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MADRID - SHOPPING
It is important to
note that shopping hours are from 10.00 to 14.00 hrs and 17.00 to 20
hrs. Exception to this will be Departmental Stores which stay open
during the long lunch period. Also, it is normal to find many
smaller shops closed on Saturday afternoons. The largest Spanish
Store Group is "El Corte Inglés" which has a reputation
for quality goods and service.
Purchase made in Spain are subject to the national IVA (VAT) Tax.
Non-EU residents may claim back their IVA Tax on purcahses over €
70.00 but not on certain items such as food, drink, tobacco,
motorbikes, cars and medicines.
Sale Time - Signs indicating are "Rebajas",
"Traspaso" and "Liquidación"
The items in Spanish shops usually occur in January and July.
However, the July sale can run as late as September.
Fashions for men,
women and children by Spanish international designers can be mainly
found in the streets of Calle del Almirante (
Map C ), Calle
del Conde de Xiquena (
Map C ), and in the
district of Salamanca. In these locations a visitor will encounter
the best shops for jewelry, shoes, leather goods, and all manners of
gifts.
The Plaza Mayor (
Map B ) area offers the best shops selling an assortment
of traditional articles such as espadrilles, fabrics, traditional
hats and various religious articles.
Large Departmental stores are to be found around the Plaza de Puerta del
Sol ( Map B ) and Calle de la Princesa (
Map A
), Calle
de Goya ( Map C ) and Paseo de la Castellana in
the Castellana Area.
FAIRS &
MARKETS "ARCO Art Fair" - An internationally famous
event is the that is held in February at the Parque Ferial
Juan Carlos I. This attracts Art Galleries from all over the
world to Madrid to exhibit their in-house contemporary works by
their stable of artists.
"El Rastro" When considering the many facinating street markets
this most famous "flea market" occurs every Saturday and
Sunday in the area of the Plaza de Cascorro, Calle
de la Ribera de Curtidores (
Map E ) and Calle de Embajadores
( Map E ).
This market lives up to its expectation and nearly everything under
the sun can be found for sale on the stalls and bargaining is
recommended.
"Feria de Artesanos" in the Paseo de Recoletos (
Map C )
is held every December and offers all sorts of items suitable for
Christmas gifts.
"Feria de la Cerámica" in located in the exciting
and historic old district of Malasaña (
Map B ) each year
as from the 15th of May. Here visitors will find earthern cookware
and wine jugs surrounded by many other objects.
"Feria del Libro Antiguo y de Ocasión" is The Book Fair for
enthusiasts for old and secondhand books. It is to be found at the Paseo de Recoletos
( Map C ) and starts at the beginning of May.
"Feria del Libro" is a Book Fair specializing in books about
Madrid and other subjects and can be found on the south side of the Real
Jardín Botaánico ( Map F ) on most Sundays
"Mercado de Artículos Navideños" located in the Plaza
de Mayor ( Map B ) is another market held in December offering
items generally connected with the theme of Christmas
"Mercadillo de Sellos y Monedas" is for stamps, old coins and
banknotes that are traded each morning in the Plaza de Mayor (
Map B ). |
