Located in the centre of the city's tourist hotspot, beneath the centre of the Placa Catalunya, the Barcelona Original shop is in the right place to target visitors to the city.

"We sell souvenirs which visitors like to take away with them," Romina Sans, the shop's manager, told Barcelona-on-line, "although we also sell to people who live here, who want to take gifts with them when they leave the city."

An integral part of the Barcelona Tourist Centre, with which it shares it's underground location, Barcelona Original has several product themes, including books, textiles, ceramics, stationary and jewellery.

All the products are made locally, and have a local theme. "We sell quality products through a range of different prices, so that people can take away an image of Barcelona," Romina said.

Themes covered include ceramic miniature replicas of some of Gaudi's mosaic works, jigsaw puzzles of city sights, and children books celebrating the lives of local artists.

There are also products for use within the city, as the section on guidebooks and local maps testify. Other products sold that may be of use during a visitor's stay include t-shirts and post cards.

One of the more unusual aspects of the Barcelona Original shop is it's opening times. "We are open from nine in the morning till nine at night, every day of the week," Romina said, "except of course Christmas day and New Year's day!"

Barcelona Original also have another shop below the Placa de Sant Jaume, at Calle Cuitat, 2, although it stocks a smaller selection due to space restrictions.

Further information can be found at www.barcelonaturisme.com.