Shopping
Madrid offers arguably some of the best shopping
in not only Spain but also Europe, and with so many districts all
touting their own shopping genre, visitors can find just about
anything and everything! From exploring the small, specialised
stores, boutiques and antique shops to the slightly bigger
department stores and bustling food markets, Madrid is a shopper's
paradise. The city's answer to Bond Street and dubbed 'the golden
mile', Salamanca is one of the city's most glamorous places to
indulge yourself and stretch your credit card's legs, while Chueca
is filled with trendy fashion stores. El Corte Ingles at Sol is by
far the most convenient place for shopaholics to get their fix,
selling all kinds of goods from high fashion to regional foods such
as Chorizo (spicy sausage) and Turron (a kind of nougat). One of
the most popular markets is Rastro, pulling Madrileños and tourists
alike. It has become famous for its antique stalls, second hand
goods, jewellery and unreliable electrical goods and is held every
Sunday from morning until mid-afternoon. Most shops close on
Saturday afternoons and in July and August some small shops close
completely. On Sunday, a handful of shops open their doors as well
as some of the larger stores and small cake shops. Practically
everything in Spain closes for siesta for at least two hours during
the hottest part of the day and the usual reopening hours are from
around 4.30 - 8pm. Tourists from outside the EU can apply for a tax
refund on good bought within Spain. A sales tax (VAT) of 16 percent
is levied on most goods and services in the country and the
specified minimum amount spent before claiming a refund is EUR90.16
in Spain. Shoppers can also purchase goods from shops participating
in the 'Europe Tax-free Shopping' programme and they should look
out for the ETS logo displayed in shops'
windows.
