Starting at the heart of town in Plaza Cataluña, you find El Triangle Mall with FNAC – the book store with so much more. You can order your concert tickets, develop film, find all types of books, music, movies, and more. Also in this mall you will find Habitat with everything for your home, Dino's yummy italian ice cream, Sephora's makeup and perfumes, watches, candles, eyeglasses, and more. Across the Plaza is, one of the several El Corte Inglés stores. It is the largest, department store in Spain,, anything you need you can find there, and most foods that you miss from home are available in their extensive grocery store downstairs. Just below El Corte Ingles the pedestrian Portal de L’Ángel holds some great shoe stores and jewelry stores as you stroll between Plaza Cataluña and the Cathedral of Barcelona.

Or, heading down the Ramblas you will see the bird vendors followed by the flower stands followed by the artists, where you can get a portrait of yourself in any style you might desire.

Or taking a left off the Ramblas, you will find yourself wandering through the windy stone streets of the gothic quarter. Barrio Gótico is filled with shops from the trendy and inexpensive to the fine and delicate. Be aware that there are some stores throughout the city, including some tucked away in Barrio Gótico that sell only to official wholesalers, they will have a sign posted saying “Venda al Mayor”, and tend to discourage individual shoppers who are even “just looking”.

For artisan cheeses, herbs, and honey, on Thursdays and the first and third weekend of the month, there are vendors in the Plaza del Pi in front of Santa Maria del Pi off the Ramblas. And follow the church around to the other side, where you’ll find artists selling their work. Open each weekend. Surely you’ll come across some street musicians on the way to brighten your day.

Further down still, between Plaza Real and Plaza San Jaume, just off of calle Ferran on calle Avinyó some of the newest trends in design can be found. You can follow c/Avinyó to c/Escudellers where Art Escudellers is located. This fine shop has and extensive collection of ceramics from all over Spain divided by regions. You can also pick up a copy Barcelona Walks, by George Semler a first class travel writer who will show you Barcelona through its history and anecdotes, to a level that most natives couldn’t show you. Or, follow Ferran past the Plaza San Jaume to the Borne, often considered the Soho of Barcelona. Galleries, along with shops from Pepe Jeans to second hand stores from the Picasso Museum to Passeo del Borne. Don´t miss the shop of El Café de la Princessa on Calle Flassaders with innovative, classy, moderately priced unique gifts, gallery, and restaurant. Follow this little street to find an assortment of galleries and trendy shops recently installed in the the classic architecture.

At the end of the Ramblas, follow the statue of Colon across the bridge to Maremagnum a modern mall on the water. Take a break and see an IMAX film nearby.