Shopping

Shopping city

The best Spanish products have always come to the capital city. Madrid, together with Barcelona, is the best place to shop in the country. Madrid has a fundamental advantage in that it is right in the center of the peninsula, which places it relatively near any other Spanish city. A day of shopping offers practically any product. In Madrid you can find almost anything that you like, as long as you know where to look for it.

Before starting with the products you can buy and where to buy them, we will give you information on a few other aspects you need to be aware of.

HOURS

Most of the establishments open around 9:30 and 10:00 in the morning and close around 2:00pm for lunch and then open again from 4:30 or 5:00pm until 8:00, except for department stores which maintain its doors open all day.

Small businesses tend to close on Saturday afternoons. On Sunday, only tourist stores and delicatessens are open (and department stores once a month).

HOW TO PAY

The typical payment is by cash or credit card (always showing your ID). Checks are rarely accepted.

TAXES

Purchases are subject to Value Added Tax (IVA), that tends to be around 16% for clothes and other items, and 7% for hotels, food products and restaurants.

If you make purchases in excess of 15,000 pts, with the exception of food, drink, tobacco or medications, and wherever you see "Tax Free for Tourists", non-European Union residents can apply a return of the taxes paid.