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, and cutting-edge designer showcases and top-name boutiques. Some of the leading global fashion names (Zara and Camper, to name a couple) are in fact Spanish, and stock a larger range of their offerings at more competitive prices.

Travelers not au fait with Barcelona's scene tend to blow their credit cards in London or Paris and then kick themselves for not waiting to arrive in the city where, in addition to the world-class shopping now available to them, the euro goes a lot further. So if you have been sensible enough to set aside some reserve funds, you could find yourself spending more time shopping than gallery-hopping -- not, of course, that there's any reason to feel guilty about that!

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, and Diesel. All along the avenue there are dozens of outdoor cafes to rest up, enjoy a tapa or two, and examine your booty. The Rambla de Catalunya, which runs parallel to the Passeig de Gràcia, has lesser internationally 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 of which 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 the housewares giant Habitat, the megamall L'Illa, and various other boutiques in between. The Metro only sparsely services this part of town and the shops are spread out, but don't despair: 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 Quarter, 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 at various intervals, and there are fashion and design shops springing up all the time. 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 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.

Catalonia has resisted the lure of Sunday trading, mainly at the insistence of the trade unions. 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 quaint retro feel.

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

Sales tax is called IVA; for food items it is generally charged at 7%, rising to 16% for most other goods. Cash register receipts will show this as a separate charge (if not, ask). If you see a "Tax-Free Shopping" sticker displayed in a shop and are a non-E.U. resident, you can request a tax-free check on purchases of over 90€ ($117). Present this to the Cash Refund counter at the airport (Terminal A) when you depart the E.U. and you will be issued a cash refund. Refunds can also be made to your credit card or by check. For more information see www.globalrefund.com.

Sales (rebajas or rebaixes) start early July and early January, slightly later than northern Europe, as the Christmas gift-giving day is the Día de los Reyes on January 6. Discounts at the sales are extraordinary, often starting at 50%, but surprisingly you never see the mad rushes that fill the news programs in other countries. 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, in terms of both service and presentation, still feel like a piece of living history.

What to Buy

Stylish clothing and 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 branch such as Loewe or succumb to the leather hawkers on La Rambla, the quality and value of leather goods is superb. Barcelona has always been 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 Picasso Museum. 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.