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Shopping in Madrid
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!
The best shopping district
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.
Department Stores
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.
Shopping Malls
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.
Flea Market
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.
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