This market will grab every one of your senses. It is a visual feast, a riot of colours as your eyes are attracted by piles of vibrant fruit and vegetable, exotic looking fish, olives, pimientos, and much more. And those fruit and vegetables really smell, unlike the pale copies we found in our supermarkets. Beautiful fresh smells, which mingle with the cooking smells from nearby tapas bars. And of course, in such a busy place, the noise contributes to the general ambience with typical market sounds, as purchases are made, the freshness of some products is proclaimed and bargains are announced the old fashioned way - using lung power. Catalan is the language of Barcelona, but people are quite happy to speak Castilian, and you usually find someone that will speak English. And with the senses of sight, smell and hearing so abundantly engaged, it won't be long before you want to get your hands on some of these products, and have a taste of the generous amounts of foods that surround you on all sides.
Despite its picturesque appeal, this is by no means a market just for tourists. Locals shop here (they don't know how lucky they are to be able to do that on a daily basis), and the city's top chef come here for fresh supplies. Just stroll around and fill your soul with the sights and smells. Some of the more unusual sights I remember were the ostrich and emu eggs (omelette anyone?), the valuable dried wild mushroom and strangely, various dried insects (giant ant-like creatures, beetles, etc) which came in tins or packets.
After having feasted your eyes on all the goodies on display for a while, you will be ready for a spot of lunch. Take a seat at one of the bars, and order your choice of tapas. Although tapas are not strictly a Catalan creation, many of the tapas available here will be typical Catalan dishes, just small portions of them. I really recommend that you do this as it is a cheap and cheerful way of sampling many of the local dishes. If you have company for your meal, try and order different things so you can share. And if you are not too sure how much to order, don't worry, as you can always order more if you are still hungry. They will keep track of what you have ordered behind the bar.
There is also an interesting stall selling cookery books, should you wish to try your hand at Catalan cuisine when you get back. Be warned though… Your trip to the supermarket to try and find the necessary ingredients may feel a little boring and bland.