Antique and Vintage Shopping in Barcelona

Weave through the narrow alleys lined with colourful silks, linens and leathers. Smell the dried spices and marvel at the painted ceramics and hanging stained-glass lanterns that add to the Arabic flavour. Make sure you bring a camera as the colours and visual delights are astounding. Every weekend the range of traders expands and it is the time to discover the traditional concert-aperitif on Saturdays and Sundays in El Siglo, and also the Food Market, which provides an interesting culinary selection with Food Trucks. We hope you find our articles interesting, be sure to sign up with your email and get sent our blog posts direct to your inbox.
Speaking of which, my favourite antiques market is Mercat Els Encants, just slightly off the beaten path on Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes; however,Mercantic up in the suburb of Sant Cugat is a real must for real antiques mavens. Instead of just learning shopping vocabulary in your Spanish language class, you are now in a position to actually visit real Spanish stores in Barcelona. Go to the retro clothes stores and antique shops in the Gothic district, the international brand stores on la Rambla, or wander around the flea market on Plaza Real. Get chatting to the sellers and shop owners about their products. Its aim is to become the leader in Spain of the design second hand market by promoting asustainability movement(an environmentally-friendly market) and connecting (design-conscious) shoppers with professionals in antiques, vintage boutiques and fairs. If you are looking for ceramics, you’ll find shops all over the country.

The two life loving fashion designers relocated to Barcelona from London and Milan in 2007 and created Antiques & Boutiques. Located at the base of La Rambla under the monument of Christopher Columbus, they are held every Saturday. Here you’ll find old photographs, frames, oil paintings, records, shawls, cameras, vintage toys and other bits and pieces.
And following the same truck you find yourself on a pretty square with food trucks and a bunch of tables where you can catch a break, grab a snack and enjoy the sun. This is the most famous market in Madrid – and arguably the most famous in all of Spain. Just off the bustling Plaza Major and built in 1916, the iron and glass structure is a sight to behold. Don’t expect to find too many locals doing their weekly shop here, this is all set up for those looking to spend an evening grazing on beautifully prepared tapas. Think thinly sliced cured Iberian ham, squishy Manchego croquettas or garlicy tomatoes slathered on crispy bread all washed down with Tinto de Verano – wine mixed with fresh lemonade. Dating back to 1928, Valencia’s main market is situated in one of the city’s most beautiful buildings.

Spain exports 300,000 tons of olive oil annually so it’s a sector that knows how to ship a box of the stuff but you’ll find most of the co-operatives are happy to hand over the international distribution to somebody else. If you enjoy anything you try at an olive oil tasting, check there and then whether the producer ships to your home country. If that doesn’t work out, you can always go to one of the online sites for Spanish food such as La Tiendawhich delivers wine, food items and also tableware and paella pans across North America. UK shoppers should try places like Brindisa which will keep you stocked up with bellota ham, pimientos de padron and its own brand Arbequina extra virgin olive oil.
In Barcelona, go to the Barri Gotic – on streets such as Carrer Banyes Nous you’ll find a great mix of stores selling art, furniture and uniquely Spanish items such as 19th century fans and mantons which are not  only beautiful but travel beautifully too. If you are looking for antique or vintage shops elsewhere, we recommend picking up an interiors magazine where you’ll find some leads amongst the ads and features. We like much of what we see in the Spanish version ofAD magazine which is a mix of vintage and contemporary.
For years there has been talk of shifting them again but for the moment they seem set to stay put. You can find everything here – all at preus de ganga (bargain-basement prices). Hypermarket lovers in Barcelona were given the ultimate treat in 2001 with the opening of Heron City, an enormous complex of shops, cinemas, bars, restaurants and other diversions. It’s located well out of the centre of town at Passeig de Andreu Nin, just off Avinguda de la Meridiana about 4km north of Placa de les Glories Catalanes . FNAC , the French-owned  store specialising in CDs, tapes, videos and books, is worth exploring for these items. The shop is part of a huge shopping mall – l’Illa del Diagonal – considered one of the city’s more interesting architectural developments since the Olympic Games.

And don’t expect to do anything other than souvenir shopping on Sundays or Bank Holidays unless you are in Barcelona and Madrid where the opening laws have been relaxed to cater for tourism. Long before Södermalm became a modern day hotspot for hipsters, Antik was a small vintage furniture and antiques store in a neighbourhood. Twenty-four years on and the store still continues to offer unique 1920s and ’30s originals from all around Europe. Owner Tommy Widerstrom drives to Denmark, Germany, Belgium and France filling his trailer with handpicked pieces from contacts that have taken two decades to build up.
For those who wants to add some charm to the interior design, roof or beach party would appreciate it. Transport, exhibition and storage insurance management for artworks, paintings, sculptures, antiques, etc. in Spain. Design, production, installation and stage company for exhibitions, showings, stands, commercials, art, cultural fairs. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Barcelona became comprar antigüedades barcelona one of the cities where the modernist movement developed with more strength and personality. Painters, designers and architects left an indelible mark on the city that has forever marked the idiosyncrasy of Barcelona. Its founder Begoña Zunzunegui, with a great intuition, started importing decorative articles and antique pieces from different European countries in order to set up a company in Madrid.

At less than 80 km away we have Reus, referred to as the “the shopping city of the Costa Dorada”. Around the pedestrian zone you will find a wide variety of shops selling goods of the most prestigious brands on the market. For your convenience, the area is surrounded by over 3,500 parking spaces. Another shopping street worth mentioning is El Pallols, on two levels , designed to be a hub around which are gathered a large number of shops selling many well-known brands. Another must visit place during your shopping trip is El Tomb in Reus, the very heart of the city.

Wander along Carrer de la Riera Baixa, perusing vintage shops for clothing and accessories. Mandatory stops for vintage fashion fanatics are Lailo on Riera Baixa, and Holalá! When you’ve exhausted your funds, and built up an appetite, stop off for authentic Pakistani food or a Turkish kebab at bargain basement prices along Carrer Joaquín Costa.