Buying saffron and kitchen goods in Barcelona

We purchased ours at the La Bouqeria Market, where we also had lunch.

Yes, most grocery stores will have saffron, a bigger chain may have a half dozen choices.

For Kitchen items, find a large El Corte Ingles department store.

We always buy saffron in Spain, so much less expensive there.

El Cortes Inglés sells saffron (azafrán) in its grocery section. Saffron comes in small boxes each containing 4 packets. You can get it ground (molido) or sprigs/threads (en hebra). One brand is Pote. Saffron is a little cheaper in the smaller grocery stores.

If you make paella, paella spices are also sold in small boxes. Depending on the brand you can get there are seafood or meat paella boxes. It works well.

As long as you get the factory packaged saffron or other spices, you’ll have no problem bringing it back into the U.S. if you buy it loose at a stand in the market, you may have issues bringing it in, but I’m not certain. Finally, saffron coloring (colorante) is also sold in stores. It is not saffron, just a coloring you’d add to rice.

It was decades ago, but a customs officer advised me I shouldn't have brought back a small quantity of saffron is a little plastic baggie. He let me keep it, but he said it really should have been in different packaging.