Barcelona

Characterized by originality and relative affordability, the shopping scene in Barcelona has become a jubilant fair of fashion, design, craft, and gourmet food. Different parts of town specialize in different goods, and you can explore parts of the city through shopping and browsing boutiques.

The Ciutat Vella, especially the Born-Ribera area, is rich in small-crafts shops, young designers, and an endless potpourri of artisans and merchants operating in restored medieval spaces that are often as dazzling as the wares on sale. Even the pharmacies and grocery stores of Barcelona are often sumptuous aesthetic feasts filled with charming details. Although the end of rent protection has seen many heritage establishments close, a new law will at least ensure that their unique architectural and decorative details will remain intact. Hat shop Sombrerería Obach and candlemakers Cereria Subirà are two old town traders who have remained charmingly unchanged over the decades.

Shopping for design objects and chic fashion in the Eixample is like buying art supplies at the Louvre: it's an Art Nouveau architecture theme park spinning off into dozens of sideshows—textiles, furnishings, curios, and knickknacks of every kind. Any specific shop or boutique will inevitably lead you past a dozen emporiums that you hadn't known were there. Original and surprising yet wearable clothing items are Barcelona's signature contribution to fashion. Rather than copying the runways, Barcelona designers are relentlessly daring and innovative, combining fine materials with masterful workmanship.

Browsing through shops in this unique metropolis feels more like museum-hopping than it does a shopping spree. Design shops like Doméstico and Jaime Beriestain delight the eye and stimulate the imagination, while the area around the Passeig del Born beckons young designers from across the globe. Passeig de Gràcia has joined the ranks of the Champs Elysées in Paris and Rome's Via Condotti as one of the great shopping avenues in the world, with the planet's fashion houses well represented, from Armani to Zara. Exploring Barcelona's antiques district along Carrer Banys Nous and Carrer de la Palla is always an adventure. The shops open daily around Santa Maria del Mar in the Born-Ribera district range from Catalan and international design retailers to shoe and leather handbag designers, to T-shirt decorators and coffee emporiums. The megastores in Plaça de Catalunya, along Diagonal, and in L'Illa Diagonal farther west sell clothing, furniture, furs, books, music, and more. The village-like Sarrià and Gràcia are filled with intimate antique and clothing shops, with friendly boutique owners who add a personal touch.

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  • 1. Art Escudellers

    Ceramic pieces from all over Spain are on display at this large store; more than 140 different artisans are represented, with maps showing what part of Spain the work is from. There are several other branches of Art Escudellers in the old city.

    Escudellers 23, 08002, Spain
    93-412–6801
  • 2. BeTheStore

    This expansive concept store stocks a bit of everything, from men’s and women’s clothing and accessories to home goods, spices, teas, and soaps, plus a wide range of Spanish-language books and games.

    Bonavista 7, 08012, Spain
    93-218–8949
  • 3. Cacao Sampaka

    Eixample Esquerra

    While it's perfectly possible to dash in and fill your bags with boxes of Cacao Sampaka's exquisite cocoa creations to take home with you (or nibble on the way back to your hotel), consider setting aside 30 minutes to sit down in the pleasant in-store café and order an "Azteca" hot chocolate drink. Quite possibly the best hot chocolate in Spain, a sip of this thick, rich, heaven-in-a-cup is the highlight of any Barcelona shopping spree.

    Carrer del Consell de Cent 292, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08007, Spain
    +34-93-272–0833
  • 4. Caelum

    At the corner of Carrer de la Palla and Banys Nous, this café and shop sells wine and foodstuffs such as honey, biscuits, chocolates, and preserves made in convents and monasteries all over Spain. You can pop in to pick up an exquisitely packaged pot of jam, or linger over divine pastries and coffee in the tearoom.

    Palla 8, 08002, Spain
    93-302–6993
  • 5. Casa Gispert

    This shop is one of the most aromatic and picturesque in Barcelona, bursting with teas, coffees, spices, saffron, chocolates, and nuts. The star is an almond-roasting stove in the back of the store—purportedly the oldest in Europe, dating from 1851 like the store itself, so make sure to pick up a bag of freshly roasted nuts to take with you.

    Sombrerers 23, 08003, Spain
    93-319–7535
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  • 6. Cortana

    Eixample Esquerra

    A sleek and breezy Balearic Islands look for women is what this designer from Mallorca brings to the fashion scene of urban Barcelona in a whitewashed shop reminiscent of an art gallery. Her dresses transmit a casual, minimalistic elegance and have graced many a red carpet all over Spain.

    Provença 290, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08003, Spain
    +34-93-487–2070
  • 7. El Magnífico

    Just up the street from Santa Maria del Mar, this coffee emporium is famous for its sacks of coffee beans from all over the globe and is said to serve the best cup of coffee in Barcelona, also available to go. El Magnífico's best-kept secret is its nearby "Mag by El Magnífico" coffee shop, open Friday through Sunday only ( Carrer de Grunyí 10).

    Argenteria 64, 08003, Spain
    93-319–3975
  • 8. Els Encants Vells

    Sant Martí

    Though one of Europe's oldest flea markets, Els Encants has a new home—a stunning, glittering metal canopy that protects the rag-and-bone merchants (and their keen customers) from the elements. Stalls, and a handful of stand-up bars, have become a bit more upscale, too, although you'll still find plenty of oddities to barter over in the central plaza. It's open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday—the latter is the busiest day so if you want a more relaxed rummage, go during the week. 

    Av. Meridiana 69, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08013, Spain
    +34-9393-245–2299
  • 9. Espai Quera: Llibres i platillos

    Barri Gòtic

    This is the bookstore to seek out if you're interested in the Pyrenees or in exploring any part of the Catalonian hinterlands. Maps, charts, and books detailing everything from Pyrenean ponds and lakes to Romanesque chapels are available in this diminutive giant of a resource. The space doubles as a restaurant, serving wine, cheese, and a few traditional Catalan dishes. It's been family owned and operated since 1916. 

    Petritxol 2, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08002, Spain
    +34-93-318–0743
  • 10. Foix de Sarrià

    Sarrià

    To-die-for pastries, croissants, and chocolates have made Foix de Sarrià, founded in 1886, a Barcelona landmark. J. V. Foix, the son of the patisserie's founder, was an important Catalan poet who managed to survive the Franco regime with his art intact. He was born in the building that houses the branch of the shop at Major de Sarrià 57; one of his best-known poems is engraved in bronze on the outside wall. On Sunday, barcelonins come to Foix de Sarrià from all over town; Sunday just wouldn’t be Sunday without a cake from from arguably Barcelona's best patisserie, to take to grandma’s. 

    Pl. Sarrià 12–13, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08017, Spain
    93-203–0473
  • 11. Ganiveteria Roca

    Barri Gòtic

    Directly opposite the giant rose window of the Santa Maria del Pi church, the knife store (ganivet is Catalan for knife) beneath this lovely sgraffito-decorated facade takes cutlery culture to a new level. Knives, razors, scissors, hatchets, axes, swords, nail clippers, tweezers, and penknives are all displayed in this comprehensive, cutting-edge emporium.

    Pl. del Pi 3, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08002, Spain
    +34-93-302–1241
  • 12. Handmade Barcelona

    Barri Gòtic

    Espadrille shoes evolved in different styles in different parts of Spain. In Cataluña, the most traditional espadrille, and the kind that Salvador Dali loved, is called "Espardenya del Payes" (literally "the shoe of the peasant") and the style is open on the sides, and the typical colors are black and white. In Pamplona espadrilles are called "Pamplonicas" and they have super tight stitching (they're worn for the running of the bulls festivities so they can't be loose!), and they're traditionally white and red in color. On the island of Menorca, espadrilles are made using leather so that they can be in contact with water. When they have a heel, as is traditional in Valencia, they're called "Valencianas." Handmade Barcelona sells all of these styles and with lots of variety in terms of stitching, colors, and materials. You can even custom-design your own at the shop's interactive 90-minute workshops, where participants choose the color, base, ribbon, and stitching style, and get to make them alongside an in-house artisan. You'll learn even more about the history of these versatile, comfortable shoes, made famous by Salvador Dalí, who wore them everywhere he went, including meetings with designers Yves Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel, both of whom later adapted the style for the international market.

    Call 7, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08002, Spain
    +34-93-180–6768
  • 13. Ivori

    This ultra-chic clothing store stocks both men's and women's clothing and accessories, all made by young Catalan designers. A labor of love that is spearheaded by local designer Carola Alexandre, who sells her own designs as well as pieces by the likes of Name BCN, Lubochka, and Mus Roew.

    Mirallers 7, 08003, Spain
    93-137–0264
  • 14. L'Arca

    This family-owned (and women-owned) store sells vintage clothing, fabrics, jewelry, and accessories, with a focus on wedding dresses, veils, and lace. Despite the found-object attitude and ambience of the place, they're not giving away these vintage baubles, so don't be surprised at the hefty price tags. You'll also find a collection of their own bridal gowns, newly made but in romantic, old-fashioned styles. Notably, the shop supplied many costumes and props for the filming of Titanic. 

    Banys Nous 20, 08002, Spain
    93-302–1598
  • 15. La Manual Alpargatera

    If you appreciate old-school craftsmanship in footwear and reasonable prices, visit this boutique just off Carrer Ferran. Handmade rope-sole sandals and espadrilles are the specialty, and this shop has sold them to everyone—including the pope. The flat, beribboned espadrilles model used for dancing the sardana is available, as are fashionable wedge heels with peep toes and comfy slippers. The price of a pair of espadrilles here start at $22, which is far less than the same quality shoes in the United States. They offer free shipping outside of Spain on orders of €250 or more.

    Avinyó 7, 08002, Spain
    93-301–0172
  • 16. Lladró

    Eixample Dreta

    This Valencia company is famed worldwide for the beauty and quality of its ceramic figures. Barcelona's only Lladró factory store, this location has exclusive pieces of work, custom-designed luxury items of gold and porcelain, and classic and original works. Look for the cheeky figurines by Jaime Hayon, a Spanish designer, and the spectacular chandeliers by Bodo Sperlein.

    Passeig de Gràcia 101, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08008, Spain
    +34-93-270–1253
  • 17. Mercat de Sant Antoni

    Just across the Ronda Sant Pau, a street dividing El Raval from Sant Antoni, sits this market, designed in 1882 by Antoni Rovira i Trias and considered the city's finest example of wrought-iron architecture. The Greek-cross-shaped building covers an entire block, and some of the best Moderniste stall facades in Barcelona distinguish this exceptional space. A painstaking decade-long restoration incorporated the medieval archaeological remains underneath. The market is a foodie paradise of fruit, vegetables, fish, cheeses, and more, as well as counters for dining. On Sunday, when the interior is closed, you can wander the outdoor stalls of the weekly morning flea market searching for stamps and coins, comic books and trading cards, VHS, CDs, vinyl, and vintage clothing.

    Comte d'Urgell 1, 08011, Spain
    93-426–3521
  • 18. Norman Vilalta

    Eixample Esquerra

    Norman Vilalta was a lawyer in Buenos Aires before he decided to do something rather unusual: learn the trade of a traditional cobbler. He moved to Florence, Italy, to apprentice and learn the trade, and then set up shop in Barcelona. Today he is one of a handful of people in the world who produce artisanal bespoke shoes, which take three months to make (and can be shipped worldwide). The shoes come complete with a video showing the entire making of, and will set you back somewhere between €2,500 and €5,000. However, you will also join the ranks of the chef Ferran Adrià, the architect Oscar Tusquets, and members of the Spanish royal family as owner of a pair of Norman Vilalta shoes. And since they fit like no other and last a lifetime, you might consider it a worthy investment. For a more affordable option, Vilalta's ready-to-wear footwear is available at the high-fashion emporium Santa Eulalía on the Passeig de Gràcia.

    Enric Granados 5, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08007, Spain
    +34-93-323–4014
  • 19. Palo Alto Market

    Poblenou

    This sprawling 19th-century factory complex—with its gorgeous brick architecture, towering chimney, multiple courtyards, and verdant garden—now serves as creative studio space for designers and artists. On the first weekend of every month, the Palo Alto Market invites the public to step inside the gates and experience the vast, very cool space. There's live music and DJs, street food trucks, and dozens upon dozens of stalls selling a range of goods, from crafts to clothing. 

    Pellaires 30, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08019, Spain
    93-159–6670

    Shop Details

    Rate Includes: €5 entry fee; tickets must be purchased online
  • 20. Pastelería Hofmann

    The late Mey Hofmann, a constellation in Barcelona's gourmet galaxy for the last three decades through her restaurant and cooking courses, established this sideline dedicated exclusively to pastry. Everything from the lightest, flakiest croissants to the cakes, tarts, and ice creams are about as good they get in this legendary sweets emporium. 

    Flassaders 44, 08003, Spain
    93-268–8221

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