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Elephant Books
c/Creu dels Molers 12,
Poble Sec
T
934 430 594,
W
www
.lfantbooks.4t.com;
M
Poble Sec.
Only stocks
English-language books, with cheap prices
for current novels, classics, children’s books
and secondhand.
Laie
c/Pau Claris 85, Dreta de l’Eixample
T
933
181 739,
W
www.laie.es;
M
Passeig de Grácia.
This has been Barcelona’s favourite
bookshop for years, though probably just as
much for its café-restaurant, which is a
good place to unwind. There are lots of
English-language titles.
Art, design and photography
Kowasa
c/de Mallorca 235, Esquerra de
l’Eixample
T
932 158 058,
W
www.kowasa
.com;
M
Provença.
The city’s best bookstore
for photography and photographic art.
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
Palau
Nacional, Montjuïc
T
936 220 376,
W
www
.mnac.es;
M
Espanya.
Doubled in size since
the museum refurbishment, the MNAC
bookshop has the city’s widest selection of
books on Catalan art, architecture, design
and style. Closed Mon.
Ras
c/Doctor Joaquim Dou 10, El Raval
T
934
127 199,
W
www.rasbcn.com;
M
Liceu.
Specializes in books and magazines on
graphic design, architecture, photography
and contemporary art. The exhibitions here
are always worth a look. Closed Mon.
Comics and graphic books
Norma Comics
Pg. de Sant Joan 9, Dreta de
l’Eixample
T
932 448 423,
W
www.normacomics
.com;
M
Arc de Triomf.
Spain’s best comic and
graphic-novel shop, for everything from
manga to the caped crusader, plus DVDs
and all kinds of related items.
Cuisine
Buffet & Ambigù
Ptge. 1800 s/n, El Raval
T
932
430 178,
W
www.catalogobuffet.com;
M
Liceu.
To keep on top of Spain’s charge to the
summit of modish European cuisine, pay a
visit to the “gastronomic library”, hidden up
a covered passageway behind
Bar Ra
.
Thousands of cookbooks, many in English,
chart the recipes, exploits and philosophies
of the latest chef and restaurants, including
several Barcelona hotspots.
Secondhand
Hibernian Books
c/Montseny 17, Gràcia
T
932 174 796,
W
www.hibernian-books
.com;
M
Fontana.
Barcelona’s best second-
hand English bookstore has around 40,000
titles in stock – you can part-exchange, and
there are always plenty of giveaway
bargains available.
Travel, guides and maps
Altaïr
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes
616, Esquerra de l’Eixample
T
933 427
171,
W
www.altair.es;
M
Universitat.
Europe’s
biggest travel superstore has a massive
selection of travel books, guides, maps and
world music, plus a programme of travel-
related talks and exhibitions.
Llibreria Quera
c/Petritxol 2, Barri Gòtic
T
933
180 743,
W
www.llibreriaquera.com;
M
Liceu.
The most knowledgeable place in town for
Craft workshops
Crafts have always been central to Barcelona’s industry, with a history dating back to
the Middle Ages. Many of the street names in the Born (
M
Jaume I/Barceloneta),
particularly, refer to the crafts once practised there; eg c/de la Argenteria, silver-
smith’s street, c/Mirallers, the street where they used to make mirrors, c/Vidrieria,
glassmakers’ street, or c/Sombrerers, where hats (
sombreros
) were made. Over the
last decade or so, neighbourhoods like the Born, El Raval and Poble Nou have once
again become craft centres as empty buildings and warehouses have been opened
up as workshops. Some artists work behind closed doors, while others have a space
at the front where they sell their limited series or unique pieces.
A good way to see the Ciutat Vella (old town) workshops is to coincide with the
Tallers Oberts
, or open workshops (
W
www.tallersoberts.org), usually held over the
last two weekends of May, when there are studio visits, exhibitions, children’s
workshops, guided tours and lots of other events. Or contact My Favourite Things
(see p.30 for details), who can organize a workshop tour on request, introducing you
directly to selected artists.
SHOPPING
|
Books