It would be unheard of to miss out on shopping in this fashion conscious city. The shops and boutiques along Passeig de Graciathe Grand Avenue in the Eixample district, and the area around Diagonal, the avenue that cuts through the top of the city should keep even the most avid shopper busy for a good few hours.

This stylish city offers an endless display of anything that comes into mind, from artwork to haute couture, books, jewelry, designer furniture, antiques and leather goods. Shopping in Barcelona will have you visiting individual stores, large department stores, such as El Corte Ingles, FNAC, Heron City, Centre Comercial de les Glories, Pedralbes Shopping Centre, Maremagnum Shopping Centre and El Triangle, among many others, and also street markets on some of the squares around town. Barri Gotic is a great place with many different markets including an arts and crafts market, an antiques market, and a coin and stamp collectors’ market, just to name a few.

For great shopping in central Barcelona, aside from the areas already mentioned, take a stroll down Barri Gotic streets such as Carrer de la Portaferrissa, Carrer de la Boqueria, Carrer del Call, Carrer de la Llibreteria and Carrer de Ferran, and around Placa de Sant Josep Oriol. The Bulevard Rosa arcade just north of Carrer d'Arago also has great choices.

When planning a shopping trip, remember that almost all shops in Barcelona close at midday for at least two hours (from around 2 PM to 4 PM) The only exceptions are large supermarkets and the department-store chain El Corte Inglés. Opening hours are usually around 9 AM and closing times vary between 9 PM and 10 PM.

Be sure to keep an eye open for bargains. Sales are often held in January, July and August as stores wish to get rid of their winter and summer stock. Look out for these words on shop windows: rebajas (Spanish) or rebaixes (Catalan) – that way you’ll know their merchandise is on sale.