This shop, located in the Barri Gòtic, specializes in manufacturing and selling of craftily and traditionally made "Alpargatas" (espadrille). Prominent people all over the world wear footwear from La Manual. So famous is this shop, that it appears in the majority of guides about Barcelona from all over the world.

The "espardeña" or espadrille is a symbol of Catalonia, that people such as peasants, fishermen or even city dwellers use to wear. Nowadays, the use of the espadrille has spread all over the world and we can find different forms, textures and colours. La Manual Alpargatera sells this typical Catalan footwear since 1941, with lot of success, due to the big demand of the product, its quality (they are handmade, and can also be custom made) and customer service.

The shop has a rustic decoration, with banks of wood for anybody to sit down and try the espadrille on. La Manual sell hats, canes and bags traditionally made.
La Manual's owners, Francesc Tasies and Joana Martínez manage the shop since 1980. The owners maintain the familiar and personal spirit that has been characterizing the establishment since 1941. Many tourists who enter the shop already know the shop's history, tradition and quality. Prominent people such us Michael Douglas or Jack Nicholson come expressly to buy their a pair of espadrille. Also they have adorned the feet of people as illustrious as the Pope Juan Paul II, who continues entrusting the product every year. Salvador Dalí also made them fashionable all over the world, when he walked with his dinner jacket, showy tunics and his favourite footwear: the espadrilles.

Mrs. Joana Martínez explains the different models of espadrille that we can find, such as the Catalan one from the northwest (called "pincho"), the ones from the South of Catalunya, the Mediterranean one, the "treneta", the viguetano model or the Valencian model, among different espadrilles. The prices are absolutely inexpensive, between 700 and 7.000 pesetas for the most expensive and elaborated ones. The footwear is made of canvas and esparto. The espadrilles can be custom made; you choose the form, the texture and the colour.

La Manual has received international prizes and there are lots of articles and reviews appearing in televisions and important newspapers of the whole world. This is a curious shop which hides multiple anecdotes of the personalities who have been buying. noteworthy: customers never stop entering the shop.

The Manual Alpargatera is located in street Avinyó, 7 and its telephone is 93 301 01 72.