A Ramble in El Raval
Morning
Start your ramble mid-morning by perusing the innovative temporary art exhibits at the
CCCB
. Here the two world’s have meshed
harmoniously. The eye-catching blend of old-meets-new in this
cutting-edge art space provides a fitting introduction to El Raval’s new
identity. Head south along C/Montalegre to the Plaça dels Àngels. Sip a
coffee beneath the Gothic arches of the restored Convent dels Àngels,
which houses the café-restaurant and art and design exhibition rooms of
Foment de les Arts Decoratives
. Round off your art amble with a trip down
nearby C/Doctor Dou, which is speckled with commercial art galleries. If
you’re looking for contemporary art to jazz up your home, pop into
Ras or
Cotthem Gallery
(see La Capella).
Afternoon
From here, it’s a short saunter to
Mercat de La Boqueria
. Walk along C/Carme, turn left onto
C/Jerusalem, and go into the back entrance of this cavernous market.
Make a beeline for El Quim de La Boqueria (stall 584–585) where you can
pull up a stool and dig into fresh fare from baby prawns drizzled in
olive oil and garlic to steamed mussels. After, head to the medieval
gardens of the Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu, off C/Hospital, and take in the Gothic ambience of pillared arcades and courtyards. Then, get to
Marsella
and kick-start the evening with an absinthe before making for
London Bar
, where live music awaits.
Galleries & Design Shops
Galeria dels Àngels Emerging
and established contemporary artists from home and abroad are shown at
this cutting-edge photography, painting and sculpture gallery.
C/Pintor Fortuny, 27
Closed Sun & Mon
Transformer This
store on one of the most arty streets in El Raval stocks an innovative
range of lamps, furnishings, ceramics and hand-made jewellery. It is a
good place to find unusual gifts. C/ Doctor Dou 16 93 301 89 05
Espai Ras Exhibits
at this architecture and design gallery and bookstore include
architectural models, video installations and graphic design. C/Doctor Dou 10 Closed Sun & Mon
Bagués Joieria Iconic Barcelona jeweller since 1839 with an international reputation. Each piece is handmade using traditional methods. Cotthem Gallery This long-established gallery exhibits one of the finest line-ups of international contemporary artists in Barcelona. C/Doctor Dou 15 Closed Sun & Mon
La Capella As well as contemporary art, this gallery boasts the R. Punt space, where you can relax and read dozens of art magazines. Foment de les Arts Decoratives (FAD) Check
out the ongoing exhibitions hosted by FAD, a century-old arts, crafts
and design organization. Also here is Items d’Ho, a quirky shop selling
creative furnishings, bags and jewellery.
Window, Foment de les Arts Decoratives
La Xina A.R.T. The
very latest on the contemporary art scene features at this innovative
gallery, started by four local artists in the late 1990s. Loring Art Multimedia and digital design are spotlighted at this trendy bookshop space. C/Gravina 8 Closed Sat & Sun
The Air Shop A
range of fun inflatable products by young designers are for sale and on
display here: flower vases and accessories to furniture and all kinds
of personalised items. C/Àngels 20 Closed Sun & Mon am
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Art aficionados gather at galleries for openings once a month (Tue–Thu). Enquire at individual galleries for more information.
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Vintage & Second-Hand Shops
Mies & Felj A
labour of love for two Catalan brothers and a Dutch woman, this shop is
packed with vintage fur-lined leather jackets, Chinese dresses and
racks of old jeans.
Mies & Felj
HoLaLa Rummage
for an outfit at this three-floor vintage store, with everything from
original silk kimonos to army pants and colourful 1950s bathing suits. Discos Edison’s This
record shop has been attracting eclectic music hounds since 1979 with a
fantastic vinyl collection, including Catalan folk, Broadway tunes and
Spanish pop. Lailo In this theatre-turned-vintage store, you’ll find everything from glitzy 1950s cocktail dresses to 1920s costumes. Revólver Records The
speciality here is classic rock – as shown by the wall art depicting
The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. One floor houses CDs, the other a
huge selection of vinyl.
Shop window, Revólver Records
La Lluna de 2a mà Pick
from a small but select array of used clothes and shoes, which may be
anything from patent leather platforms to polka-dot Dr Martens. Le Swing If
you’re looking for Chanel shoes, a Dior coat or a YSL evening gown,
this chic, boudoir-style boutique is definitely the store for you. There
are some wonderful accessories too. Smart & Clean Hip young Barcelonians swear by this secondhand store with clothes mostly from the 60s and 70s. Discos Tesla This
tiny, but well-stocked, record and CD store focuses on alternative
music from decades past. It is the kind of place where you can hum a few
lines of a song and the owner will track it down. GI Joe Surplus One
of Spain’s few army and navy surplus stores, where you can find bags,
backpacks and clothing from the Russian, Israeli and US militaries.
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