Once an independent village, later subsumed into the urban fabric of Barcelona, the neighbourhood of Gràcia still has a distinct feel, with narrow low-rise streets and an unpretentious, animated air. Its central access is the Carrer de Verdi, which bisects the barrio north to south and is home to quirky boutiques, authentic tapas bars and an excellent eponymous cinema (at No 32).
Walking up from the buzzy Plaça de la Revolució, the first of these, at No 3, is jeweller Pia Barcelona, which specialises in precious stones and gem therapy, inspired by Asian ideas and aesthetics. Nearby is the friend El 28 de Verdi at No 13, where you’ll find everything you need for the red carpet, along with eco-friendly, fairtrade bags made by disadvantaged women.
At No 17 Picnic is a Scandi-influenced concept store with gaily patterned shirts, cooler-than-thou shades and acrylic jewellery, while nearby at Nos 15 and 20 are the two family-run El Piano fashion boutiques, where you might get lucky and unearth a cut-price gem in one of their frequent sales.
Nana Banana at No 24 specialises in bold blocky clothes aimed at a youthful crowd, with a gender-free line, affordable handmade jewellery and some especially funky recycled plastic baskets, perfect for shopping or the beach. Further up at No 37 Streeters has a great selection of trainers from Veja, Munich and others, and then it’s time for a caffè and cannoli pitstop at La Pasticceria de Gràcia, an Italian bakery at No 58.
Check out the delicate handmade jewellery at Art Centre (No 61) and maybe pick up a bottle of wine and some picnic nibbles or take part in a tasting at Wine Palace (No 67), but make sure to save some energy to sift through the racks of American vintage finds at Revolution (No 80).