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Find here the best Barcelona accomodation and car hire online!
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Barcelona is without doubt, one of Europe's cities grandeur when it comes to style. And this can only mean one thing - coming at par with the world s best in the passion for a good hunt, and livening up to the pulse of a bustling market. In fact, in Barcelona, some shops that are centuries old still operate today, a proof of how the industry has improved its crafts and trade over the turn of years. These centuries-old shops still maintain their majestic shop facades and continue to offer their faithful clients high quality products, just like in the old days. The quality of Barcelona s shopping life has not bargained with time and up to now, the world remembers. It is a natural magnet for the most discriminate of fashion gurus and there is no shortage of design outlets or variety of choices for even the most tireless consumer. Everything is a matter of just a good hunt or bargain here, and I mean everything - with displays ranging from books to jewels, haute couture, designer furniture, gadgets, and products of international cuisine, to cava and glow-in-the-dark condoms! You ll get your best buys here and end up realizing later that you still want more!
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Several markets animate squares around the center of town, adding up to the hustle and bustle of Barcelona shopping. On the other hand, most of the mainstream stores can be found on a shopping line that resembles something like the hands of a clock set at a quarter to five. These are what most people get themselves into for the ultimate buys of their lives!
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To obtain every weird stuff that you wish to lay your hands on, try your luck in Barcelona s markets. There s Large Els Encants Vells or otherwise referred to as 'the old charms.' It is open 8am - 7pm, and up to 8pm during summer. Then there s the Fira de Bellcaire , which is held every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday next to Placa de les Glories Catalanes . This is a haven spot for the selective buyers and the most challenged collectors. Here they can indulge every fetish and vanity in their system. Placa de les Glories Catalanes used to be composed of markets that only moved here in the glorious time of August 1928 from the then-known Avinguda Mistral , which is a place near Placa d'Espanya. A place like this can certainly rouse the interest of everybody and spark its own share of controversies. It used to be a matter of dispute, because the sight of this well-attended and scampered-over jumble sale did not fit in very well with the town fathers' vision for the 1929 World Exhibition. For years after that, the talk of shifting them again never died down; however, the market has found its real place in the hearts of the most discriminate shoppers and even the moderate housewife buyers. For the meantime they seem set to stay put and cater to your every whim of shopping. In here, you can find practically everything, at unbelievable preus de ganga (bargain-basement prices) too!
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| On the other hand, there’s Barri Gotic, to add more to your shopping flairs. One of the most flocked markets, they have their crafts center at Placa de Sant Josep Oriol, every Thursday and Friday. They also have their antiques market at the Placa Nova every Thursday, and their quaint coin and stamp collectors' market located at Placa Reial every Sunday morning. Make sure you get these dates straight or you’ll miss out on some very good bargains. The market doesn’t end there though, on the western edge of El Raval, Mercat de Sant Antoni or otherwise known as metro Sant Antoni, dedicates every Sunday morning to put up a good sale featuring their priceless old maps, stamps, books and cards.
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As for being contemporary, no worries! You won t miss out in this city that never misses a beat with time: You will find the best shopping centers and department stores here to satisfy you to your heart s content. The single best department store, as considered by many of my most distinguished and well-traveled friends, is El Corte Ingles at Placa de Catalunya. Try going there or contacting their number at Tel No. 93 306 38 00, to know what I mean. It has smaller offshoot shops that are equally fabulous and spread around the surrounding area. It has another important and beautiful branch northwest of town, on Placa de la Reina Maria Cristina, and a third on Avinguda Diagonal.
Most of the mainstream stores here are prettily arranged in what can be described as a shopping 'axis,' like the hands of a quarter to five clock setting. From the waterfront, this will take us up to La Rambla, right through Placa de Catalunya and even up on to Passeig de Gracia . At Avinguda Diagonal, you turn left and from this starting point here you can then proceed to Placa de la Reina Maria Cristina. Fix your eyes especially on the final stretch from Placa de Francesc Macia.
For your convenience, the T1 Tombbus service has been laid on for the most ardent shopper; and, with all hopes, there will be, eventually, a tram that may run the length of the entire Avinguda Diagonal too, to support your passion for being up and about for the love of Barcelona s goods. After all, the Diagonal here is jam-packed with places where it will be so easy for you to empty your wallet, or your entire bank account! And then of course, not to mention, there s Heron City , which just opened in the year 2001 with quite a loud bang. This is an enormous complex of shops, cinemas, bars, restaurants and other diversions that is located well outside of the center of town, to give you enough space to scamper just all about this shopping grand city. It is located at Passeig de Andreu Nin , just off Avinguda de la Meridiana about 4km north of Placa de les Glories Catalanes or metro Fabra i Puig .
It can be maintained though, that the best shopping areas in central Barcelona are still Passeig de Gracia and the streets to its southwest, including the Bulevard Rosa arcade just north of Carrer d'Arago , and Barri Gotic streets. In here are the shopping treasure troves such as Carrer de la Portaferrissa, Carrer de la Boqueria, Carrer del Call, Carrer de la Llibreteria and Carrer de Ferran , and also around Placa de Sant Josep Oriol . One of the most popular shops is FNAC that is located at Avinguda Diagonal 549 . This French-owned store is specialized on CDs, tapes, videos and books that are surely worth your exploring. The shop is part of a huge shopping mall called the l'Illa del Diagonal . This mall is certainly worth the visit as it is considered as one of the city's more interesting architectural developments since the Olympic Games. But if by an unlikely chance that you can t get there, (though I suggest that you must not miss it even if your life is at stake,) there s a more central shopping center called El Triangle at Placa de Catalunya, which houses a branch of FNAC and a collection of other stores, including the equally famous Habitat too.
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If this is still not enough for you, then I bet you ll like it in shopping emporia. Think about more or less, 250,000 square meters of shopping space in the grounds of the former Hispano Olivetti factory which is now the famous Centre Comercial de les Glories . It has a massive roundabout and metro stop of the same name and is home to a wide range of bars and eateries to take your mind off shopping for just a while, just enough for you to take a breather and consider your bank account balance.
Now, in places like Barcelona , there are a couple of rules that you have to stick to your head, such as, the best time to buy. To save you a couple of euros, shopping hunters like you should very well take note that the winter sales officially start on or around 10 January and their summer equivalents on or around 5 July. The big department stores such as El Corte Ingles and shopping complexes such as El Triangle are usually open from 9am or 10am up to 9pm or 10pm at night, Monday to Saturday. On the other hand, smaller shops often close for a few hours at lunchtime just around 2pm to 4pm.
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