Taking up a whole side of Plaça de Catalunya, this huge building ranging over 12 (yes, 12) floors is the largest of this ubiquitous Spanish chain in Barcelona.

The range of stuff it sells is huge, with the emphasis on serving well-heeled customers: it's generally fairly pricey, although there are some bargains to be had during one of the frequent sales. Menswear sticks to well-known, traditional brands, with traditional, even middle-aged, styling - I've never seen such a wide range of pyjamas and dressing gowns - so it's better for formal wear than casuals.

Other sections - such as gifts, soft furnishings, luggage, kitchenware and electronics - offer a wider range of choice, and more reasonable prices. There are lots of useful services such as watch, luggage and shoe repairers - useful to know if you are travelling.

As you'd expect, the staff are generally very professional, though in my experience can be slightly condescending, and occasionally it seems the whole sales service can break down when they are really busy. (Why not employ more staff at sales time?)

Insider's tip: the restaurant and cafe on the top floor have an outside terrace - an excellent place to get a roof-top view of this part of the city.