The beautiful city of Madrid is not only known for its extraordinary appearance, great clubs and excellent architecture but also great shopping centers. Madrid is a city that caters for all manner of people, especially fashion conscious individuals, lovers of good food, and visitors looking for rather unusual and interesting souvenirs. In this guide – where and buy? We will show you around some of the shopping areas of the city.
1. Gran Vía
Located in the centr of Madrid, Gran Vía is a shopping mall which is crowded and famous for itsConcept store selling luxury brands. It is said to be in a league that even Hollywood compare to the famous fifth avenue in New York or Champs Élysée in Paris. On Gran Via one can locate the usual global outlets like Zara, H&M and Mango, Which have their outlets here along with the exotic brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci etc.
For souvenirs seekers we recommend going to neighborhoods that are sideroads of Gran Vía since you may find numerous little boutiques, vintage shops and local artisan fairs. More to shopping do not fail to appreciate architectural designs in the buildings enveloping the shopping centers.
2. Salamanca
Salamanca is rated as one of the classiest and most luxurious neighbourhoods in Madrid and many important public figures are usually seen here. This district is famous for fashionable luxurious clothing manufacturers and designers and expensive jewelers. If in anyway you are a patron of fashion, then Salamanca will be your piece of heaven.
Calle Serrano and Calle de José Ortega y Gasset are two of the finest shopping areas in Salamanca. Get ready to be amazed by Prada, Chanel or Dior among other renown fashion brands. Shopping here is classed up in that the stores themselves are very aesthetically pleasing and often the salespersons are eager to be of service.
In terms of food, Salamanca is a good example of where many restaurants are a little on the pricey side but if you are willing to go off the tourist trail and look for the smaller side streets then there are good, cheap-ish restaurants there too. It will be of great satisfaction to recommend visiting the Mercado de la Paz, located in the city center and offering everything from food products to market crafts.
3. Malasaña
If vintage clothing and small unique shops are more of your preference, then it’s time to visit Malasaña. This rather diverse district has a very artsy feeling and caters to independent design, vintage clothing, and anyone into the alternative fashion scene.
Calle Velarde and Calle del Pez, where individual clothing stores, record shops, and cool concept stores are located. There are unusual items that will definitely draw attention to any interior design.
Besides clothes, Malasaña is not only full of bohemian cafes and bars, street art, and colorful graffiti. Don’t rush through the area and remember that the artistic district has some quirkiness to it.
4. Chueca
Chueca is such a popular gay district in Madrid where people like gay and other sexual minorities, diversities and have lots of fun. You really can see it is the gay capital but besides this, it is a great place for shopping.
Chueca has large shopping areas of modern fashion and clothing stores and design shops as well as concept stores. Calle Augusto Figueroa and Fuencarral are the central streets where tourists will find numerous gay-tinged shops and services as well as a variety of types of clothing.
Apart from shopping, the tourists should also pay much attention to the fact that Chueca is famous for one more thing: nightlife. Feel the friendly and tolerant atmosphere during the shops’ opening hours, and taste the pulse of modern bars & clubs after dark.
5. El Rastro
Of course, there is no guide to shopping in Madrid that would not mention El Rastro, the largest flea market in the city. On Sunday, people go out for a walk and for shopping staring at La Latina where energetic atmosphere and beautiful streets can impress a person at a glance.
At El Rastro one can find a broad variety of items which can be divided into the categories such as antiques and furniture, clothes, jewelry, artisanal products and souvenirs. Sometimes getting around the stalls may seem a bit confusing but then that is the whole idea of it. You can immerse into the ethers of tourists and locals, negotiate with the dealers and be one with the spirit of this famous market.
Just to remind you, make sure you carry your items within the reach and beware of pickpockets since the market has a tendency to get very crowded. It is also recommended to go early in the morning to beat the crowd because then you can wander around the numerous side streets of Chiang Mai and find many more individual stalls.
Final Thoughts
The city currently has several shopping areas that cater for various classes and clients with the latest trends in clothing, luggage, jewelry, shoes, ceramics, and all types of stuffs including bizarre concept stores to traditional markets. As for me, it will be useful to make a walk through each district because each of them has its own peculiarities and can attract a lot of people.
Speaking of fashion you can find yourself in a cozy modern shop or in a luxurious brand house – everything is in Madrid. Now you have your comfortable footwear, a map of the city here you go and strap up for a shoppers’ delight in the Iberian Peninsula.
