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Just a few minutes’ walk from our boutique hotel near Plaza España down Avenida del Paralelo, you’ll find an unusual mall. You may need to look twice before you realize it’s not actually the bullfighting ring it appears to be on first glance, but rather one of the most interesting commercial centers in the capital city. We’re talking about Arenas de Barcelona, where you’ll find some of the leading brands in fashion, accessories, and services. If you like shopping or simply would like to see an an unusual mall, this is the place for you! 

History of Las Arenas

Las Arenas was born in 1900 as a bull fighting ring. However, 77 years later, it stopped being used for that purpose. It was then when the final bullfight took place there, leaving the building without a known use.

Of course, it couldn’t be left unused long, given the excellent location of this enclave, just in front of the Plaza de España, and just steps from the dynamic Avenida del Paralelo. The solution came, finally, in 2011 with the inauguration of the Arenas de Barcelona mall, designed by British architect Richard Rogers.

These days it is an enormous complex that contains a total of six commercial floors and a leisure floor with more than a hundred stores. It has a total of more than 1000,000 square meters of surface area, ensuring customers will be sure to come back for repeat visits.  

What to do at Arenas de Barcelona

Like any other mall, Arenas de Barcelona is a place where you can find some the most popular fashion and accessory brands. The commercial offering is rounded out with other stores specializing in food products and, of course, a floor dedicated to restaurants. The best Italian, Asian, Mediterranean and fast food options are at your disposal every day from 10:00 to 1:00, which extends until 3:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

The leisure offerings from this mall includes a gold mine in the form of the movie theater, as well as the viewing area on the top floor, which offers a spectacular panoramic 360º view of the city of Barcelona.

To get there from our boutique hotel on Parallel, just take a 20-minute walk. If you are elsewhere in the city, just take the L1, L3, or L8 metro line to the Espanya station.