Best Shopping Spots in Barcelona

The most famous shopping area in Barcelona is La Rambla, a tree lined stretch of street dotted with stores including upscale shops like Versace, Burberry, Cartier and Armani. It has been said that Barcelona has over thirty-five thousand shops. True or not there is certainly plenty of shopping in Barcelona to keep a shopaholic busy.

But the interesting point to note is that the street is a mix of high-end brand names coupled with markets of fresh fruits, meats and produce as well as all goods that might be sell in a department store. Newspaper kiosks, flower sellers, artisans selling their creations and even the pet store are all found here. The street is basically made for pedestrian travel and is actually divided into five distinct “ramblas”.

• Rambla de Canaletes from the nineteenth century Canaleta Fountain
• Rambla dels Estudis from the sixteenth century Estudis Generals University
• Rambla de Sant Josep named after a convent, it is modernly known as the Flower Rambla because all the flower sellers are set up in this block.
• Rambla dels Caputxins named after a Capuchin monastery
• Rambla de Santa Monica named after a convent now the museum called the Centre d’Art Santa Mònica

Other areas that are noted for excellent shopping in Barcelona are:

• Passeig de Gracia is the grandest of streets in Barcelona. Rich in history and commerce, the street is home to many elegant shops, banks and offices.
• Bulevard Rosa is an area of sophistication and includes stores selling women’s and children’s fashions, shoes, jewelry, home decor, and beauty products.
• Barri Gotic streets such as Carrer de la Portaferrissa, Carrer de la Boqueria, Carrer del Call, Carrer de la Llibreteria and Carrer de Ferran, are very popular for shopping.
• Placa de Sant Josep Oriol holds the craft center Thursdays and Fridays.

Then there are the regular markets that sell very cheap household items. It is also recommended to watch for the temporary markets. During festivals at certain times of the year, whole streets and neighborhoods are converted into large markets where local crafts, produce and other goodies are sold.

And if all of the above locations are not enough to keep one happy, the huge two hundred and fifty thousand square foot Centre Comercial de les Glories may be the prefect shopping area if one still has the energy to shop after all the other venues.