13 Best Souvenirs from Barcelona to Remember Your Trip By

You can spend your whole trip shopping in Barcelona, given there’s so many interesting shops and stalls to browse. But if you’re looking for something iconic and emblematic of the city, take your pick from this list of top souvenirs from Barcelona to take home.

Barcelona is an unforgettable city, full of art, history, gothic architecture and food. Pretty much everyone that’s ever visited Barcelona has fallen in love with it, whether it’s been for hen or stag dos, a romantic or group trip or visiting friends (there’s a huge expat community here). But as a lot of trips here are either short or already filled with things to do (you can actually fit a lot in in just three days), it can be handy to know what souvenirs to buy from Barcelona in advance.

From food and drink, to local crafts, to iconic and amusing figures, there are many great souvenirs from Barcelona to choose from. You can also find lots of ideas for gifts, whether it’s for yourself, your partner, friends, family, or kids.

1. Park Güell lizards

Of course – I’m not suggesting you pocket one of the many actual lizards roaming around to take back home. Rather, there are many lizard-themed souvenirs in Barcelona that are great keepsakes or even gifts that are much more suitable. These are often key chains, coasters, magnets etc, which are vibrant and colourful and boast mosaic designs to echo the large ceramic Park Güell lizard designed by Gaudi in 1914. 

2. Local olive oil

Catalonia is one of the major oil-producing regions in Spain, joint with Andalucia. That means you can find high-quality olive oil easily in Barcelona, the region’s capital city. It’s great for dipping bread into, pouring over salads and – if you’re into it – moisturising your skin! You can easily pick up a bottle at Santa Catarina Market, or any boutique stalls around the city (there are many!).

3. Cava

If you’d rather take home an alcoholic souvenir from Barcelona, you could treat yourself to the local wine of the city: cava. It’s a sparkling white wine, similar to Prosecco, but slightly heavier with stronger citrus notes than the Italian drink.

You can usually order cava from pretty much any bar in Barcelona, and you can even visit one of the many cava-making towns nearby (highly recommended). But if you don’t have time to get a bottle from a manufacturer, you can always nip to Carrefour or any mini supermarket that typically stock Cava. 

4. ​​Espadrilles

The espadrille is a rope-soled shoe that comes from the Catalan word ‘espardenya’, which refers to the esparto grass endemic to Spain (and Portugal and Africa). They’re so flexible and lightweight that espadrilles are known for being a comfy summer shoe. They were even worn by the likes of Salvador Dali, Picasso and even Yves Sant Laurent (so don’t let anyone tell you they aren’t fashionable!). 

If you wander around El Born and El Gotico, you’ll likely stumble across espadrille boutique stores. One of the best places to pick up an espadrille is at La Manual Alpargatera, arguably the most famous espadrille-manufacturing company, located right by the Museu Picasso de Barcelona in El Born. 

5. Turrón

If you want a sweet memento from Barcelona, Turrón is easy to find and a popular snack in the city. It’s also called torró in Catalan, which denotes the nougat Turrón is made from. It tastes like a biscuit, typically made with almonds, honey, egg, and sugar, but you can find many different flavours too.

One of the most special things about turrón is that it’s often given as a gift when the Spanish and Catalan visit friends and family. So if you’re looking for Barcelona souvenir gifts for loved ones back home, this is the Catalan way!

6. A caganer figurine

If you’re around during Christmas time, you’ll no doubt come across a caganer figurine. These are essentially figures of squatting people defecating. They’re usually made to look like famous people such as Donald Trump, Messi or Ronaldo, or even the Pope. It’s definitely one of the stranger ideas for a souvenir from Barcelona that probably needs explaining back home. Unfortunately, there’s no exact explanation given as to why they’re so celebrated, although some think it was linked to good fortune for fertility?

7. Caga Tió souvenirs

Another faeces-related Christmas souvenir idea; Barcelona’s Christmas markets are full of logs with faces on them and red hats. This log is actually known as Tió de Nadal (Uncle Christmas), or more commonly Caga Tio ‘Poo Log’. The reason behind the nickname Poo Log is that it supposedly excretes Christmas presents to the children who take good care of him. Admittedly, it’s an odd alternative to Santa Claus, but it is common in Catalan culture. 

8. A caricature of yourself from La Rambla

La Rambla is known for being the most touristic street in Barcelona, but it has some of the best souvenirs and gifts to snap up. If you want something more fun, why not get a caricature done by one of the street artists while taking in the bohemian, lively vibes of the central city hotspot?

There are usually quite a few artists to choose from, who specialise in creating humorous and exaggerated portraits. When it’s done, you’ll have a unique keepsake that offers more than just a memory – it’s an artistic interpretation of your persona as seen through the lens of a Barcelona caricaturist. Let’s hope it’s a nice one!

9. Barcelona FC football shirt

Barcelona is home to one of the most famous football clubs and stadiums in the world, so a football shirt or kit bought in the city itself is a great souvenir to take back. Messi might not be there anymore, but you can still celebrate its current renowned players like Jordi Alba, Robert Lewandowski and Frenkie De Jong.

You could head to Camp Nou stadium for official merchandise, or if you want a cheap, budget-friendly souvenir from Barcelona, browse the many shops around La Rambla and Gotico for a replica. 

10. Catalan ceramic pottery

Barcelona is known for its vibrant and intricate ceramic pottery, which stands out in bars, restaurants and shop windows. It can be found in a variety of colours and designs, perfect for a decorative piece or use in the kitchen. The city’s ceramic craftsmanship specialises in intricate detailing, complex geometrical shapes or depictions of nature and cultural symbols. You might even be able to find some from a local artist’s studio, making it even more unique. 

11. Local Barcelona hand-crafted jewellery souvenirs

Small, light-weight and plenty to choose from to match your style; jewellery is often a go-to souvenir. Barcelona has many markets where you pick earrings, bracelets, necklaces and more from local crafters. They can be made from different materials, like silver, gold, leather, crochet. Barcelona is big on sustainability too, so many artists use recycled or ethically-sourced materials.

If you don’t find any at local markets, there’s also well-known brands like Klimbim or Martelié to try, or head to El Corte Ingles. So whether you want simple and elegant, or to channel Barcelona’s boho spirit, you can find a statement souvenir to take home. 

12. Romesco sauce

If you didn’t have the chance to try this while you were there, buy some to take home anyway. It’s a delicious tomato-based sauce that goes well with pretty much anything. It’s a blend of red peppers, tomatoes, almonds, garlic and olive oil, which gives a nutty-esque flavour. It’s used alongside fish and meat, but particularly with calçots.

You can see from the picture that these are onion/leek-like vegetables that are celebrated in Catalonia, with annual barbecues in the countryside known as calçotadas. But even if you don’t make it to a calçotada, you can find Romesco sauce to dip into at home pretty much anywhere in the city.  

13. Modernist art print from local Barcelona artists

If you’ve come to Barcelona for the art, then make sure you take a piece of it back with you as a souvenir. If I’ve not emphasised it enough in this article, the city is literally brimming with artists and creatives. Every street corner, every stall and every barrio has some genius selling paintings, music, sculptures, poetry…you get the picture. It’s arguably the city of Modernist Art though, so finding a print in this style will be a great memento of Barcelona. 

Best souvenirs from Barcelona

Whether or not you’re planning to shop in Barcelona, you’ll no doubt find so many things you want to take home. The city is famous for lots of locally-produced goods, including art, food and drink, and more. These all make for great souvenirs from Barcelona, so you can relive some of the culinary, fashion or fun experiences from your trip again. 

Before you go, make sure you read these interesting facts about Barcelona to enjoy while you’re still there.

Quicklist of souvenirs to buy from Barcelona

1. Park Güell lizards
2. Local olive oil
3. Cava
4. Espadrilles
5. Turrón
6. A caganer figurine
7. Caga Tió
8. A caricature of yourself from La Rambla
9. Barcelona FC football shirt
10. Catalan ceramic pottery
11. Hand-crafted jewellery
12. Romesco sauce
13. Modernist art print from a local Barcelona artist

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