▁and ▁more ▁on ▁a ▁daily ▁basis , ▁and ▁are ▁still ▁vital ▁to ▁the ▁urban ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁city ' s ▁historic ▁mark ets ▁date ▁to ▁the ▁mid - to - late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁as ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁experien cing ▁rapid ▁growth ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁E ix ample . ▁ ▁Each ▁neighborhood ▁has ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁market ▁and ▁many ▁have ▁up ▁to ▁ 4 . ▁ ▁Mark ets ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁are ▁typically ▁large ▁en closed ▁spaces ▁located ▁cent r ally ▁in ▁the ▁neighborhood s ▁they ▁serve . ▁ ▁The ▁larger ▁mark ets ▁are ▁arranged ▁into ▁depart ments ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁product . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁there ▁exist ▁many ▁non - fo od ▁based ▁mark ets ▁around ▁the ▁city , ▁such ▁as ▁those ▁that ▁offer ▁art ▁or ▁second hand ▁goods . ▁The ▁city ' s ▁oldest ▁mark ets ▁are ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁Ci utat ▁V ella ▁and ▁E ix ample , ▁with ▁newer ▁mark ets ▁along ▁the ▁fr ing es ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁older ▁mark ets , ▁such ▁as ▁La ▁Bo quer ia , ▁not ▁only ▁provide ▁food ▁and ▁goods ▁for ▁their ▁surrounding ▁neighborhood s , ▁but ▁are ▁tour ist ▁attra ctions ▁in ▁their ▁own ▁right , ▁as ▁they ▁provide ▁an ▁essential ▁g limp se ▁into ▁every day ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁mark ets ▁are ▁admin ister ed ▁under ▁the ▁Mer c ats ▁Municip als ▁de ▁Barcelona ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁city '