Barcelona shopping: the best areas

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Barcelona is an ideal city for shopping. It appears in almost all the listings of best cities in Europe for shopping, and in some of the listings of cities in the world. Like all cities, the center is the best area to use the credit card, but there are others. You must also know the types of stores that you will find in each area, and the avenues and streets that you can not miss if you want to buy something or find an original gift.

Let's go downtown, let's go to Catalunya square. A tour

The heart of Barcelona. A large warehouse (El Corte Inglés) and a shopping center (El Triangle). Several fashion stores, international brands such as Desigual and Zara, and an Apple Store. This square connects directly with three of Barcelona's most important avenues and streets for shopping: Passeig de Gràcia, Avinguda del Portal de l'Àngel and Rambla de Catalunya. And the Passeig de Gràcia and the Rambla de Catalunya with the Avinguda Diagonal. So a good starting point for your tour can be Plaça Catalunya. You can choose another one based on your preferences.

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Passeig de Gràcia

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It connects Plaça Catalunya with the Avinguda Diagonal. The Passeig de Gràcia is the avenue of major international brands and luxury brands. In addition to a tourist attraction for hosting several of the most important buildings in Barcelona from an architectural point of view such as La Pedrera or Casa Batlló. Fashion stores, lingerie, jewelry, perfumery, shoe stores and accessories. Also the largest bookstore in Barcelona: Casa del Libro.

Rambla de Catalunya

Avenue parallel to Passeig de Gràcia. Stores also of international brands but also of national brands. We could say that the Rambla de Catalunya is the younger sister of Passeig de Gràcia. A lot of fashion, accessories, lingerie, perfumery, footwear, decoration, glasses, toys, cosmetics and books. A really nice street to go shopping and stop for a drink in one of its countless terraces.

Avinguda Diagonal

If you go up Passeig de Gràcia from Plaça Catalunya you will end up in the Avinguda Diagonal, another of the important commercial avenues of Barcelona. In the section of Avinguda Diagonal between Passeig de Gràcia and Villarroel Street you will find shops of fashion, decoration and design furniture, among others. On the stretch between Villarroeal Street and the Gran Via de Carles III, nothing more and nothing less than two department stores of El Corte Inglés and the shopping center called lying skyscrapers: L'Illa. Hundreds of possibilities at your fingertips.

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Avinguda del Portal de l'Àngel

In the Gothic Quarter. The Avinguda del Portal de l'Àngel has another El Corte Inglés and a large number of fashion stores. This avenue continues with Cucurulla Street and Portaferrissa Street, streets also full of shops. On Portaferrissa street you will reach La Rambla. So you can go back to enter the world of shopping in the Gothic Quarter or cross La Rambla and visit the shops of El Raval.

Shopping in Barcelona by quarters or areas

Gothic Quarter

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Another world for shopping. In the Gothic Quarter you will find charming shops, centuries-old, independent designers, artisans who work in their workshops and local brand stores. In them you can find sustainable fashion, delicatessen, wines, musical instruments, toys and everything you can imagine. It is the ideal area to find something unique and special. Although not the only one. In addition to the mentioned streets in the section of the Avinguda Portal de l'Angel, do not miss the streets of Call, Banys Nous, Avinyó and, if you like chocolate and sweets, Petritxol street.

El Raval

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It is the area for alternative shopping. The most punk or gothic fashion stores, the stores with the most urban spirit. You can also take an indelible memory on your skin, as there are several tattoo and piercing establishments. Everything is articulated in and around Tallers Street, the music street par excellence. If you are looking for instruments, CD's, vinyl and cassettes (new or second-hand) you have to go to Tallers Street. You will also find movies on offer in DVD format. Author cinema at the best price. And if we refer to food, in the middle of La Rambla, the temple of fresh food: La Boqueria Market.

Born

Explore Princess Street and then walk towards the sea to explore the entire area. Although it is not within the Gothic Quarter, in terms of its architecture it is also a Gothic quarter. It highlights the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, epicenter of the quarter. As for the type of shops, it is an area similar to the Gothic Quarter, although it is considered more chic. Everything is more concentrated, so it will be easier for you to visit more stores in less time.

Eixample Esquerra

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In the Eixample Esquerra you will find all kinds of shops. The area near the Rambla de Catalunya is the one with the highest concentration. In the rectangle delimited by the streets of Balmes, Gran Via, Comte d'Urgell and Aragó is the so-called Gayxample. In addition to restaurants, bars and nightclubs, in this area you will find shops with products oriented to the LGTBI collective. Although everything is already very mixed. It is enough to mention that the Axel Hotel, the icon of the gay hotels in Barcelona, is the first in the world to declare itself "heterofriendly".

Gràcia

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The Villa de Gràcia was a town that definitely joined Barcelona in 1897. Although all the quarters have their own personality, the Gràcia quarter has managed to maintain it especially. This shows in the type of stores. If you want to buy fashion from independent designers, unique objects, artisanal furniture of modern or old design, wines, local brand products, used books and things you can't imagine, visit this quarter. The Passeig de Gràcia, after the Avinguda Diagonal, becomes Gran de Gràcia, First clue. Then you have the squares, like the one in the Villa de Gràcia. Second clue, and streets such as Verdi, Riera de Sant Miquel, Bonavista and Travessera de Gràcia. Last clue.

By the sea

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At the end of La Rambla and crossing the walkway called Rambla del Mar, a large shopping and entertainment center called Maramegnum rises above the water. Although it is officially within the Gothic Quarter we have separated it because it has nothing to do with the rest of the quarter. You can take the opportunity to visit L’Aquàrium or vice versa, go shopping after visiting it.

Carrer de Sants

In the quarter of Sants is the longest shopping street in Europe, the carrer de Sants. It starts at Placa Espanya (the first section is called Creu Coberta Street but both streets form a unit in terms of the type of shops and other aspects). In the carrer de Sants you can buy in stores of all kinds and at prices somewhat more adjusted for being this a more popular quarter. The Tourist Bus stops next to the Hostafrancs market (red route, Creu Coberta stop).

Markets and collecting

If you want to look for opportunities, second-hand clothes and objects, oddities or new and unique handmade or designer products, visit our Markets page. For collecting two are the big markets: Encants Vells - La Fira de Bellcaire and the Sunday Market of Sant Antoni, which is held every Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Carrer del Comte d'Urgell, 1, next to the Sant Antoni Market (fresh products). In the Sunday market you will find: books, comics, music, postcards, movies, video games, coins, cards, stamps, calendars, magazines and objects for children.

Computing

Of course in many streets, in shopping centers and department stores, but if you want to go to an area of small stores that sell all kinds of equipment, components, peripherals, consumables, etc. at a good price, your street is Sepúlveda street and surroundings. The tour begins from the Ronda Sant Antoni.

In the following list we show you the Spanish brand fashion stores (some based in Barcelona) and the most prominent shopping centers in the city, with a little history, which in several cases is quite interesting. We also include two food, one for being the most important market in Barcelona and the other, because it offers quality packaged products.