Fin de semana de mercados callejeros

En los últimos meses, el centro de la ciudad de Barcelona se está nutriendo de un tipo de mercados muy diversos y dinámicos, que mezclan la venta de productos (ropa, libros, artesanía), gastronomía y arte. 

Son espacios en los que se pretende llegar a un público que busca últimas tendencias de autores, creadores, productores nóveles o desconocidos, música en directo, nuevos conceptos gastronómicos y otras iniciativas que ofrecen a la ciudad un espacio de intercambio y colaborativo.

Entre ellos, queremos destacar el "Mercat de la Terra" que tiene lugar cada mes en la "Plaça de les tres Xemeneies" en el que agricultores y productores ofrecen sus productos KM.0 o el Fleamarket que tiene lugar mensualmente en la "Plaça Blanquerna" (tras el Museo Marítimo) y que, en la línea del famoso "Marché aux Puces" de París, ciudadanos ponen a la venta productos de segunda mano bien curiosos. Este fin de semana pasado tuvimos otro mercado parecido al Flea Market pero, en este caso, en el vestíbulo de la Estación de Francia, conocido como Lost & Found Market. 

Hay muchos más como el Fleadonia, Palo Alto Market, entre otros, y lo que la mayoría de ellos comparten es la nueva moda gastronómica del Street Food que bien puede ser con las carpas de toda la vida o con la nueva moda de las caravanas, furgonetas y motos adaptadas como espacios gastronómicos.

Este fin de semana pasado también se celebró, en el marco de la fiesta de la cultura marítima, el Van Van Market: una concentración de vehículos vintage que ofrecen gastronomía delicatessen para llevar. El evento se concentró al final de la Rambla, en el Moll de la Fusta, y aunque empezó lluvioso, consiguió reunir una buena concentración de gente de la ciudad, y turistas. Como habitante de la Rambla, me parece una gran iniciativa pues atrae al centro a los ciudadanos y para los turistas tiene un atractivo fugaz: pican algo pero no se quedan pues tienen mucho de ver! Pudimos degustar platos curiosos, disfrutar del mar y del puerto, y aprender de la cultura marítima que tanto caracteriza nuestra Barcelona. Esperemos que se repita pues realmente es un buen reclamo para atraer a los barceloneses al centro de la ciudad sin sentirse invadidos por las avalanchas de turismo que nos rodean.

Lafuente: looking for a good wine in the city center?

Lafuente is a reference place for the people living in the Rambla to buy good and different types of wines and some supermarket products. Belonging to a family with establishments in Barcelona since 1906, one of their shops (Rambla Catalunya) was the first importing whiskey in the 40s.

Lafuente has also been a reference in Ferran street, also by advertising the products with a specific "typo" created by one of the shopkeepers which made it really famous and even, during the Mercè celebration, one of the posters was carried out using the idea of that typo.

Fleadonia market

During the autumn, several squares in the city center organise flea markets and other social and cultural activities which worth partipating! The market is called Fleadonia and it's organised in two areas:

FLEADONIA LLEIALTAT Sundays 29th September, 27th October and 24th November.
FLEADONIA FILMOTECA Saturdays 19th October, 9th  November and 7th December.

Dont' miss it!

New shop! Ale-hop

A new shop has opened in Escudellers street, 2 minutes wall fom Ramblas. It's a place where you can find fashion accessories, gifts and décor for low prices! In the ALE-HOP shops you can find gifts for woman, for man, for children, for birthdays and other celebrations. You will find it at Escudelles, 10.

More info at: http://www.ale-hop.org/home-h-1-51/ 

6 generation-family quality shirt producers

Camiseria Xançó is one of the best shops in Ramblas, not only for the historic design and decoration of the shop, but also of the really good quality of the hand-made shirts they produce. Six generations have been running this business since 1820 so we could say that it's the oldest shop currently in this famous street. Materials and an accurate design of the shirts, plus a perfect orientation by it's owners individualising the customers' style, makes this shop one of those places difficult to find in our industrialised society.

Loteria Valdés Store

Lotería Valdés is a lottery store located in Rambla de Barcelona since 1905.


On March 29th 1905, Miquel Valdés received from the Ministry of Finance (Dirección General del Tesoro Público del Ministerio de Hacienda de Madrid), the credential authorizing to be founded as a first class Lottery Shop placed at Barcelona named as Lotería Valdés.

It was Christmas 1935. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Shop, Lotería Valdés shared out the first Big Prize of its history.

This lucky number worth 15 million of pesetas (the spanish old currency).

Another “Gordo”: In 1946 the number 45590 was also lucky, the Big Prize. And Lotería Valdés shared it out!

This book (The Lucky Lottery Shop), written by the historian Daniel Venteo, is a trip through the history of the city of Barcelona and the most important Lottery Shop of the Rambla.

Through 100 years of history this book makes a portrait of a time, a people, a city and the history of Lotería Valdés.

Do not miss to buy one number for Christmas (22nd December) or "El niño" (5th January). Good Luck!

Herboristeria del Rei

One of the most ancient shops in Barcelona, from 1823, where you will find all kinds of medicinal herbs and parfums. It was stated "official supplier of the Royal House" in 1860. It currently offers health care plants and other for cooking, dietetic complements, honey, species, candies, bushes and accessories, natural cosmetics, essential oils...







Some of the scenes of the famous film "The Parfume" where filmed in this shop:



You fill find the shop, in the narrow streets that lead to the Plaza Real from Ferran Street:

Vidre Street, 1st shop.

Hope you enjoy this place!

Custo Barcelona

Along the Ramblas, you will find two shops of this catalan fashion designers, in nº 120 (where the old SEPU market was placed) and in nº 109 (in the basement of the former Tobacco of Philipines Co.). Custo Barcelona style and high quality cloths. The price is high but it worths the quality of the products! If there's not enough budget, just have a look and enjoy the art of Custo, which I remember in the 80s, known as Custo Line, was a touch of colour in the pre-Olympic Barcelona.

An extract from Custo Barcelona website on how the company was created:

"The Dalmau brothers, Custo and David, created Custo Barcelona in the early 80’s after a long trip during which they travelled all around the world. Their journey allowed them to discover not only new landscapes but the most varied of artistic, cultural and philosophical expressions.
Amongst the things they found to be most worthy of interest were the typically Californian style they saw on the surfers who lived in the southern part of the state and the psychedelic look they observed in the northern part. The brothers were impressed by the colorful and innovative fashion trends they came across, and in particular the style of the tops and T-shirts which didn’t exist in Spain in those days.

Using the above as a starting point, the brand was launched under the name “Custo Line”.
The Dalmau brothers got to work and learned everything there was to know about printing techniques and finishings, paying special attention to graphic design, a field they felt particularly comfortable with. Through time, their research on the use of color and prints has given risen rise to designs that are innovative, bold and sophisticated."