Items from grocery store

[gbcruise]

Being from the states I'm unsure if I can purchase similar items from Barcelona grocery stores. I will be looking for the International Delights coffee creamer & coke products. Will they be available at the grocery store and will the taste of the coke products be like in the states?

 

Would also like to conserve space & weight in our luggage. What costs can I expect toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner to be?

[Saturated]

There are plenty of supermarkets in Barcelona,. In fact there was one right opposite our hotel ( Hotel Montecarlo on Las Ramblas). I don't know what International Delights coffee creamer is, but there's plenty of soft drinks all up to US standard ( personally I don't touch the stuff). Barcelona is a major European city and in the last twenty years it's really glammed up.

 

Sephora ( beside Placa De Catalunya on Las Ramblas) should sort you out for perfume.

 

http://www.sephora.com/help/storeController.jhtml?country=spain&city=Barcelona

 

But I would definitely buy all perfumes and toiletries pre-travel. I would guess they are appx 30% more expensive in Europe.

[KirkNC]

My experience on soft drinks outside the US is that they taste a little different. Not necessarily bad, just different. I have found this to be true in Central America, the Caribbean and in Europe.

Kirk

[cruisemom42]

I have my doubts as to whether you'll find International Delights creamer available.

 

Coke products are readily available. If you drink Diet Coke, be aware that in Europe it is called Coca Cola Light (not Diet Coke), and it does taste a bit different. Coke Zero also seems to be pretty available (I don't drink it, so can't tell you if it tastes the same...)

[tenpin]

Being from the states I'm unsure if I can purchase similar items from Barcelona grocery stores. I will be looking for the International Delights coffee creamer & coke products. Will they be available at the grocery store and will the taste of the coke products be like in the states?

 

Would also like to conserve space & weight in our luggage. What costs can I expect toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner to be?

 

AS said not much difference in the coke, but do be aware of drastic overcharging, do ask price in any bars/shops in La Rambles. Supermarkets are fine.

With the poor Dollar and Sterling against the Euro prices have shot up over the past year in all 'Med' ports. Tales are common of 10/15 Euro small bottles of beer.

[grandbanksguy]

Being from the states I'm unsure if I can purchase similar items from Barcelona grocery stores. I will be looking for the International Delights coffee creamer & coke products. Will they be available at the grocery store and will the taste of the coke products be like in the states?

 

Would also like to conserve space & weight in our luggage. What costs can I expect toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner to be?

 

There is a very large supermarket in the basement of the department store El Corte Ingles, which is located on Place Catalunya. You can find just about everything there in the way of food products, cosmetics and sundries. They have a large wine selection at very good prices. I know that they carry Coke, but not sure about the coffee creamers.

[neverenoughtime]

We shopped there last month. If I remember correctly the 12 packs of coke cost 20Euro!! We bought several bottles of really nice wine for great prices and a bottle of vodka. For non alcoholic drinks we bought the fresh juices for sale in La Boqueria- way less expensive than cokes!

[iluvbkk]

I just wanted to let you know that El Corte Ingles is closed on Sundays...just in case that is the day you were thinking of getting your supplies. If you arrive in Barcelona prior to Sunday, you should check it out...their prices are pretty good.

[English_in_Spain]

There is a Carrefour Express on Las Ramblas. They stock most things and are probably cheaper than Corte Ingles.

[Coolcruise02]

I just wanted to let you know that El Corte Ingles is closed on Sundays...just in case that is the day you were thinking of getting your supplies. If you arrive in Barcelona prior to Sunday, you should check it out...their prices are pretty good.

 

You might double check this. We were there on a National Holiday and they were open. Someone told us they were open 365 days a year!

[English_in_Spain]

Corte Ingles Barcelona is closed on Sundays and public holidays. What national holiday were you there when it was open?

[Coolcruise02]

I don't remember the holiday but it was in the first couple weeks of October.

 

Here is where it states they are OPEN on holidays & Sunday:

http://www.elcorteingles.es/corporativo/horarios/eng/andalucia.asp

[English_in_Spain]

I don't remember the holiday but it was in the first couple weeks of October.

 

Here is where it states they are OPEN on holidays & Sunday:

http://www.elcorteingles.es/corporativo/horarios/eng/andalucia.asp

 

The hours there are Working Days (ie Monday to Saturday) and Holidays (ie the dates in grid above). These hours do not include Sundays.

[Coolcruise02]

I was just going by web sites-quote from the el corte ingles site:

 

"will be open on 5, 9 and 10 April, 1 July to 31 August, including Sundays, with the following hours from 10.00am. to 22.00pm"

 

from Frommers:

 

This flagship of the largest department-store chain in Spain, which has several branches in all the major cities, sells hundreds of souvenirs .....Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 10pm. Some stores open Sunday noon to 8pm.

 

Maybe only certain stores are open on Sunday.

 

So now do you agree they are open on Holidays?

[English_in_Spain]

You are looking at Andalusia not Barcelona. That is quite a different type of area.

On the left hand side go to Catalonia. They are open just 8 holiday days in 2010 and these are mainly around Christmas and New Year.

I have spent quite a lot of time in Barcelona (it is about 300 miles from where I live) and I have never seen El Corte Ingles in Placa Catalunya open on a Sunday.

[cruzy-sue]

You are looking at Andalusia not Barcelona. That is quite a different type of area.

 

On the left hand side go to Catalonia. They are open just 8 holiday days in 2010 and these are mainly around Christmas and New Year.

 

I have spent quite a lot of time in Barcelona (it is about 300 miles from where I live) and I have never seen El Corte Ingles in Placa Catalunya open on a Sunday.

 

I have been trying to find out what will be open and what will be closed when we are in Barclona May 1, 2010.... Should I plan to see Montserrat that day since things will be closed? What about SUndays - are a lot of shops, etc. closed? I really planned on doing some shopping in Barcelona - But we arrive on April 30 (after an overnight flight - will probably be jet-lagged) and I planned to tour the city on May 1 - but now with the holiday I am not sure what we should do????? Since you know Barcelona well, I thought I would hijack and ask you! Thanks!

[English_in_Spain]

On May 1st tourist attractions should be open as usual. 'Tourist' type shops and restaurants will also be open. The only thing that you will probably find closed are the larger stores.

 

Have you booked your hotel? If not I would do so as soon as possible as this is a popular time for people to visit Barcelona.

[Kerry's Girls]

You are looking at Andalusia not Barcelona. That is quite a different type of area.

 

On the left hand side go to Catalonia. They are open just 8 holiday days in 2010 and these are mainly around Christmas and New Year.

 

I have spent quite a lot of time in Barcelona (it is about 300 miles from where I live) and I have never seen El Corte Ingles in Placa Catalunya open on a Sunday.

 

Looking at the holiday open days - I don't see 1/1 listed, so will they be closed on 1/1? We're hoping to find someplace to pick up some items on New Year's Day.

 

Thank you!

[English_in_Spain]

The holiday dates listed are those holidays when the store is open. If a holiday is not listed then the store will be closed.

Having said that you may be lucky and find January 1st an exception. It is not celebrated here in the same way as in UK and USA. The big holiday here is January 6th.

You may find Carrefour Express on the Ramblas open. They sell most things you would find in a large grocery store.

[lisiamc]

We shopped there last month. If I remember correctly the 12 packs of coke cost 20Euro!!

 

How big were those bottles!?:eek: I bought a 6-pack of 500ml bottles of Coke Light at El Corte Ingles two weeks ago for €3.20. I pay nearly £1/bottle at the little shop near my office, so I was impressed.

 

Lisa