Passeig de Gràcia and luxury
Passeig de Gràcia concentrates the city's luxury: the great international houses between modernist townhouses, with the block of discord as the warm-up walk. It's window-shopping and black-card territory.
The circuit
From plaça Catalunya to the Diagonal: jewelers and international fashion on the upper stretch, Gaudí's houses in the middle and the Vela tower closing the stroll. Free window shopping, prepared-wallet buying.
Center alternatives
The Eixample adds multi-brand and serious fashion in the side streets; Rambla de Catalunya mixes fashion and gourmet at a calmer pace. All walkable from the passeig.
When to go
Weekday mornings it breathes; Saturday afternoon is a river. In the January and July sales the zone organizes itself around queues at the big-brand doors.