While for sheer size
and scope Barcelona
cannot compete with
Paris or the world's
other fashion
capitals, it is
"per capita"
one of the worlds most
stylish cities -
architecture, fashion
and decoration
permeated by Catalan
disseny
("design")
which endows even the
quotidian with a
refreshing and
stimulating aesthetic.
All of this,
naturally, makes for
great
shopping
, from designer
clothes and
accessories to
household
accompaniments.
Moreover, Barcelona is
an undeniably pleasant
place to shop: the
wide boulevards of the
Eixample and the
pedestrianized streets
in the Barri Gòtic
both encourage lengthy
browsing.
Moreover, with the
low cost of living in
Spain and the
suffering euro,
shoppers with pounds
and dollars will find
the city to be very
cheap for a lot of
items, and even more
so if you coincide
with the annual sales
( rebaixes, rebajas
in Castilian) that
follow the main
fashion seasons -
mid-January until the
end of February, and
throughout July and
August.
The best shopping areas
are the old streets
off the upper part of
the Ramblas, like c/Portaferrissa,
c/del Pi, Avenida
Portal de l'Àngel and
Baixada de la
Llibreteria; the area
immediately around Plaça
de Catalunya; in the
Eixample, along
Passeig de Gràcia and
Rambla de Catalunya;
and further north,
along main streets
like c/Muntaner, c/de
Balmes, Avenida
Diagonal and Via
Augusta. It's in this
last area that the big
international designer
names such as Calvin
Klein and Versace are
to be found. Good souvenirs
include ceramics,
which are widely sold
in the streets around
the cathedral; leather
goods; anything from
the city's
delicatessens,
particularly cooked
Catalan meats and
sausages, and tinned
seafood; a porrón
(the long-spouted
glass drinking jar);
and CDs and tapes of
Catalan rock and pop, sardana
music, Spanish rock or
flamenco. If you're
looking for original gift
ideas, some of the
best hunting can be
found in the shops of
any of the city's
museums, where you'll
find reasonably priced
and unique examples of
Catalan disseny
, and other original
items ranging from
postcards to replica
works of art.
Shop opening
hours are
typically
Monday-Saturday
10am-1.30/2pm and
4.30-7.30/8pm,
although many shops
close on Saturday
afternoons, and
various markets,
department stores and
shopping centres open
right through lunch,
or may vary their
hours in other ways.
Check our listings for
further details. All
the stores we've
listed are open in
August unless
otherwise stated.
Antiques, arts and
crafts
Antigua Ceraría de
Luis Codina , c/Bisbe
2; Metro Jaume I.
Candles and religious
artefacts. Art
Escudellers , c/Escudellers
23-25; Metro Liceu. An
enormous shop selling
ceramics from
different regions of
Spain. Not cheap but a
good...
read
more >>
Books
You'll find
English-language
books, newspapers and
magazines at the
stalls along the
Ramblas, and a good
selection of
English-language books
(novels and general
titles unless
otherwise stated) at
the following stores.
Altair , c/de Balmes...
read
more >>
Clothes, shoes and
accessories
Adolfo Domínguez , Pg
de Gràcia 89; Metro
Passeig de Gràcia.
Men and women's
designs from the
well-known Gallego
designer. Argot , c/de
l'Hospital 107; Metro
Liceu. Small
secondhand clothes
shop where good
bargains...
read
more >>
Department stores
and shopping arcades
Bulevard Rosa , Pg de
Gràcia 55; Metro
Passeig de Gràcia.
Also at Avda Diagonal
609-615. Barcelona's
first shopping mall,
the Passeig address is
the original. Both
arcades have around
one hundred shops,
specializing in chic
designer gear. Both
open...
read
more >>
Design, decorative
art and household
goods
Aspectos , c/del Rec
28; Metro Jaume I.
Designer furniture and
household items. BD
Ediciones de Diseño ,
c/Mallorca 291; Metro
Diagonal. The building
is by Domènech i
Montaner, the interior
filled with the very
latest in furniture...
read
more >>
Markets
Barcelona's daily
food markets ,
all in covered
halls, are open from
Monday to Saturday,
8am-3pm and 5-8pm,
though the most
famous, La Boqueria
on the Ramblas,
opens right through
the day. We've
listed details of
other food shops and
delis. Other
markets - for
junk, antiques,
coins, books and so
on - are held less
frequently; check
our list, and note
that, if you're
really on the
lookout for
something, the
earlier you get
there the better.
Music stores
La Casa , Pl Sant
Vincenç Martorell 4;
Metro Liceu.
Barcelona's best for
hip-hop, acid jazz,
house and techno.
Discos Castelló , c/Tallers
3, 9 and 11. Large
record and CD shop
with a good popular
section and a separate
store for...
read
more >>
Toys, costume and
party wear
El Carnaval , c/Diputació
100; Metro Passeig de
Gràcia. Masks,
costumes and
party/carnival wear.
Comercial Bolsera , c/Xuclá
15; Metro Liceu.
Masks, hats, streamers
and much more. El
Ingenio , c/Rauric
6-8; Metro...
read
more >>
Torró and
chocolates
You can buy
torró
- traditional almond
fudge - all over the
city around Christmas
time: in the old town,
try the shops at Avda
Portal de l'Àngel 25;
c/Cucurulla 9 (off
Avda Portal de l'Àngel);
and c/de la Princesa.
For designer chocolates
, you should head for
Fargas, c/Pi 16, in
the old town; or
Escribà, Rambla 83.
