It's Springtime in El Corte Ingles and other Madrid, Spain Shopping Tips

Name of Shop: El Corte Ingles

El Corte Ingles is the biggest Spanish department store, and you are most likely to pay a visit to them while in Madrid, especially to the extrategically-situated venue of Calle Preciados (right in the middle of the tourist area of the city).

What To Buy: As a good decent department store, they sell every conceivable thing you can think of.

What To Pay: As a general rule, they are slightly more expensive than the average shop in Madrid. The price you have to pay for variety, I guess.

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Theme: Department Store
Directions: There are multiple Corte Ingles shops in Madrid. The biggest ones could be found at calle Preciados (Puerta del Sol area), Calle Goya (Goya Metro station) and Nuevos Ministerios (Nuevos ministerios Metro Station)
Website: http://www.elcorteingles.es/

Name of Shop: Vincon

The originality of this shop is absolutely remarkable. It is a great exponent of the colorful Catalan style of design, something in which Barcelona clearly advantages Madrid... by far. (snif, snif)

What To Buy: Though it is possible to find here furnishing and ornaments for the office or the kitchen, I mainly use this shop whenever I'm in the need of buying some presents. They have some really clever and original ideas here.

What To Pay: Just don't take a fancy to the items of this shop. The outrageously high prices could be a severe punishment for your wallet ;-)

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Theme: Home Furnishing
Phone: 0034 91 578 05 20
Address: Castelló 18
Directions: Metro Velazquez
Website: http://www.vincon.com/en/info/inicio/index.htm
Other Contact: mad@vincon.com

Name of Shop: Fotocasion

Fotocasion is a great (probably the best of the city) photography equipment shop that could be found in el Rastro area. During Sundays, they exhibit some of their older models in the street, something that I find most interesting, as I simply love those very decorative and extremely unpractical cameras ;-)

What To Buy: Excellent deals in both second hand and new equipment could be find here, as well as filters, batteries, memory cards, camera bags, tripods, hard to find film rolls... A picture freak paradise. :-p

What To Pay: As in every other Rastro shop, it is possible to bargain a little bit the prices for second-hand equipment, always within reasonable levels.

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Theme: Hobbies
Phone: 91 467 64 91
Address: Carlos Arniches, 22
Directions: A big area between Metro "Puerta de Toledo", Metro "La Latina" and Metro "Ant?n Martin".
Website: http://www.fotocasion.es/

Name of Shop: Culture

San Gines second hand bookstore is a well known establishment of Madrid's centre, and as the book worm that I'm, I like to browse the books they offer from time to time, looking for something new (or second hand, who cares) to read, and for a good chat with the owner of the library, a character as notorious as the shop itself.

What To Buy: Basically, second hand books, though they also have postcards and posters of Madrid at good prices.

What To Pay: Books are less expensive than in regular stores. In the unlikely even that you'd find the prices not low enough, a little bit of bargain had never hurt anybody ;-)

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Theme: Books
Phone: (34) 913664686
Address: Pasadizo de San Gines 2
Directions: In the corner of Calle Arenal and Sang Gines. Sol Metro Station
Website: http://sangines.iberlibro.net/

Name of Shop: Caramelos Paco

During more than forty years, my grandparents lived in a little street adjacent to El Rastro flea market, and we used to visit them every Saturday evening (no exceptions allowed). The bus that took us from our home to theirs stopped right there, in from of Caramelos Paco's shop window. So during years, every Saturday evening (no exception allowed) I found myself facing that delicious and colorful exposition of candies... the kind of vision that could bring light into a pair of 8-year-old eyes. I certainly cannot contain a smile whenever I pass in front of this shop, something that I've noticed as well in many other adults of the neighborhood. I reckon Caramelos Paco is also among their sweetest memories from their childhood. :-)

What To Buy: Candies, what else?? :-p


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Theme: Food and Drink
Address: Calle Toledo 55
Directions: La Latina Metro Station