Shopping is another major interest for the locals, so, like any other big capital, the city has many, not only streets, but entire neighborhoods, dedicated to the art of spending money. From haute couture boutiques, to the best-known chains and thrift stores, not forgetting excellent local designers and produce shops or outdoor markets where you can find real bargains, in Madrid you will find everything you want and more. We left off the list superstores due to their remote location, but be sure to ask for them if you wish, since Madrid has many and excellent shopping centers just a few miles away from the town center.

Salamanca Neighborhood

Madrid’s most exclusive shopping area. At Serrano street, in Salamanca district you’ll find a variety of boutiques of renowned designers, both national and international: Carolina Herrera, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Gucci among many others. If you are looking for something more affordable, you only have to venture into the side streets to enjoy numerous small shops of new and original designers. A wide range of cafes and restaurants will complete a shopping spree that you wont’t forget easily.

Fuencarral Street

This long pedestrian street of about 1 mile length, with its dozens of stores open 7 days a week, is one of the young locals favorite shopping areas. In it, you will find many casual and carefree brands like Desigual, Salsa, G-Star, Custo or Hakei as well as a number of shoe and sport equipment shops (Foot Locker, Quicksilver). Like all the other shopping areas of Madrid, Fuencarral also has several cafes and restaurants in which to make "technical shutdowns" for refueling in the long shopping days.

Gran Vía

Si hay algo que abunda en la principal arteria del centro de Madrid, son enormes tiendas de ropa. De hecho, aquí encontraremos las tiendas más grandes de España de marcas como Zara, H&M, o Primark, así como multitud de establecimientos dedicados a la perfumería, venta de accesorios y zapaterías. Si no te asustan las multitudes, y te entusiasma la idea de ir en busca de grandes ofertas y artículos a precio de saldo, no lo dudes, la Gran Vía es tu zona de compras.

El Rastro Flea Market

This is a legendary outdoor market with over 400 years of history, that takes place on Sundays and holidays in Lavapiés, one of the Madrid’s most traditional neighborhoods. In its hundreds of stalls arranged around the steep slope of Ribera de curtidores street (literally tanners shore, due de profession of its first inhabitants), you can find almost any type of object. There is no better plan than to spend a sunny Sunday morning walking around its stalls to finish with some tapas at some of the local bars, enjoying the lively environment. Nevertheless, it is advisable to be careful with the crowds, as it is a favorite place for pickpockets on the hunt for distracted tourists.

Engines Market

A market with vintage products, second hand, design, organic food and music in an old train station converted into a railroad museum. In this original market, as well as learning about old trains of all types and ages, you'll find everything from exotic handmade musical instruments, up to all kinds of seeds from organic gardens. The only drawback is that it only opens the second weekend of every month, so if your stay in Madrid coincides with these dates, don’t miss the chance to go to the engine market in the search of ancient wonders!

Frogs Market

Emulating other world famous markets like Portobello Road in London; or the Paris Flea Market of Saint-Ouen, the first Saturday of each month, merchants of the Literary Quarter, take out to the streets their commercial, cultural, culinary and artistic offer. Antique dealers, gallery owners, designers and restaurateurs, select their best items to be displayed around Calle Lope de Vega, formerly known as the street of frogs, due to big amount of these animals that croaked happily in the ponds of Jeronimos monastery, located right here until the nineteenth century.

Argensola

This small area of central Madrid has undergone a renovation in recent years that has led it to be among the trendiest neighborhoods of the city. The Argensola street and all those around it, are now packed with small and exclusive new designer boutiques, high quality restaurants, and fashionable bars. Besides all this, this is the area where you will find some of the most important art galleries in Madrid.