Madrid is a city of contrasts. This is evident by the large modern department stores that exist alongside small family run shops on narrow side streets that have managed to survive through the ages.

Shops are usually open from Mondays through to Saturdays, from around 10 am to 2 pm and then from around 5 pm to 10pm. Large department stores and shopping centers stay open all day rather than closing up for the traditional after-lunch siesta. They also generally open every first Sunday of the month. In July and August, stores which are further away from tourist areas close a few hours sooner as most city dwellers leave for their summer holidays during these months. Smaller shops tend to close up for the summer altogether. Madrid has a chain of VIPS late night stores, which have adapted their business hours to those of restaurants and can definitely come in handy!

Downtown, everybody will be sure to find something to their liking. Along Gran Vía, around the Plaza Mayor area and in the vicinity of Puerta del Sol, there are scores of shops, one after the other.

Salamanca is the place to go for haute couture sold in small exclusive boutiques and with prices to match. For more affordable fashionable clothes, a stroll down Calle Fuencaral and through the shopping mall Mercado Fuencarral may prove successful.

The national chain of department stores, El Corte Inglés, naturally has several branches in Madrid. These stores cater for all kinds of merchandise, ranging from groceries to clothing and furniture.

If you’re looking for a specific CD, you’ll be sure to find it in a store called Madrid Rock and if you’re keen on Spanish literature, it is a good idea to head in the direction of the city’s largest bookstore, the Casa del Libro.

If what you’re looking for is a range of options all under one roof then one of the city malls is what you need. La Vaguada shopping gallery is located in the northern part of the city and consists of over 350 stores. If you’re after more exclusive fashion garments, Galería del Prado on Plaza de la Cortes is the place to go.

The biggest and most widely known flea market in Madrid is El Rastro, which covers streets from Plaza Mayor all the way to Puerta de Toledo (La Latina). Every Sunday morning hundreds of salesmen begin setting up the stalls on which to show off their wares, which include almost anything one could ever think of buying. One can wind and weave through the throng until around 3 in the afternoon when the vendors begin packing up their stalls.

Just make sure to keep an eye on your belongings – such a crowded area is paradise for cunning pickpockets! It is a good idea to leave things you don’t really need at the hotel.

Rummage around to your hearts content in the Madrid Flea Market while in town for your Spanish Language Course.