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Looking for ideas of things to bring back home? Here are some unique spots to pick up gifts.

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• LA NOSTRA CIUTAT. This is a collective of local artists that sells beautiful gifts and souvenirs that are Barcelona or Spain themed. Carrer del Pi 11 / Carrer de Santa Anna 12 / Carrer del Cardenal Casañas 19.

• ART ESCUDELLERS. With a few stores around Barcelona, they sell handmade ceramic/pottery items. While it may be a bit more expensive than your typical souvenir, it makes for a beautiful gift for yourself or a loved one. If you tell them that you need to bring it home in a suitcase, they'll be sure to wrap it up for you carefully! They have various locations.

• MORITZ STORE. One of Barcelona's beer brands has a gift shop full of cool souvenirs. The brewery is also worth a visit (if you do, make sure you check out the restrooms to see the unique architectural renovation of the old factory). C/ Ronda Sant Antoni 39.

• LA CENTRAL. These are a bunch of book stores around the city but they also have a section of the store with unique gifts, like Barcelona themed throw pillows, posters of old maps, cool postcards, and more. C/ Elisabets 6, / Mallorca 237 / Baixada de la Llibreteria 7.

• FNAC, a giant bookstore (one in Plaça Catalunya and the other in the Arenas mall) where they sell a bit of everything (books, technology, souvenirs, food items, and more!). They have various locations. 

• NATURA stores have lots of fun things and great BCN themed tote bags, books and more.  They have various locations. 

December is a great time to buy local souvenirs because there are many holiday markets that spring up around the city where you can buy all kinds of local holiday items. The biggest markets are in front of the Cathedral (La Fira de Santa Llucía), across the street from the Sagrada Familia, and in the Port of Barcelona. 

A few items that are sure to stick out to you (that would make nice gifts to bring home!):

-Caganer: A small statue of a man pooping (yes, seriously). The symbol was historically used to symbolize fertility, wealth, and luck for the new year. Nowadays, many Spanish families will hide the caganer in their at-home nativity scenes. The traditional statue features a Catalan man with a red hat, but you can find caganers of all sorts of celebrities and public figures.

-Cagatió (Tió de Nadal): These are wooden logs with a face and hat. You can find them in all shapes and sizes, even mini ones for as little as 2 euros. It's holiday tradition in Catalonia for kids to take care of the Cagatió throughout the month of December until Christmas Day, in which children sing a song, lightly hitting the Cagatió with sticks, until it "poops out" candy and gifts for the children (although really the parents have simply put the gifts behind the log and covered them with a blanket). We know what you're thinking.... what is it with Catalans and poop?!

-Turrón: Enjoyed during the holidays, turrón is similar to a chocolate bar but it's nougat based. While the original is filled with toasted almonds, nowadays there are many kinds, from chocolate to coconut. Turróns make a great gift to take home after the Fall semester, as they're easy to throw in a suitcase! You can find them at basically any holiday market or at Torrons Vicens, a famous turrón store in the Plaça de Sant Jaume.

What types of food can I bring back from Spain? Click on this link to find the answer. 

• Cheese. Bring home blocks of Manchego Cheese (Manxego in Catalan). If you get it at a local market, you can usually ask them to vacuum seal it (envasado al vacio) so that you can bring it in your suitcase. Have a bunch of people to buy for? Ask for 4 or 5 wedges and have them sealed individually so that you can give them as gifts to a few people. Other types of cheese that are typical from here are queso de tetilla (goat cheese with spices like rosemary on the outside) or queso tierno de oveja (soft goat's cheese).

• Charcuterie items. Things like fig (higo) jam, nuts, and membrillo (quince paste) can be served with any cheese for an amazing, Spanish-inspired cheese plate. Try Casa Gispert in El Born for jams, roasted nuts, and candies - it's the oldest store in Barcelona and is located next to Santa Maria del Mar. 

• Good Spanish olive oil. Oroliquido in the Barrio Gotíco (C/ de la Palla, 8). In La Boqueria market a few of the stands sell beautiful bottles of olive oil, or even kits with different flavors of oil (garlic, truffle, rosemary, etc.) that make for fantastic gifts!

• Chocolate. The Barrio Gotíco has great chocolate shops, but you can also check out the Museum of Chocolate (the entrance ticket is a bar of chocolate!) for cool gifts. 

• Other gift ideas for foodies: Saffron (make sure it is the real stuff and from Spain - it is expensive but a real foodie will love you forever), artisan chocolate (check out Simón Coll for beautiful chocolate/truffle boxes), Romesco sauce, cook books, etc. 

• Wine or Cava. While this can be a fun gift, be mindful of the requirements for bringing this into the U.S. You can only bring up to 2 bottles and cannot enter with any if you are under 21 years of age. More info here. 

• Mango is a Barcelona brand. They are a fast-fashion chain with several shops around the city. 

• Desigual is another Barcelona brand that has had shows in haute couture in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, and New York. Their collection pret-a-porter is very unique and a mix of colorful and bold patterns.  

• Slang Bags are local to Barcelona. You can check out their showroom on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes.

• Zara. Owned by the richest person in Spain, Amancio Ortega. the Inditex empire is even more present in Spain. The parent group, Inditex, owns many other stores beyond Zara, offering a range of fashion styles:

  • Massimo Dutti. More business professional clothes. Comfortable and elegant, it's more expensive than Zara. 

  • Stradivarius. More for teenagers and young adults. Lots of fresh, informal clothing.

  • Pull & Bear. More for teenagers and young adults. It's more edgy, street style, learning towards skater chic.

  • Bershka. Similar to Pull & Bear but is a bit less casual. They have an entire collection of going out or event clothing as well.

  • Oysho. A womens' brand selling pijamas, loungewear, lingerie, and fitness clothes.

  • Zara Home. Everything you need for the home, in Zara's modern and chic style, from blankets to candles to soap.