Barcelona Shopping

Barcelona Shopping

Shopping in Barcelona may not have the reputation of shopping in Milan, Paris or London. But those who love to shop will find Barcelona a dream city. The people of Barcelona have a love of fashion, food, art and design and this is reflected in the number and quality of shops in Barcelona.

Where to shop in Barcelona

Most visitors to Barcelona will inevitably at some point find themselves on Las Ramblas. This is a wonderful place to start your Barcelona shopping. The avenue is lined with friendly market traders selling a range of local crafts and all manner of weird and wonderful artefacts. You will also often find a range of local artists who have set up easels and will sell pictures of Barcelona landscapes or paint caricatures of you and your family.

Las Ramblas is also the start of the famous 5km Barcelona shopping line. This continuous stretch of the very best Barcelona shops starts at Las Ramblas and continues along the Diagonal Avenue (Avenida Diagonal) which cuts through the heart of Barcelona. The 5km Barcelona shopping line is largely pedestrianised, although there is a special bus service which stops at various points along the route for those whose shopping bags are too heavy to carry! It is here that you will find all the high-end Barcelona shops such as Versace and Cartier as well as boutique stores and internationally-known high street brands.

If pounding 5km of pavement is not how you wanted to spend your time shopping in Barcelona then head to the cities largest store. The El Corte Ingles department store stands on the edge of Plaza Catalunya and contains everything you could ever need under one roof including a great selection of Catalan fashion. If you are looking for a more unique Barcelona shopping experience then head to the Gothic Quarter (Bari gotic). Here you will find a range of off-the-beaten track Barcelona shops owned by local designers and collectors offering fashion and antiques.

Shops in Barcelona open at around 8.30am and stay open as late as 10pm, smaller shops take a siesta from 2-4pm.

Barcelona Markets

The Barcelona markets offer a more traditional Catalan shopping experience. There are many markets in Barcelona, some which take place every day of the week and some which operate just weekly or even less frequently. Barcelona markets offer all manner of goods from seafood to art to fashion.

One of the most popular Barcelona markets, with residents and visitors alike is La Boqueria. Situated in Ciutat Vella which is accessible from Las Ramblas this is one of the best-loved food markets in Barcelona. La Boqueria is best known for its range of fresh seafood, cakes, sweets and wines. Even if you are not looking to shop it is well worth spending an hour absorbing the sights, sounds and smells of this wonderful Barcelona market. La Bouqueria Market is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8.30pm.

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