Shopping

The shopping scene in Barcelona -- long a trader's haven thanks to its richly varied shipping imports, wealth of local products, and innate commercial savvy -- is wide enough to satisfy the most demanding consumer.

The city has an impressive ability to move with the times, and Barcelona today offers a fascinating blend of centuries-old shops and dynamic última moda stores run by fashionistas who have a tendency to look outward for trend inspiration, rather than toward the rest of Spain. Keen shoppers have at their disposal a time-straddling gamut of traditional colmados (small grocery shops), family-run tiendas, polished specialty stores, colorful covered markets replete with Mediterranean fare, pristine modern malls, designer showcases, and top-name boutiques. Some of the leading global fashion names (Zara, Mango, and Camper, to name a few) are in fact Spanish, and stock a large range of their offerings at competitive prices.

With the pound and dollar currently weaker against the euro than in previous years, and Spanish sales tax (IVA) at 18% on most goods (food is 8%), shopping in Barcelona isn't quite the bargain it once was. There's certainly a superabundance of goodies to tempt you, though, as long as you don't get too carried away.

The Shopping Scene

L'Eixample's elegant Passeig de Gràcia contains some of the most expensive retail space in Spain. Here the big guns of fashion have set up shop in gorgeous 19th- and 20th-century buildings: Chanel, Max Mara, and Loewe jostle for your attention alongside Benetton, Zara,Mango Mango, Custo Barcelona, and Diesel. All along the avenue there are dozens of outdoor cafes for resting up, enjoying a tapas or two, and examining your booty. The Rambla de Catalunya, which runs parallel to the Passeig de Gràcia, has lesser-known -- but equally glitzy -- establishments with more of a focus on housewares, books, and beauty.

Don't bypass the cross-streets that run between the two, as they are also scattered with some of the city's top shopping, particularly Valencia, Provença, and Consell de Cent; the latter is renowned for its expensive antiques shops and art galleries. The top end of the Passeig de Gràcia intersects El Diagonal, one of the city's main arteries. Here you will find housewares giant Habitat, the megamall L'Illa, and various other boutiques in between, such as homegrown fashion gurus Adolfo Dominguez, Josep Font, and Antonio Miró. The Metro only services this part of town sparsely and the shops are spread out, but don't worry: The tombus is a comfortable minibus that does the "shopping line" along the Diagonal; hop on at any regular bus stop.

The older, more traditional shops and one-of-a-kind retailers are mostly to be found in the Ciutat Vella (El Raval, El Born, and the Barri Gòtic). Here in the Old City, you will also find intimate boutiques and galleries. One promising new hub is around the MACBA, the city's museum of contemporary art in El Raval. Smaller galleries come and go here, and there are fashion and design shops springing up all the time. Two of the most enticing are Gimenez y Zuazo and Como Agua de Mayo. In the direction of the port, shops on the streets running off La Rambla (particularly Carme and Hospital) reflect the melting-pot nature of the neighborhood: Wine shops sit side by side with halal butchers and traditional Catalan bakers; others seem to have survived for centuries selling scissors. This is where you see the dusty old emporiums of yesteryear, ones that have, sadly, largely disappeared from cities like London and New York.

Even though the Barri Gòtic is home to many traditional stores, there's no shortage of trendy spots at the top end of the area. Here, throngs hit the Portal d'Angel and Portaferrisa on Friday evenings and Saturdays, seeking out new arrivals in fashion from the top high-street names such as H&M, Levi's, Benetton, and other global fashion labels. With the major department store El Corte Inglés in the immediate vicinity, these two streets (which cross each other) make up another of the city's convenient and central shopping hubs.

Opening Hours

Catalonia has resisted the lure of Sunday trading, mainly at the insistence of the trade unions. Apart from Barcelona's coin and stamp markets, which open on Sundays, most stores shut on Sundays and many also close on Saturday afternoon. The good news is that most shops in the center stay open through the lunch hour and generally don't close until 9pm, even on Saturdays, with department stores extending this to 10pm. As a general rule of thumb, smaller shops are open Monday through Saturday 9:30 or 10am to 1:30 or 2pm, and then open again in the afternoon from 4:30 or 5pm to 8:30pm. You will always find exceptions to this, especially as the tourist trade fans out over the city. You may come across some that, frustratingly, take Monday morning off, or decide to take a long siesta, but even that adds to the unique experience of Barcelona being a modern city that has retained its retro feel.

Credit cards are accepted nearly everywhere, even for small purchases. You must show a form of photo ID (passport or photo driver's license) when making a purchase with your credit card. Don't be offended when the assistant asks for ID; it is an effective guard against fraudulent credit card use.

Sales tax is called IVA. In July 2010 it rose to 8% for food items and 18% for most other goods. Cash register receipts will show this as a separate charge. If you see a "Tax-Free Shopping" sticker displayed in a shop you can request a tax-free receipt on purchases of over 90.16€. Get this stamped at any airport Customs (in Barcelona-Prats it's in Terminal 2A) when you depart Spain and you can claim a cash refund from the banks in the airport. Refunds can be made to your credit card or by check. For more information visit www.globalrefund.com.

Sales (rebajas or rebaixes) start in early July and early January. Discounts at the sales are extraordinary, often starting at 50%. On the whole, shopping in Barcelona is a genteel affair; small business and trading has historically been a major backbone of its economy, and many establishments here still feel like a piece of living history, in terms of both service and presentation.

What to Buy

Stylish clothing, shoes, and leatherwear are the items to go for in Barcelona. Leather shoes, belts, jackets, and coats are particularly good buys; whether you want a high-end store such as Loewe or succumb to the leather hawkers on La Rambla, the quality and value of leather goods is superb.Barcelona is renowned for its expertise in design and has a vibrant design culture supported by the local government. Decorative objects and housewares here are original and well made and can be found in the shops around the MACBA and the Museu Picasso. Artisan pieces, such as ceramic tiles and gifts and earthenware bowls and plates, are cheap and plentiful. Cookware, crockery, wine glasses, and utensils in general are a great buy; a poke around a humble hardware store can unearth some great finds, too.