Spain Shopping Tips by Beach_dog Top 5 Page for this destination

Carnicerias: Shopping for Meat

Carnicerias normally sell the the whole of range of meats.

Baby suckling pig and lamb are typical dishes in Central Spain (Castilla), often roasted on a wood oven.

Game is plentiful (as the photograph at my local supermarket shows) outside the summer months, and rabbit is available year round.

The Charcuterias can be found occassionally, but were much more popular in the past. They sold pork products, cold meats and cheeses. A great favourite of mine is Jamon Serrano, the dry cured mountain ham. Spicy sausages (chorizo) are popular, and are sliced and eaten raw.

Carniceria - Butchers
Charcuteria - Selling pork, ham and sausage. (Old term)

What to buy: Carne de Cerdo - Pork
Carne de Ternera - Veal or Beef
Carne de Vaca - Beef
Carne de Cordero - Lamb
Pollo - Chicken
Huevos - Eggs
Cochinillo - Suckling Pig
Cordero - Baby Lamb
Caza - Game
Toro/Carne de Lidia - Bulls killed during bullfights.
Fiambres - Cold Meats
Queso - Cheese
Jamon Serrano - Cured Ham
Jamon de York - Processed Ham
Beicon - Bacon (normally streaky)
Chorizo - Spicy Paprika Sausage
Morcilla - Black pudding (Blood Pudding), often with nuts added, or in 'Mocilla de Burgos' with rice (Arroz).

Theme: Food and Drink

Correos ( Post Offices ): Postal Rates for Spain

Post offices are located in every town, look out for 'Correos' or 'Correos Telegrafos'.


What to pay:
Postcards ( Tarjetas )

National........................................€0.26
International - Europe...............€0.51
International - Rest of World....€0.76

Letters ( Cartas )

The same rates as above for letters of less than 20 grams. For 20 to 50 grams, the rates below apply...

National.........................................€0.39
International - Europe.................€1.16
International - Rest of World... ..€1.63

Above 50 grams additional charges will apply.
For Urgent letters additional charges apply.

Full tables of cost calculations can be found at the website below.

Stamps are often sold in Tabacco shops also.

Theme: Stationery

Website: http://www.correos.es/

Money

What to pay: The money as in most of the EEC is the Euro.
Denominations of the notes are €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500, they are the same in all countries.
Coins have national features on one side, these are... €1 and €2 showing the face of King Juan Carlos I, 10, 20, and 50 Centimos showing the face of Cervantes, and the 1, 2, and 5 Centimos showing the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

€1 is approximately equal to $1 or 0.66 British pounds

Theme: Other

Shopping for Fish

The Spanish are great fish eaters and fish is often found in their diet. It is not just popular in the coastal areas, where the fishing fleets are based (Galicia and Andalucia), but inland also. Inland fish is generally sold frozen, but fresh fish is delivered daily to the larger cities and Madrid.

The price of fish and seafoods has risen in recent years, as in most countries due to poor catches brought about by decreasing EEC quotas and competition.

Shops specialising in seafoods are called Pescaderias.

Theme: Food and Drink

El Corte Inglés: Large national chain of department stores.

Its seems whatever you need in Spain you can get it here. A national chain that has branches in just about every city. I?ve used them in Madrid, Valencia, Marbella and Puerto Banus.
I recommend visiting during the Sales in January, discounts of up to 50% on designer names.

Theme: Department Store