Shopping is a huge reason to come to Madrid. It’s one of the major cities in Europe and has plenty of opportunities – and at the same time, shopping is generally cheaper than it is in other western cities, such as London, Paris and Milan.
Madrid is a city of fashion. It’s also a city of innovation and technology. However, this innovation does not come at the cost of losing the old heritage – so Madrid has both old and new stores, both classic and innovative shopping options.
Where to go shopping in Madrid
One solid option is to check the best malls in the city. We wrote about it earlier – read about shopping malls in Madrid here.
But of course, the city is also full of interesting streets where you can go to shop for clothes or other items.
A very popular street is Calle de Fuencarral. It’s a long street that starts at Gran Vía and goes north. The southern part of Calle de Fuencarral is absolutely full of stores, ranging from clothing to fitness, perfumerías, specialized merchandise stores, and much more. It also has plenty of cafées, coffee places and ice cream bars.
A street that is a solid alternative to Calle de Fuencarral, is Calle de Arenal. This street goes from Ópera to Sol. It also has a huge variety of stores, with plenty of opportunities for everybody to shop for what they want.
From Gran Vía to Sol
There are several streets that connect Gran Vía to Sol. These streets are also famous for their shopping options, as you will find many great stores here.
Among other things, there is the 8th floor El Corte Inglés where you can basically find everything inside. It’s a great place for shopping, although some items can be expensive. A good alternative is Fnac, which is right next to Corte Inglés and also has many great items – usually at a better price.
It’s a great place to shop if you know what to buy, but you can expect the streets from Gran Vía to Sol to be very, very crowded.
Specialized shopping
The area Malasaña is famous for its unique style. It has plenty of specialized stores, so if you are looking for something not-too-big, not-too-commercial, go for a walk in Malasaña and see what you find.
If you are into high-end clothing and luxury, you should go to the Salamanca area to shop. It is known as the rich area of the city, so for shopping in Madrid, it is a great option if you are bringing a decent budget!
La Latina has quite a bit of old, classic stores. Sometimes newer stores as well, and it is a very interesting area. You can read our guide to the Latina area for more information about what to do here, and what to look for.
Pacífico is slightly southeast, but you can take the metro there from Sol and from Atocha. It has a lot of nice, general stores with great prices. It is also close to the Retiro park. For that reason, it is very easy to enjoy a day in the park around midday, and then go for some budget-friendly shopping in some of the nice Pacífico stores.
Check the malls
Our favorite malls in Madrid are:
- La Gavia
- Centro Comercial Parquesur
- Centro Comercial Príncipe Pío
- Xanadú Madrid
All of these malls are great places to go shopping when you’re in Madrid. A mall such as Xanadú also offers various entertainment options aside from the shopping itself!
Read more about the malls of Madrid in this article.
Also, feel very welcome to write a comment if you have anything to add. Questions are also welcome, and we will do our best to respond to them.
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