Shopping in Spain

It’s easy to combine a seaside holiday or an excursion program in many countries with exciting shopping. Spain is famous for high-quality and inexpensive things. In almost all cities of the country, at competitive prices you can buy both items from global manufacturers and exclusive items from local craftsmen.

Sales in Spain

Generally, stores are open from 9:00 to 20:00. The obligatory siesta lasts from 13:00 to 16:00. Large complexes are open without interruption. But on Sundays and holidays almost everything is closed. The only exceptions are busy tourist areas and gas stations. Sales timing coincides with European ones.

The timing in different areas is approximately the same and differs by a couple of days. Winter discount season lasts from early January to March, and summer – from early July to mid-September.

Attention! At the beginning of the discount season, prices are reduced slightly, by 15-20%, and towards the end, discounts approach a record 80%.Experienced people advise going shopping about a month after the sale is announced.

What do they buy in Spain?

Here you can inexpensively update your wardrobe, buy groceries, jewelry, cosmetics, medicines and much more. Traditional folk art is developed in the country. An important part of any trip is buying souvenirs. It is worth taking a closer look at the ceramics of masters from Catalonia, Valencia, and Toledo. Castanets, bull figurines and delicacies are sold in every town.

Clothes and shoes

For the sake of fashionable items, many travelers are able to forget about snow-white beaches and the gentle sea. Well-known budget brands can be bought much cheaper than in Russia. The same applies to the luxury segment. The quality of the products is high and the range is huge.

Spanish shoe brands are popular - Camper, El Naturalista, El Dantes and others. It is worth buying traditional shoes with rope soles - espadrilles. You can purchase them in the branded boutiques of the world-famous La Manual Alpargatera workshop.

Important! Fine lace products from local artisans are brought from Galicia.

Cosmetics

Products based on olive oil are in particular demand. Cosmetics are of good quality. It is often sold in pharmacies. Professional brands Natura Bisse, Belnature and Kerastas are popular.

Jewelry

Carrera y Carrera is considered the pride of the country. Regular clients of this jewelry company include members of royal families, politicians and show business stars. The prices vary, the quality is excellent, and the products are of artistic value.

There are also inexpensive jewelry.For example, UNO de 50 brand jewelry, made of a special material with silver or gold plated, is popular. Mallorca offers pearls of extraordinary beauty. Moreover, the technology of making jewelry has been protected for centuries. You need to buy products carefully, as there are many fakes.

Reference! For silver and gold jewelry, it is worth going to Cordoba and Castile.

Food and wine

Familiar and often ordered gift - jamon, dry-cured pork ham. You can purchase a budget option - jamon serrano.

You can buy the delicacy in many shops and fairs. Almost every trader has a vacuum packaging unit, so there is the possibility of slicing.

Tourists also buy chorizo ​​(savory pork sausage), olives, natural oil, and candied violets.

You can find delicious and high-quality cheese everywhere. The hallmark of Spain is Manchego, made from the milk of a special breed of sheep. Price per kilogram – from 10 €.

Huge selection of wine. To buy the right one, it’s worth visiting a tasting excursion and, if possible, trying as many options as possible. For those who do not understand wine at all, Rioja products are recommended. The cost of a good quality bottle starts from 10-15 €, no less.

Popular stores

The favorite department store chain, present in all major and tourist cities, is El Corte Ingles. The store is not considered luxurious, but not cheap either. Next, we will consider the best places for a traveler to go.

Barcelona

Most of the souvenir shops are located in the historical part - the Gothic Quarter.Premium goods can be found on Passeig de Gracia, while local products can be found on Carrer Pelai. A must visit to the Arenas de Barcelona. La Maquinista will surprise you with even more diverse products. On weekdays, a bus runs through the streets, taking travelers to the most popular complexes.

Madrid

You should choose a shopping area in Madrid taking into account your goals and opportunities. In search of expensive shops, it is better to go to Barrio de Salamanc. Not far from the western park there is a huge Argüelles quarter, which is nicknamed fashionable. Here, modern shops are located in historical buildings.

The main shopping center is Islazul. In addition to world brands, items from Spanish fashion designers are presented here. Xanadu is considered a good store. Excellent shopping for every taste and budget awaits you on Gran Via, which is unofficially considered the main street.

Tenerife

The Canary Islands are classified as a duty-free trade zone. Prices here are much lower. The best shopping can be done in Santa Cruz on Calle del Castillo.

The most popular shopping center is “El Corte Ingles”. People come here for trendy new items. There are few offers from global brands here, but it is easy to find rare Spanish brands.

Majorca

The best shopping experience is at the Festival Park outlet. It is not too big, but the discounts are real and valid all year round. The main street for shopping is Avinguda Jaume III and, of course, Passeig des Born Boulevard.

Shopping centers in Spain

Huge shopping centers are usually built outside the city, near highways, and take up a lot of space. In big cities they can be in the center. They have everything for a full-fledged shopping and exciting holiday: cinemas, gaming areas, food courts. Here are items of different price categories.The most popular chain is El Corte Ingles. There are five of them in the capital of Catalonia

. It is represented in all resort towns. The store is not considered luxurious, but not cheap either.

Places of interest include: Plenilunio, Principe Pio and Moda Shopping. Diagonal Mar is considered one of the largest. It contains more than 150 stores.

Outlets in Spain

Large outlets are located outside the city and provide the opportunity to make purchases with big discounts. Popular places are:

• La Roca Village. This is a village located 38 km from Barcelona. Here you can buy things with big discounts and apply for tax free all year round. It has about 400 stores, and the discount is 60%. You can visit this place even as part of a regular sightseeing tour.

• Las Rozas Village. It is located near Madrid and is considered the second most visited. Discounts here reach 70%. Those who come here for the first time are given a 10% discount bonus.
• Etro. The outlet is small, but convenient because this chain is available in many shopping malls. It presents affordable brands from Europe.

Markets

Shopping in this state is not limited to shopping centers. Interesting antiques are easy to find in authentic markets. The most famous of them is Boqueria. This is a kind of calling card of Barcelona and a place of trading since the Middle Ages. It's worth buying local delicacies for gifts here.

It is better to look for antiques at flea markets, which are found in all major cities. You can find interesting coins from the 19th century, boxes, jewelry and dishes. One of the popular markets is located in Valencia on Plaza Luis Casanova.

Shopping in Spain can be different, but it is very difficult to go without shopping.Each region of the country is famous for its own products, to which it is impossible to remain indifferent. After all, Spain is considered one of the most inexpensive European countries.