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Shopping World
Madrid offers a wide range of possibilities for all who love shopping. Shopping centres, shops on every corner, businesses giving a new lease of life to streets that were neglected just a few years ago… There is a myriad of shopping opportunities all around the city. A leisurely stroll around the different areas of Madrid, pausing to enjoy the marvellous shop window displays, takes you into a world teeming with possibilities for all tastes and budgets.
The shopping opportunities extend throughout the entire region, where many towns and villages offer visitors a taste of bygone times and the chance to buy local arts and crafts: handmade in family-run workshops.
Street markets, art galleries, craft workshops and antique shops stand side-by-side with high-tech retailers, international companies with headquarters in the main regional capitals, exclusive shops, cutting-edge businesses and spectacular modern complexes that combine shopping and leisure.
The capital offers distinct areas: El Rastro, Barrio de Salamanca, Gran Vía... Shopping in any of the city’s districts is more than a necessity, it is a truly pleasurable experience.
Shopping in style
From the luxury boutiques and exclusive jewellers located in Barrio de Salamanca, through to the traditional stalls of El Rastro and its many bazaars, and the top-designer fashion boutiques along Fuencarral and Hortaleza streets. In Madrid, you will always find a host of options for every style.
60,000 shops open their doors every day in Madrid, offering one of the most varied shopping experiences in all of Europe. A vast range of options that is sure to delight all visitors, regardless of their style, tastes or spending power.
Other shopping areas
Beyond the particular streets and areas that offer a specific style of shopping, Madrid also has many areas where you can find businesses of a more general and varied nature selling virtually any item you can imagine.
The bustling Calle Preciados street, Calle Orense street overlooked by countless office buildings, the ever-popular Calle de la Princesa street and the more exclusive Goya area offer visitors a vast range of shops and businesses, from large department stores to the most popular high-street fashion outlets for the younger shoppers. And we mustn’t forget the many small businesses, another mainstay of the city’s economy.
Shopping centres
In recent years, the Region of Madrid has seen a notable increase in centres that offer a wide range of both leisure and shopping opportunities. They are the best option for visitors who wish to enjoy a large number of establishments under one roof.
Such modern centres are more than just somewhere to go shopping. They are chosen by families and groups of friends alike as the meeting places of today. At most of these centres, the shopping experience is complimented by additional leisure opportunities, such as cinemas, bowling, sports facilities, discos and restaurants, making them increasingly popular venues for fun and recreation among the local population.
The largest centres are located outside the capital, in such places as Alcobendas, Arroyomolinos, Getafe and Las Rozas. Some of them specialise in retail fashion labels at discount prices, a major attraction for visitors to Madrid.
Useful information
Opening times:
Most shops and shopping centres stay open from 10am to 8.30 or 9.30pm. The more traditional shops open from 10am to 2pm and 4.30 to 8.30pm.
Sales:
Generally speaking, the winter sales run from the second week of January to the end of February, and the summer sales from 1 July to the end of August.
How to pay:
Payment is usually in cash or by credit card, always providing your passport or other proof of ID for the latter.
Tax Free:
Non-EU residents are entitled to a full refund of the IVA (Value Added Tax) on purchases over €90.15.
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