Barcelona Shopping Guide

It’s safe to say that if Carrie Bradshaw ever visited Barcelona for a long weekend, she would be in no hurry to get on the plane back to JFK – and not just because of the six-packed Don Juans playing volleyball onBarceloneta beach. As millions of shopaholics have already discovered, the city offers a dizzying array of cash-splashing opportunities, and retail therapists of all budgets will discover thousands of tantalising ways to part with their money in the Catalan capital, whether they prefer shopping for designer names like Prada, Armani andCusto(Barcelona’s own homegrown cloths guru) or browsingvintage fashion shops, off-the-wall boutiques and second hand stores. If you’ve come to Barcelona for the sole purpose of spending, then you won’t go home disappointed…

Without doubt the Catalan capital is a very fashion conscious city, but the style in BCN is very different from that of Milan or Paris for example. Whilst chicchicasmay strut the sidewalk in Versace dresses and 200 euro sunglasses, you’ll also find hordes of counter-culture hipsters in ragged pants and recycled accessories, their skin covered in tattoos, flaunting a rockstar attitude. Barcelona adopts a very much live-and-let-live policy when it comes to individual style (ie. anything goes!) and if you’re up for an extreme fashion make-over you’ve definitely come to the right place. (And in this case we suggest you read up on how to book apersonal shopper in Barcelonawho can tailor a retail tour just for you).

Not that shopping in Barcelona is about fashion alone – if your wardrobe is already oversubscribed you’ll find plenty of alternative options when it comes to maxing out your baggage allowance on the flight back. Barcelona is rich in food and flea markets to visit, bookshops to browse, antique stores to stumble upon, and there’s plenty of gift and souvenir shopping to be done too – and that needn’t mean a sombrero fromLas Ramblasand a ‘I heart BCN’ T-shirt. How about someCatalonian Cava, some delicious西班牙农舍奶酪sorbags made out of recycled PVC posters? As long as you remembered to bring yourcredit cardyou won’t be bored in Barcelona!

To search for individual stores you may proceed straight to ourshop section, or read on for a guide to the best shopping districts in the city…

Barcelona Shopping Streets & Districts

Passeig de Gracia

Barcelona’s second most famous street (after La Rambla), Passeig de Gracia is without doubt the city’s best boulevard for spending serious amounts of salary. Designer brands wink seductively at you from every window… Chanel, Luis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Diesel and many more. And with some of the city’s most famousModernista landmarkson the same street, including twobuildings by Antoni Gaudi, you can justifiably call this particularly shopping spree a cultural activity.

Avinguda del Portal de l’Angel

Leading down fromPlaca Catalunya(the central square which links Passeig de Gracia and Las Ramblas together, amongst others), Portal de l’Angel is not quite as posh as the Passeig but a great place to stock up on high quality high street bargains from shops like Zara and Bershka, with one or two high-end treats like Massimo Dutti in store.

Las Ramblas

More famous for street performers, pick-pockets and prostitutes, Barcelona’s thriving – and sometimes conniving – Las Ramblas boulevard also boasts its fair share of shopping opportunities. Some are squarely aimed at tourists, but the flower markets and pet stalls are well worth a gander at least out of curiosity’s sake whilstLa Boqueria Marketis an unmissable treat for anyone vaguely interested in the gastronomic galaxy. Spain’s finest food and drink all in one place!

La Roca Village

Lying 40km outside BCN, you’ll have to hop on an express bus (one is laid on especially) or take a taxi to get there, but if you’re serious about your shopping you’ll soon recoup that initial expense. La Roca is a shopper’s paradise in more than one sense… the scenic location comprises of a recreated Catalan village in the art nouveau style, whilst the 100 or so stores of the world’s top brands offer up to 60% off high street prices. A very smart way to put the gloss on your wardrobe.
www.larocavillage.com

To check out the above areas you’ll need tobook your flights to Barcelona, but if you want to do some browsing before you arrive then check out ourBarcelona shopssection, where you can search for markets, fashion, accessories, shoes, books, antiques, souvenirs as well as department stores andshopping centres and malls. Happy (bargain) hunting!

Luxury Shopping Tours

Probably if you’re reading this you’re a natural born shopper, but even the best could do with a little help when faced with a foreign city. The fashion journalists and oft-consulted trend gurus who set up thisluxury shopping concierge serviceknoweverystore in the city, and – as you’ll discover if you spend an afternoon with them – many of the best are very well hidden indeed (in fact some of them are open to the public by appointment only!). For a fun and extremely eye-opening day of retail therapyemail us on info@barcelona-life.comwith your requirements and we’ll put you in touch.