Palo Alto Market Barcelona Opening Hours
Laurelino Braendel
Barcelona is the second-largest city in Spain. It was visited by 20 million tourists in 2019, a city with only 1.6 million residents. Half of these visitors only visit Barcelona for a day, which makes the most popular attractions and the old city centre overcrowded and unbearable for locals.
This is a clear example of how Barcelona can be negatively affected by mass tourism. Locals are getting badly affected as a result. Tourists are driving out locals from their apartments and forcing prices up. Mass tourism also makes it harder for locals to commute.
Small business owners often see a fraction of tourists' presence or none. By buying food from local producers at the markets, eating at family restaurants, and staying in sustainable boutique hotels, you will support the local community and the city's economy.
This sustainable travel guide to Barcelona still covers how to visit the most popular attractions in Barcelona. But only when there are smaller crowds and in a way to benefit locals as much as possible.
We also look at the best public transport options and sustainable accommodation. To round out the guide, we reveal some of the lesser-known activities worth discovering and share details on the best plant-based eateries.
With global warming and temperatures rising, summers in the cities are becoming less and less enjoyable. If you choose to come in the low season, you will be rewarded with smaller crowds, cheaper hotels, and most likely happier locals.
In three days, you may cover some of the bigger attractions and start discovering some off-the-beaten track places. But if you want to truly travel consciously and understand the city, you should consider extending your stay to meet locals and maybe do a day trip or two outside of Barcelona.
Now if you only have a couple days, please pick just four attractions and allow yourself time to do something spontaneous, something that will draw your attention naturally without scrolling through your Instagram feed. We just loved walking on Via Diagonal and admired much of Catalan Modernism architecture.
Barcelona is a city with excellent public transportation connections. Almost every attraction can be reached by metro, while suburban trains operated by FGC can take you to nearby towns and the airport. Additionally, buses are available in many areas.
We encourage you to travel consciously and cover your own points of interest rather than just follow a bucket list created by someone else. In this guide we show you what can be done, but you have to make your own decisions on what you really want to do.
Let yourself get lost in the streets of the Gothic Quarter packed with buildings from the late Middle Age, we are talking about the 12-16th centuries. You will find a few fascinating cathedrals and churches and the main attraction here is of course the Gothic Cathedral.
El Born and the Gothic Quarter are the most famous neighbourhoods in Barcelona and get a lot of tourists every day. While they both deserve your attention, they can be quite crowded. To make sure you experience a real Barcelona go to areas outside of Ciutat Vella.
Book your entrance ticket in advance on the offical website and it gets crowded, so try to get an early morning slot. You can also book your ticket at the ticketing office but we don't recommend it because you will have to stay in line and most likely have to come back to see the park another time as the slots get booked out quickly.
Of course this will depend on what time of the year and which day of the week you are visiting. Once you booked the time you only have 30 minutes to enter the park. After that you will lose your right to enter.
The park opens for tourists from 9:30 am and closes at 7:30 pm. You can also try to book the last slot for better light and potentially less crowds. But because the tickets are limited, you will only find big crowds at the main attractions such the stairs and the balconies.
Make sure you dedicate a good amount of the time there as there is plenty to see. We spent 2.5 hours walking at a slow pace around and taking photos. If you decide to visit Casa Museu Gaudi, allow yourself more time.
We loved exploring some of the hidden gems of the park but the columns holding up the second level was our favourite part of the park. We really felt like we were part of an Alice in the Wonderland fairytale.
On the second level of the structure you will find an area with balconies and some benches made with mosaic sections. It's one of the best views over the city of Barcelona and the lower part of the park.
Los Bunkers are located just 20 minutes from the back entrance of Park Guell, but be ready for a steep uphill hike. This place is more than a viewing point, it has its own history that you can learn from the plaques displayed at the site.
During the Spanish Civil War in 1938, they installed anti-aircraft guns and the bunkers that give the place its name. The guns were removed but the bunkers remained. It was later populated by locals looking for somewhere to live before they eventually were moved out and it became a scenic viewpoint instead.
Please be respectful to locals. If you try to watch the sunset here, you will be kicked out by police together with anyone else there. These regulations were made in 2023 to avoid tourists disturbing local communities. Please respect that.
You will find a panoramic 360 degrees view over Barcelona. It's actually the highest point of inner Barcelona and with no doubt the best view. You can spot La Sagrada Familia and other famous landmarks from this vantage point.
It was really interesting to learn that Gaudi was inspired mostly from nature. He was very progressive with building techniques and designs for his time. He was also a big fan of recycled materials and sustainability.
The hospital was transferred to a new location with modern facilities in 2009. Sant Pau was turned into a museum and also houses the Public Library of Catalonia. It was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Be aware that guided tours are only available in Spanish and Catalan at certain times. For other languages you have to make a request. Check out the official website for more information and opening hours.
This experience was amazing! We learned a lot from our guide and could ask them questions. We definitely recommend paying a bit more for this morning tour because you will be the first one to arrive on the rooftop.
There is also a bistro-style restaurant just inside the building of La Pedrera where you can have a sneak peek into the courtyard from one of the tables, or simply enjoy the design of the cafe which is also part of Gaudi's work.
The prices here are as expected, expensive, but sitting in such a historical and unique venue is an experience worth paying for. The picture of the pattern below was taken of the ceiling in the bistro. Does it remind you of something?
For families, there is also an amusement park at the top of the hill. Most of the attractions were closed and others were being refurbished when we went. Check their offical website for information and tickets.
With more than 100 vendors selling fresh produce, there's something to tantalise every taste bud. Additionally, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes that offer authentic Catalan cuisine. Whether you're a tourist or a local, the market's unique architecture and vibrant atmosphere make it a must-see attraction.
Located just outside of the city centre of Barcelona, Mercat de Sarri is a standout. This market offers a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere and a variety of fresh produce. The building is over 100 years old and retains its historic charm.
Here, you can bask in the sun while browsing through an array of second-hand and vintage goods. The market also features live music and DJs, and numerous food trucks with great gluten-free and vegetarian options.
In addition, this market is a hub for Barcelona's artists, designers, and photographers who are looking to showcase their works to the world. If you're young and looking for a market that caters to your taste, Palo Alto Market Fest is the place to be.
Opening hours for their food stalls are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 am - 9 pm. Opening hours for their clothing and houseware stalls are: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am - 8:30 pm.
Discover the best of Barcelona's second-hand market scene in the Raval area, home to the city's oldest and most beloved second-hand market Barcelona Flea Market. Accessible via metro at Drassanes Station, this market is a treasure trove of unique items, including gadgets, clothes, books, and music. The market's philosophy of 'one man's garbage is another man's gold' is evident in the eclectic array of goods on offer. Visitors can even swap unwanted items for something they truly desire.
If you still need more, there is El Fleadonia on the first Sunday and El Flea on the second Sunday of every month. Both are located at central points which makes them super convenient.
La Loncheria is an amazing Mexican inspired restaurant with very authentic flavours. This was our absolute favourite vegan place because every dish here was mouth watering. They feature live music and other local events on occasion.
Roots and Rolls is a vegan sushi restaurant with other Japanese food options. It was a bit hit and miss, but if you like sushi you should give it a go. Jon lived in Japan for 7 years so it was harder to impress him. Janna was quite content with her choice of ramen.
L'Encant Vegetari is a great lunch place! For 12.80 euro you get a three course vegetarian meal with vegan options. Everything was really tasty and very healthy, made with whole grains and fresh vegetables.
Descuina't (Menjar Veg per Emportar) is a small family owned takeaway fully vegan place with some protein rich dishes packed in a paper box. Located in the centre of the popular Gracia neighbourhood right on the Plaza de Revolucion. Very convenient if you are in a rush or on a budget. We enjoyed the spring sun sitting on one of the benches in the plaza.
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