Spanish spring – shopping in Madrid

When my husband and I landed in Madrid it was only 15°C and the weather was changeable – the conditions were ideal to do a bit of shopping, which according to our guidebook is one of the most pleasant activities in this city. Madrid is a real shoppers’ paradise, with large malls usually located in the suburbs and high streets with shops in the centre.

On the high streets life is really busy from the afternoon, music is playing, people are drinking beer or juice and have an ice cream (Ben and Jerry’s is winning hands down, in terms of both quality and price). Although Spanish shoes are world famous, instead of quality footwear I saw cheapish seasonal products in most shop windows. A stunning selection of food products amazes tourists in the Spanish capital, I think it is enough to mention the countless ham shops or ‘museums’ as the local call them. There are restaurants everywhere, welcoming the hungry with big portions – lots of fish and other fruits of the sea – and good prices. Spanish wines are more famous but recently beer consumption has been catching up with wine drinking, thanks in part to culinary trade marketing tools which advance the cause of brands and quality goods. As a conclusion we can say that shopping, eating and drinking are a national pastime in Spain. We should learn from the Spanish how to enjoy the moment in order to make everyday life easier.