shopping in Barcelona
Barcelona is for sure not as Paris for the shopping, but still there is a long tradition of innovative design, which is perharps expressed best in the city?s fabulous architecture but which is also revealed in a series of shops and malls selling the very latest in designer clothes and household accoutrements.The shop opening hours are from Monday to Friday, from 10.00 am until 2.00pm and from 4.00 to 8.00pm. Do not forget that the shops are closed during the hottest hours of the day to do the ?siesta?.The main departments stores and shopping malls stay open until 10 pm.For clothes, shoes and accessories:The classical shops such as Zara, H&M can be found in the Passeig de Gracia, Plaça Catalunya and Diagonal (metro: Passeig de Gracia, Catalunya). This district is one of the best of Barcelona, with really good Barcelona apartments and Barcelona hotels. Concerning new designers, they are located in the streets of la Ribera, around Passeig del Born where recently a series of funky shops has opened up.For secondhand and clothing, stores line the whole of Calle de la Riera Baixa (metro El Raval), calle del Carme, calle de l?Hospital and on Saturday there?s a street market here.
Antiques, arts and crafts: There are a lot of antiques stores in the old town, the best area for browsing is around calle de Palla, between the cathedral and Plaça del Pi.
Food Markets: Barcelona?s daily food markets all in covered halls,are open Monday-Saturday (closed between 3 and 5pm), though the most famous, la boqueria on the ramblas, opens right through the day.