6 Best Places to Shop in Barcelona, Spain

Espadrille shoes evolved in different styles in different parts of Spain. In Cataluña, the most traditional espadrille, and the kind that Salvador Dali loved, is called "Espardenya del Payes" (literally "the shoe of the peasant") and the style is open on the sides, and the typical colors are black and white. In Pamplona espadrilles are called "Pamplonicas" and they have super tight stitching (they're worn for the running of the bulls festivities so they can't be loose!), and they're traditionally white and red in color. On the island of Menorca, espadrilles are made using leather so that they can be in contact with water. When they have a heel, as is traditional in Valencia, they're called "Valencianas." Handmade Barcelona sells all of these styles and with lots of variety in terms of stitching, colors, and materials.

You can even custom-design your own at the shop's interactive 90-minute workshops, where participants choose the color, base, ribbon, and stitching style, and get to make them alongside an in-house artisan. You'll learn even more about the history of these versatile, comfortable shoes, made famous by Salvador Dalí, who wore them everywhere he went, including meetings with designers Yves Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel, both of whom later adapted the style for the international market.

If you appreciate old-school craftsmanship in footwear and reasonable prices, visit this boutique just off Carrer Ferran. Handmade rope-sole sandals and espadrilles are the specialty, and this shop has sold them to everyone—including the pope. The flat, beribboned espadrilles model used for dancing the sardana is available, as are fashionable wedge heels with peep toes and comfy slippers. The average price of a pair of espadrilles is around €60 and they ship globally.

Norman Vilalta was a lawyer in Buenos Aires before he decided to do something rather unusual: learn the trade of a traditional cobbler. He moved to Florence, Italy, to apprentice and learn the trade, and then set up shop in Barcelona. Today he is one of a handful of people in the world who produce artisanal bespoke shoes, which take three months to make (and can be shipped worldwide). The shoes come complete with a video showing the entire making of, and will set you back somewhere between €2,500 and €5,000. However, you will also join the ranks of the chef Ferran Adrià, the architect Oscar Tusquets, and members of the Spanish royal family as owner of a pair of Norman Vilalta shoes. And since they fit like no other and last a lifetime, you might consider it a worthy investment. For a more affordable option, Vilalta's ready-to-wear footwear is available at the high-fashion emporium Santa Eulalía on the Passeig de Gràcia.

A shop dedicated exclusively to men's accessories of the finest kind, the Outpost was created by a former Prada buyer who considers it his mission to bring stylishness to Barcelona men with this oasis of avant-garde fashion. The constantly changing window displays are works of art, providing a first taste of what's to be found inside: Robert Clergerie shoes, Albert Thurston suspenders, Roland Pineau belts, Yves Andrieux hats, Balenciaga ties. You enter the Outpost as a mere mortal, but leave it as a gentleman—provided you carry the necessary cash.

This internationally famous Spanish shoe emporium (which also now includes several boutique hotels) has offers a large line of funky boots, heels, and shoes of all kinds. Men's, women's, and children's shoes are displayed against an undulating chrome-and-wood backdrop designed by architect Benedetta Tagliabue.

International footwear designers and domestic shoemakers alike fill these stores with trendy urban footwear from brands such as Camper, United Nude, and Audley, as well as more sturdy models from Timberland and the like. Models designed in-house and made locally offer high style at reasonable prices. You'll find other branches of Tascón in strategic shopping hubs.