Shopping · Madrid · Spain
Shopping in Madrid
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Madrid shopping ranges from luxury boutiques in Salamanca to high-street stores on Gran Vía and Calle Preciados, independent shops in Malasaña and Chueca, and traditional craft shops around Plaza Mayor. Best souvenirs: Espadrilles, Jamón and olive oil and Turrón.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Espadrilles
Where to shop
Salamanca
Calle de Serrano and Calle de José Ortega y Gasset for Spanish and international luxury labels.
Gran Vía and Calle Preciados
Flagship high-street brands and the main El Corte Inglés department store near Sol.
Malasaña
Vintage clothing on Calle Velarde, record shops and independent designers.
Chueca
Calle Fuencarral and Calle Almirante for fashion, design and concept stores.
Markets
El Rastro
The huge Sunday-morning flea market around Ribera de Curtidores in La Latina.
Mercado de San Fernando
A neighbourhood market hall in Lavapiés with food stalls and bars.
Christmas market in Plaza Mayor
Stalls selling nativity figures, decorations and joke items through December.
What to buy
Espadrilles
Rope-soled alpargatas from traditional shops near Plaza Mayor that have made them for generations.
Jamón and olive oil
Vacuum-packed jamón ibérico and Spanish olive oil; check your home country's import rules for meat.
Turrón
Almond nougat, soft or hard, sold in specialist shops year-round.
Hand fans
Painted abanicos from long-established fan shops near Puerta del Sol.
Spanish wine
Ribera del Duero, Rioja and wines from the Madrid region from local wine shops.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Street · Centro
Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía
Puerta del Sol has the Kilometre Zero plaque, the Bear and Strawberry Tree statue that symbolises Madrid and the clock whose chimes lead the nation's New Year countdown.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Shopping
- After dark
- Architecture
Market · Centro
Mercado de San Miguel
An iron-and-glass market hall from 1916 beside Plaza Mayor, now a gourmet food market where you graze on oysters, jamón ibérico, croquetas, stuffed olives and vermouth at standing counters.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Market · La Latina
El Rastro
Madrid's open-air flea market has spread down Ribera de Curtidores and the surrounding streets on Sunday mornings for centuries, with stalls selling antiques, clothes, leather goods, records and bric-a-brac.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Patatas bravas, Croquetas, Vermouth on tap and Torrijas. Tapas bars across the city, especially in La Latina, Huertas and Malasaña. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Sol and Gran Vía | $$$ | Puerta del Sol, Kilometre Zero and the theatres and shops of Gran Vía |
| La Latina | $$ | Medieval lanes, tapas bars on Cava Baja and the Sunday Rastro market |
| Malasaña | $$ | Indie bars, vintage shops and brunch cafés around Plaza del Dos de Mayo |
| Chueca | $$$ | The heart of LGBTQ+ Madrid, with design shops and a rooftop market |
| Salamanca | $$$$ | Elegant 19th-century grid of luxury boutiques and smart restaurants |
| Lavapiés | $ | Multicultural, working-class streets near the Reina Sofía |
| Retiro and Los Jerónimos | $$$$ | Quiet, elegant streets between the Prado and the Retiro park |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Service is included in prices. Locals leave small change or round up in bars and cafés, and around 5–10% in restaurants for good service is generous but optional.
- Greet with 'Hola' or 'Buenos días' when entering a shop or bar; friends greet with two kisses on the cheek, right then left.
- A 10-trip ticket on a transport card costs much less per ride than single tickets.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February and August; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- January: January sales (from early January)
- February: ARCOmadrid contemporary art fair (usually late February or early March)
- May: San Isidro — Madrid's patron saint festival with traditional dress and street dances (around 15 May)
- June: Madrid Book Fair in the Retiro (usually late May to mid-June)
- July: Veranos de la Villa — summer arts festival (July–August)
- November: Madrid Jazz Festival (usually November)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and families
Sol and Gran Vía
Puerta del Sol, Kilometre Zero and the theatres and shops of Gran Vía
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Madrid?
Espadrilles, Jamón and olive oil, Turrón and Hand fans.
+Where is the best shopping in Madrid?
Salamanca: Calle de Serrano and Calle de José Ortega y Gasset for Spanish and international luxury labels.
+What are the best markets in Madrid?
El Rastro, Mercado de San Fernando and Christmas market in Plaza Mayor.