Barcelona - Shop

From fresh cheese and olives at La Boqueria Food Market to trendy boutiques in El Born district, Barcelona knows how to shop.

Browse Eixample's sleek boutiques and modern malls including Barcelona Glòries and Diagonal Mar on Avenida Diagonal and shop for designer wear and posh leather handbags on elegant Passeig de Gràcia boulevard. Seek out retro music stores, vintage finds and boutiques selling local designers in the trendy El Born district, also home to deluxe chocolatiers. Pick up handicrafts and Catalan antiques in the Barri Gòtic. El Corte Inglés department store on the Plaça de Catalunya is a mammoth one-stop shop, ideal if you're stuck for gift ideas.

Fine weather spells outdoor shopping, with markets dotted all over Barcelona. Start at La Boqueria Food Market, crammed with fresh produce from glistening aubergines to chilli-flavoured olives (Mon-Sat 8am-8.30pm). Hunt for bric-à-brac and antiques at the enormous Els Encants flea market under Glories roundabout.

Some of Barcelona's shops may close for lunch, so don't plan a major shopping spree between 1pm and 4pm. The big department stores and malls, however, normally open from 9am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday. If you want to pay by credit card, you'll need some form of ID (passport or driving licence).