If you considered Madrid and Barcelona to be Spain’s sister fashion capitals, Barcelona would be the funkier, more stylish twin. In addition to the mega-fashion stores you’ll find in both cities (H&M, Zara, Mango, Adolfo Dominguez, etc.), the Barcelona shopping experience entails lots of quirky boutiques and unique designs.
Shops generally open at about 9am, close for lunch from 2-4pm and reopen until 8 or 9pm, Mon-Fri. Saturday schedules are generally the same, though many stores opt to only close at lunch time. Some shops open on Sundays and Holidays, but it is not the norm.
It’s also good to keep in mind that the low season for Barcelona shopping is August. Smaller stores make close for a week or more while the weather is scorching.
This bus (T1) follows a circular route for shoppers from Plaça de Catalunya up the Passeig de Gràcia to Avinguda Diagonal and back again. The tombbus hits all the major Barcelona shopping spots, as these wide avenues are packed with a variety of international and local stores.
