Shopping in Barcelona
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Gamaya
A breath of fresh laid-back Ibiza air runs through this new ladies’ wear store tucked away on a street that has gone from near abandonment in the 1990s to become a delightful shopping lane today. The lady who runs this shop designs the breezy summer dresses, pants-and-tops combinations and prints herself.
reviewed
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Mercat de la Boqueria
Shop in the Mercat de la Boqueria, one of the world’s great produce markets, and complement with any other necessities from a local supermarket.
reviewed
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Sergio Aranda
Trained in the art of jewellery creation in Switzerland, Aranda produces an original line of goods, including jewellery made using ancient coins. He also specializes in pearls, making all sorts of original and even daring necklaces and other items for ladies looking for something combining the extroverted and unique with the classic.
reviewed
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Coquette
With its spare, cut-back and designer look, this fashion store is automatically attractive in its own right. Women will love to browse through casual, feminine wear by such designers as Tsunoda, Vanessa Bruno, Chloé Baño and Hoss Intropia.
reviewed
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Xampany
Since 1981, this ‘Cathedral of Cava’ has been distributing bubbly to the local citizenry. It’s a veritable Aladdin’s cave of cava (Catalan version of champagne), with bottles of the stuff crammed high and into every possible chaotic corner of this dimly lit locale.
reviewed
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Nu Sabates
A couple of modern-day Catalan cobblers have put together some original handmade leather shoes (and a handful of bags and other leather items) in their stylish locale.
reviewed
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Mercantic
Antique collectors could set aside a Sunday morning for a trip to Mercantic, a collection of gaily painted timber huts occupied by antique and bric-a-brac dealers selling everything from restored furniture to dusty old telephones. The first Sunday of the month is delivery day, when the stall-holders take delivery of a new wave of old stuff. The permanent market, with some 80 stall holders, is open during the week too (9.30am to 8pm Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30am to 3pm Sunday). There’s also an activities and play area for children. A date to watch is the Antiquaris Barcelona antiques fair usually held between late March and the first week of April.
reviewed
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Mercat de Santa Caterina
reviewed
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Portal de l’Àngel
This is one of the annual markets that is worth looking out for. For 10 days in mid-May (dates change each year), stands set up in the Portal de l’Àngel for the Fira del Llibre Antic (Antique Book Fair). The same spot hosts the Fira de Terrissa (Pottery Fair), which lasts for five days starting around 20 September, coinciding with the Festes de la Mercè and the similar Fira de Ceràmica Creativa (Ceramicists Fair), around 23 December to 5 January.
reviewed
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Jordi Labanda Store
Uruguay-born and Barcelona-raised cartoonist Jordi Labanda made a name for himself with his colourful pointed portraits of contemporary 30-somethings in top-flight magazines and newspapers, and murals in the Sandwich & Friends fastish food chain. Now he also does original women’s clothes, in which he has toned down the colours but remains playful in design. In all his work there is an element of biting social commentary, so these are thinking-women’s clothes!
reviewed
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Mercat de la Llibertat
reviewed
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FC Botiga
For some, football is the meaning of life. If you fall into that category, your idea of shopping heaven may well be this store at the football museum next to Camp Nou stadium. Here you will find footballs, shirts, scarves, socks, wallets, bags, sneakers, iPhone covers – pretty much anything you can think of, all featuring Barça's famous red-and-blue insignia. It has branches all over town, including at Maremàgnum and Carrer de Jaume I 18.
reviewed
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Papabubble
It feels like a step into another era in this candy store, where they make up pots of rainbow-coloured boiled lollies, just like some of us remember from corner-store days as kids. Watch the sticky sweets being made before your eyes. For all its apparent timelessness, this is a relatively new venture. Started by Australians in Barcelona, this sweet reminiscence now has shops in Amsterdam, New York and a handful of other cities.
reviewed
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Lunic
The eye is unfailingly attracted to this corner shop, with its lipstick-red walls and sanded white furniture. All about hangs an eclectic collection of handbags, from glaring red leather to more modest hues, with broad appeal. Daring ladies’ hats offer further inspiration. Those in search of light summer dresses, in a seemingly limitless variety of colours but mostly straightforward in style, have come to the right place.
reviewed
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Cubiña
Even if interior design doesn’t ring your bell, it's worth a visit to this extensive temple to furniture, lamps and just about any home accessory your heart might desire just to see this Domènech i Montaner building. Admire the enormous and whimsical wrought-iron decoration at street level before heading inside to marvel at the ceiling, timber work, brick columns and windows. Oh, and don’t forget the furniture.
reviewed
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Herboristeria del Rei
Once patronised by Queen Isabel II, this timeless corner store flogs all sorts of weird and wonderful herbs, spices and medicinal plants. It’s been doing so since 1823 and the decor has barely changed since the 1860s. However, some of the products have, and you’ll find anything from fragrant soaps to massage oil nowadays. Film director Tom Tykwer shot scenes of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer here.
reviewed
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Mango
At home in the basement of a modest Modernista town house (check out the white, cast-iron columns inside) and a dozen other locations around town, Mango offers locally produced, affordable and mostly casual fashion for women and men. Smart but easy evening wear, skirts, jackets, high heels and leather bags for her contrast with collarless shirts, jeans, khakis and T-shirts for him.
reviewed
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A Casa Portuguesa
Come here to try Barcelona's best Portuguese custard tarts, pastéis de Belém. Unfortunately, because of Gràcia's draconian restaurant laws, A Casa Portuguesa had to be turned into a non-seating-and-eating kind of place; although you can taste wine and stand here for a while, you can no longer sit down for food and drink.
No matter – at the time of writing, the owners were in the process of opening a bistro on 111 Carrer d'Aragò, where you'll be able to sample the vast variety of Portuguese food and wine, and a menú del día offering typical Portuguese delicacies. The new place should be open by the time you're reading this. In this Gràcia outlet, however, you can…
reviewed
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El Bulevard dels Antiquaris
More than 70 stores (most are open from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to 8.30pm) are gathered under one roof (on the floor above the more general Bulevard Rosa arcade) to offer the most varied selection of collector’s pieces, ranging from old porcelain dolls through to fine crystal, from Asian antique furniture to old French goods, and from African and other ethnic art to jewellery.
reviewed
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Adolfo Domínguez
One of the stars of Spanish prêt-à-porter, this label produces classic men’s and women’s garments from quality materials. Encompassing anything from regal party gowns to kids’ outfits (that might have you thinking of British aristocracy), the broad range generally oozes a conservative air, with elegant cuts that make no concessions to rebellious urban ideals.
reviewed
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Norma Comics
With a huge range of comics, both Spanish and international, this is Spain’s biggest dealer – everything from Tintin to some of the weirdest sci-fi and sex comics can be found here. Also on show are armies of model superheroes and other characters produced by fevered imaginations. Kids from nine to 99 can be seen snapping up items to add to their collections.
reviewed
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La Roca Village
reviewed
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Casa Beethoven
This isn’t any old sheet-music shop. In business since 1880, Casa Beethoven’s customers have included Montserrat Caballé, Josep Carreras and Plácido Domingo. It keeps up with the times, however, and you’re as likely to find music by Metallica as by Mozart. On Saturdays small concerts are sometimes held.
reviewed
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Siete Besos
A bijou store surrounded by bigger and shriller competition, the ‘Seven Kisses’ is an attractive treasure treat for women’s fashion. Styles can be cheeky and nonconformist but not at all vintage or jeansy. Pretty, light-hearted dresses vie for your attention with pants and tops, all at pretty reasonable prices, considering the neighbourhood.
reviewed
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Armand Basi
Local design star Basi appeals to a 30s and 40s crowd with a slick line in casual elegance. Suits that are perfect without ties and made to impress at dinner or in the town’s top clubs match with stylish evening dresses. More casual shirts, trousers, tops and frocks broaden the range. Leather jackets and footwear complete the picture.
reviewed