Barcelona | El Ingenio

Rumor has it, El Ingenio was artist Salvador Dali’s favorite Barcelona store…when you see it, you’ll understand why.

Walk through the door into a bewitching (and, frankly, a bit bizarre) world where every surface, floor to ceiling, is overflowing with all things magical: papier-mâché masks and puppets, wigs and costumes, clown apparatus, balloons and bags of confetti, and all the trappings and trickery needed to become the next David Copperfield.

The Escaler family opened the shop in 1838, and some of the ancient cabinets and their curious toys and outlandish costumes look like they may have been there since then.  Their papier-mâché workshop continues to provide masks and festive attire for Barcelona’s traditional celebrations.

I was kind of partial to the puppets…scary and charming at the same time.

The shop is in a narrow lane in the Barri Gotic area of Barcelona.  One of the wonderful things about Barcelona is the amazing and unique little shops that seem to appear out of nowhere every time you round a corner.  El Ingenio is an out-of-this-world experience not to be missed.

El Ingenio
Carrer Rauric, 6
08002 Barcelona, Spain
T 34 933 177 138

http://www.el-ingenio.com