Barcelona, Spain – home to Antoni Gaudi’s Catalan modernism and the bustling La Rambla street. Complement your sightseeing in the Catalan capital with a foray into some of the best shops in Barcelona. We have handpicked a mix of shops to suit all tastes, from mouthwatering ice-cream parlors to boutiques crammed with the latest arrivals from the Spanish fashion scene.
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Barrets Obach
Barrets Obach – a classically Catalonian hat shop
“Wearing a hat is like having a baby or a puppy; everyone stops to coo and talk about it, ” milliner Louise Green once said. The Catalan family that runs the Barrets Obach shop seems committed to proving Green’s statement true by helping their clients to find hats that will not only express their personality but also become conversation topics. Customers may find themselves frequently reliving their days in Barcelona while talking about their headwear.
Grandfather, father and son proudly team up to assist you in making the hat selection process an unforgettable ritual. Their charisma, along with the traditional decoration of the shop, located in the heart of the Gothic neighborhood since 1924, may very well make you feel as if you’re part of a classic black and white Catalan movie.
Where: C/ Call 2
Tel: +34 933 184 094
Nearest station: Liceu
Ojalá
Fashion Designer Paloma del Pozo makes boldly colored, beautifully tailored and highly original clothing for women who like to be noticed. Her dress coats, frocks and suits have a theatrical and timeless appeal. The cuts are based on classic lines – shift dresses and tuxedo coats – to which del Pozo adds intricate abstract embroidery, appliqué and braiding. Her collections are made in Morocco, and the artisanal quality is evident.
Ojalá’s first outlet in Barcelona is situated in a corner shop in the Barri Gòtic and has Neo-Baroque decor. Del Pozo’s designs may not be to every woman’s taste, but they sure beat the throwaway fashion that fills the Spanish high street.
Where: C/ de la Ciutat 14
Tel: +34 936 01 18 30
Nearest station: Jaume I
Coqueta
coqueta
Coqueta is the pet project of Penélope, a talented personal stylist who has combined a chic little boutique with her styling and personal shopping services. The boutique is painted in soft colors and gently lit with white wrought-iron chandeliers. It’s the perfect backdrop for its carefully chosen range of women’s fashion items and accessories from labels like Traffic People, Mina UK, Nice Things, Numph and Lali Blue, which are displayed on mannequins and in antique-style cabinets.
Although the style is very feminine, it retains a sharp, streetwise edge. Penélope offers a range of complementary services, including wardrobe advice and personal styling services for special events.
Where: Carrer de Verdi 28
Tel: +34 934 61 45 79
Nearest station: Pl de la Virreina
Caelum
Snack on an array of heavenly treats at one of Barcelona’s best cake shops, Caelum
When not performing mass or running primary schools, nuns and monks in monasteries across Spain work in the sizable cottage industry of biscuits, jam- and cake-making. Caelum is a gorgeous café-boutique, part of which is located in the stony remains of an old Jewish bathhouse. This unique shop specializes in all sorts of ecclesial sweets, from handmade chocolates, almond-scented biscuits and delicately wrapped ‘polvorones’ (crumbly Spanish shortbread)to candied fruit, jams and even sweet wine. You can try before you buy at one of the tables that occupy part of the shop while also enjoying a hot chocolate or exotic tea.
Where: C/ de la Palla 8
Tel: +34 933 026 993
Nearest station: Liceu
Loewe
Loewe is one of the oldest and most prestigious fashion houses in Spain, reputed for its gorgeous leather bags and accessories. The brand’s flagship store in Barcelona occupies the ground floor of the Casa Lleó i Morera, a Modernista masterpiece by Domènech i Montaner that won the City Hall’s architecture prize in 1906.
The lower part of the façade was sadly stripped of its original Modernista sculptural decoration by Eusebi Arnau when the shop windows were inserted, but you can still admire the surviving decoration, including a lavishly tiled column on the first floor. Inside the shop, you’ll need to flex that credit card to purchase any of the high-priced fashion items and accessories.
Where: Passeig de Gràcia 35
Tel: +34 932 160 400
Nearest station: Passeig de Gràcia
Millo de Riboti
Step into the fresh air of Provence! Millo de Riboti is an immaculately-scented flower shop that specializes in flowers from the French region of Provence. Linking flowers with specific occasions and memories through the use of inspiring quotes, Millo stands out from many other flower shops in the city. The shop offers a variety of beautiful fresh and dry flower arrangements, fragrant soaps and lavender treats to scent your wardrobe.
They also make thoughtful gifts that double as prized souvenirs for friends and family. Flowers aside, the most striking thing about Millo is the charming French couple who own the establishment. A veritable testament to welcoming service, they will make your Millo de Riboti experience an unforgettable one.
Where: C/ Enric Granados 145
Tel:+34 934 147 200
Nearest station: Diagonal
Madam Pum Pum
Another of the hip fashion boutiques clustered at the southern end of C/Torrent de l’Olla, Madam Pum Pum occupies a very cool little space. It has distressed white walls and a vaulted ceiling with exposed brickwork. The deftly named Madam Pum Pum features art exhibitions on its walls that are changed every now and again and offers alternative fashion items for men and women, complemented by a small, albeit well-chosen, range of accessories. Highlights include Dr.Denim Jeans, accessories from Becksöndergaard and a wide range of items for men from RVLT.
Where: C/ Bonavista 16
Tel: +34 934 573 464
Nearest station: Diagonal
Etxart & Panno Factory Outlet
Barcelona’s most fashionable bargain-seekers head straight for the stretch of Carrer Girona between Carrer d’ Ausias Marc and Gran Vía, which is packed with outlets. Watch out for the huge Mango Outlet at no.37 for everyday inexpensive women’s fashion. Directly opposite, the outlet of the Catalan label, Nice Things, sells pert, little dresses and accessories for both girls and women.
The pick of the bunch is easily the Etxart & Panno store at no.40, which contains slinky women’s fashion items and accessories. Although you can find casual fashion items, the place is best known for its gorgeous evening wear. Brace yourself for sophisticated designs and luxurious fabrics, retailing at discounts of up to 70% at this particular outlet.
Where: C/ Girona 40
Tel: +34 932 328 045
Nearest station: Tetuan
Bagués
The city’s most exclusive jewelery store occupies the ground floor premises in the emblematic Casa Amatller, designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch. It has preserved much of its original décor, including burnished wooden cabinets and a glittering Modernista chandelier, and exudes an air of discreet opulence. The company’s long history stretches back more than two and a half centuries, but it was the inspired Modernista designs of Lluís Masriera i Rosés (1872–1958) that brought Bagués to the world’s attention. Now a luxury brand known throughout the world, Bagués still creates jewels that recall the Modernista gems for which it became famous, though it also produces equally impressive contemporary designs.
Where: Passeig de Gràcia 41
Tel: +34 932 160 174
Nearest station: Passeig de Gràcia
Vioko
Is it a cocktail bar? A boutique? The lobby of a design hotel? No, it’s an ice cream shop. Vioko is the hippest gelatería you are likely to see anywhere, with its abundance of curved lines, clever lighting and an ocean of white minimalism. Vioko’s superior scoops are sold in dazzling flavors such as ginger, sugared almond and passion fruit mousse, but you will also find a nice range of gourmet chocolate, biscuits and macaroons.
Treat yourself to to flavor-infused sugars in combinations that will make your head spin. Any selection will make a wonderful gift for a sweet tooth. If you can’t decide just by looking, Vioko also offers half-hour tasting experiences.
Where: Passeig de Joan De Borbó 55
Tel: +34 932 210 652
Nearest station: Barceloneta
