Barcelona, Shopping, where to shop, what to buy and all that jazz.
Shoppers put your walking shoes on as your in for a shopping trip which at the end of you'll need a new pair of shoes so you'll have to do it all over again, I ain' t joking it's a 5km shopping walk with
around 35,000 shops. Help! I'm a shopper, let me at it.
Shopping takes on a whole new meaning in Barcelona, with a bountiful five-kilometer (three-mile) shopping strip,which runs the entire length from the water’s edge at Port Vell all the way up
La Rambla to Diagnol. it's a great walk and if you are a shopper you have just entered shoppers paradise. Get your credit card ready because you'll need it.
Most shops open 9am or 10am depending on the store and what it's selling and most close
again for an extended lunch from 1.30 to 4 or 5 pm they then reopen and close again at around 8-830pm.
The Larger department stores like El Corte Ingles and Fnac stay open during lunch, these are two huge shopping centre's and in side you'll find just about anything you want under one roof.
Take the Metro Catalunya (Green Line, L3).
Most shops open six days and close on Sunday but many now open seven days.
All the usual International brands are here as they are in every city nowadays, which takes a lot of the fun out of shopping as the same clothes are in the same shops the world over, how boring.
If you are looking for the designer labels you'll find them all around Plaça de Catalunya, Passeig de Gracia and along Avenida Diagonal.
If you' decide to do the 5km shopping walk and half way wish you never started , fear not as help is not far away . THE TOM BUS - (Barcelona Shopping Bus) a special bus service which runs up and down the shopping strip all day long. The TOMBUS leaves from Placa de Catalunya on its journey up along the shopping strip stopping to help carry tired but determined shopperholics along part of the way.
Barcelona Flea Markets
Every city has at least one and everybody loves them, locals and tourists alike head to the flea markets in the thousands every weekend because everybody loves a good market and to get a bargain. We are the same world over.
There is nothing like a real good flea market , the sights, sounds, the hustle and bustle and the chance to do some bargaining.
Luckily for you Barcelona has several good markets and one or two super ones, we are only listing the flea markets here, (non food ones). For a complete list of all the other Barcelona markets consult a good guide book.
The Els Encants Market
Held on Plaça de les Glories, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 7pm.
A large open air market selling everything for collectors, brick a Brak, clothes and garage / car boot items. Loads of street vendors hawking their wares and lovely smells wafting from the various food stalls selling many different tasty treats.
On market days many street performers make their way down to the various markets to dance and perform magic tricks as well as many "live statues" stand for hours in the blazing sun.
A little further on you'll come across a section selling second hand furniture, craftsmen as well as junk furniture selling everything from newly constructed shit, IKEA type stuff to highly unusual and some real beautiful second hand furniture some of it amazing to see and even better to own but most of it would be way to large to try to bring back as a souvenir unless you have plenty of $$$$.
Take your camera as you will want to take photos of some of it to show your friends.
The artistry of some of the pieces are reminiscent of Antonio Gaudi's work.
Well worth the walk to see this alone.
Another antiques market is held every Thursday at Plaça Nova every (except in August).
Items include Catalan black pottery, handwoven baskets, Barcelona lace and lots of other bits and pieces. Not strictly a flea market, more a collectors market with coins and stamps a-plenty.
The"official" market closes at 2pm and as soon as it does and the local police go off for their siesta, a load of guys arrive and set up an unofficial market selling fake hand bags, jewellery, watches, perfume, aftershave and lots of other counterfeit items.
Another stop off is at the top of Avenue Portal de l´angel here there is usually either a load of stalls selling arts and craft which are great for presents or sometimes it gets a little bigger and turns into more of a small flea market.
TAX / VAT Called IVA (value added tax) is applied on all goods and services at the current rate of 17%. Any visitors resident outside the EU, who have been in the EU for less than six months can claim all the vat they have spend on items they have bought over a certain value, currently Euro 90.
Refunds can be obtained at the airport before your departure..
Tax return forms are available from shops on request.
