Bread is best bought at a "Forn" (home-made bakery): from the most typical bread to the Catalan version of the French "baguette".

For fresh products... or simple curiosity, we recommend you to visit a food market, especially La Boquería (Ramblas).

Alternatively, go to the excellent supermarket at El Corte Inglés (until 9 pm), or the food mall at l'Illa if you're close by.

If you want to take something home, we recommend the excellent and varied sausages and cured ham (serrano or, even better, bellota).

Wine (Rioja, Penedès, Ribera del Duero) and Cava (Spanish champagne) have an excellent price/quality ratio, and most of them are these days as good as their French or Italian counterparts.

As for sweets and pastries, we recommend you Mallorca's Ensaimada, and, for Christmas, the famous turrón.

The best quality products are usually found in special shops called colmados.

You'll find the international press at the many newspapers stands of La Rambla and Pg. de Gràcia. English and other languages books are found at Laie, Happy Books, or La Llibreria Francesa (see locations next page) among other bookstores. Film and developing are really cheap in Barcelona. The Jordi Bas and Fotoprix shops give good service at a very low price. Music has traditionally been found at Discos Castelló, and, more recently, at the Virgin Megastore. Finally, you'll find all this, but also electronics and much more at the new commercial and cultural centre of la FNAC (l'Illa Diagonal).

Spanish casual or elegant clothing is amongst the best these days. Just take a look at how well dressed are the locals!

Shoes and specially boots come from the Balearic Islands and Levant, and are of good quality and really good value.

Barcelona is one of the capitals of design and decorative arts. Check Vinçon (Pg. de Gràcia) and PILMA (Diagonal- Rbla. Catalunya), if only out of curiosity.

Remember that if you live outside the EC countries you're entitled to a tax refund. Ask for your Tax Free Shopping Cheque whenever you see the Tax Free sign.