Barcelona Shopping, Spain

Barcelona is an enormous shopping center where modernity and tradition go hand in hand. The offering is unlimited and includes international and Spanish (Zara, Camper etc.) designers, traditional jewelers, small antique and art shops and souvenir and knock-knack stores for tourists, not to mention the enormous shopping centers and department stores like El Corte Inglés.

Barcelona Shopping Line is the city's vast shopping area. Its size is impressive: it starts at the old harbor and goes along las Ramblas, Barri Gotic, Portal de l'Angel, continues from Plaça de Catalunya along the stretch between Passeig de Gracia and Rambla de Catalunya with even more shops along Av. Diagonal. You'll be tempted to abandon all plans for sightseeing and plunge into this sea of shopping.

"Tombus" can help you in this titanic endeavor. It is a special bus that runs along the shopping line from Plaça de Catalunya to the end of Diagonal. You can buy the T-Shopping card to use the Tombus all day.

Old city

The narrow streets of Barri Gotic are populated with antique shops, small bookshops and crafts shops, as well as an excellent selection of souvenirs, mainly around the Cathedral. The historical shops of Barcelona which survive the advance of the department stores in Plaça del Pi or on Calle Petrixol.

Av. Portal de l'Angel connect Barri Gotic with Plaça de Catalunya, is the kingdom of young designers.

Las Ramblas are popular for their special character made up of art nouveau kiosks and flower shops, in addition to the traditional grocers and the prettiest food market in Barcelona: la Boqueria.

El Born, the quarter around the Picasso Museum, is one of the new lively areas with many fashion shops and excellent crafts. If you are looking for galleries and art objects go to the streets around MACBA, in the multiethnic quarter of Raval.

Eixample

The elite of fashion and major international names is concentrated along the very lively Paseo de Gràcia and calmer Rambla de Catalunya The cosmopolitan character of this area is striking, similar to the large shopping boulevards of London or Paris.

Avinguda Diagonal

This street also offers a first class shopping experience. The first part contains large furniture and home accessory shops, like Habitat, while the second part is home to large clothing shops and shopping centers like Illa Diagonal, El Corte Inglés or Pedralbes Centre.

Barcelona Markets

• The Boqueria covered market, along la Rambla, is a not to be missed stop to admire its retro architecture and the color of the stands filled with all types of fruit and foodstuffs.
• Encante de las Glories (Subway: Glories). Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat. Barcelona's flea market: objects for the house, second-hand clothing, crafts and bric-a-brac.
• Plaça Reial (subway Liceu). Stamps and coins, Sunday morning. Mercat Gotic (Plaça del Pi, Subway Liceu). Antiques, every Thursday.
• Plaça Josep Oriols (subway Sarriá). Art market, the artists sell their works to the public, Sat. and Sun. morning