the area.
Easy to locate on Calle BarcelĂł, most definitely well worth checking out.
Written September 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
Related Stories
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing