Forget London and New York, Barcelona is every fashionista’s fantasy with designs and looks for every credit card limit. From Gucci to hand-made and locally designed clothes and accessories, Barcelona’s got it all. So grab your wallet and choose your poison from the list below.
Passeig de Gràcia
Barcelona’s answer to Paris’ Champs-Elysées in Paris, Los Angeles County’s Rodeo Drive, Passeig de Gràcia is a great place to people-watch, shop and scope out high-end fashion in the Catalan Capital. International luxury storefronts like Gucci, Prada, and Burberry mingle with well-known Spanish brands likeAdolfo Dominguez, Roberto Verino and Custo Barcelona as well as more economic brands like Zara, Mango and H&M. While you’re in the area, be sure to stop off and check out famous modernista buildings like La Pedrera and Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí.
Raval
If you’re more interested in vintage and indie looks than sleek Armani suits, Raval is the Barcelona neighborhood for you. Around every corner you’ll find store windows crowded with quirky antiques and accessories and stylish second-hand shops like Holala, and Lailo. On weekends on Rambla de Raval, shoppers should check out Raval’s Independent Design Market from 11am to 9pm. Before you wander elsewhere, take a few hours to tour MACBA Barcelona’s Contemporary Art Museum (the large white building surrounded by skateboarders), or an exhibit at CCCB, Barcelona’s Contemporary Culture Center. Just keep in mind that Raval is one of Barcelona’s gritty up-and-coming neighborhoods. So while it may be a great place to shop by day, it can be borderline unsafe by night, especially if you’re female and stumbling around drunk.
La Roca Shopping Outlet
If you adore high-end looks but don’t have the Euros and cents to make it happen on Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona’s city center, hop a bus to La Roca for deals on brands you covet but can’t afford at regular prices. There are over 80 brands that boast a sixty percent price reduction year-round, not to mention seasonal sales at after Christmas and mid to late summer. La Roca is a pretty traditional outlet experience, so shoppers are well advised to check the forecast and wear comfortable shoes, as they’ll be walking around outside to get from shop to shop.
Gràcia
Gràcia is like a less edgy, and exponentially more expensive version of Raval. Once a village, incorporated into Barcelona city in the late 19th century, this neighborhood is popular with hipsters and hippies with fat wallets. Located north of the city center, it’s crowded with cozy artisan shops where you can buy locally made clothes and accessories. Specific streets to explore include Carrer d’Asturies and Carrer Verdi. Don’t miss the Any Tichy’s Pinc Store or Oslo, a sort of artist’s commune, where you can buy hand-made wares directly from forty-some artists and artisans. Oslo doesn’t accept bankcards.
El Corte Inglés
Move over, Nordstrom’s. Make way for Spanish department store chain, El Corte Inglés. The name of the department store means the English cut, and pays tribute to the store’s background selling men’s suits. With a massive store located right on Plaça Catalunya, El Corte Inglés is an amazing one-stop option offering a multitude of brands in shoes, makeup, clothes, and even gourmet eats. Stop at one of the cosmetic counters for a makeover, ogle shoes, or browse to your heart’s content. Before you flee the premises in hopes of saving your credit rating, make your way to the cafeteria on the top flour for a café amb llet with panoramic views of the city.
More Places to Shop in Barcelona
Las Arenas—This shopping mall is housed in a renovated bull-fighting ring near Plaça Espanya. Its rooftop bars are a great place to take in the magic fountain show at Montjuïc.
Els Encants Vells Flea Market-If you enjoy haggling for your vintage finds, this is the place for you. Open Mondays Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 to 6
Carrer de Argenteria in El Born—This is yet another great place in Barcelona to find one-of-a-kind jewelry, shoes, clothing and art.
Side streets in the Gothic Quarter near Plaça del Pi—The Plaça itself is crowded with street artists selling fairly generic Barcelona-centric artwork, but if you venture a little further away onto the side streets, there are plenty of interesting shops selling antiques, local designs and vintage clothes.
Useful Information for Shopping in Barcelona
1. Operating hours are different here. Most shops open considerably later than in many other cities (after 9, in some cases after 10). Smaller neighborhood shops often close for lunch for a few hours from 2 or 3 until 4 or 5. Pretty much everywhere is closed on Sunday, and many shops are only open mornings on Saturdays.
2. Major sales are only twice a year, in January-February and July-August.
3. Taxes are usually included in the listed prices.
4. Some stores don’t accept credit cards, especially not for purchases under 10 Euros. Also, to use a credit card, you’ll need your passport unless you’re a European resident with an official European I.D. Traveler’s checks, American Express, and Discover cards are unfortunately virtually useless at most stores in Barcelona.
By
Liz {What Dress Code?}
Spend a semester abroad in Barcelona and this writeup is spot-on — I loved the variety and price ranges all at my fingertips while there. And don’t forget about some incredible jewelry vendors that post up at the bottom of Las Ramblas near the port — some of the most beautiful baubles I’ve ever seen!
ChrisCiolli
Thanks for commenting, Liz. The street vendors selling jewelry are the best, although they’re not always in one place, and if they don’t have a seller’s license, you the buyer can get fined per local laws….although to be fair, I’ve never been caught…