Shopping: Princesa-Argüelles

Make your starting point at the Príncipe Pío transport hub. Here a shopping centre was built next to the commuter train and underground station in the style of the old Estación del Norte, as an alternative to the open-air shopping you can also do in the area. Two floors with around a hundred retail outlets, leisure establishments, and restaurants open all day every day, including Sundays and public holidays, and there will soon also be entertainment and food options thanks to Gran Teatro CaixaBank Príncipe Pío. Located in Madrid’s old Estación Norte train station, in Príncipe Pío, Warner Music Station is a great place to enjoy music, events, and experiences.

The shopping backbone in the area is Calle de la Princesa. On the corner with Calle de Alberto Aguilera, it’s swarming with shops: department stores like El Corte Inglés; fashion retailers like the Inditex brands or Amichi, Mango, Trucco and Parfois, (bags and accessories); sportswear shops such as Decathlon, Reebok, Deportes Princesa, Bikila (running shoes, on Calle de Martín de los Heros) or Doña Zapatilla (footwear; Calle de Fernando el Católico, 82); Laister at Ventura Rodríguez, 24;  and men’s stores like Affinity. At Carrefour Market, on Calle de Alberto Aguilera, you’ll find the finest wines and gourmet cheese from Spain to replenish your energy reserves.

On the same street, you can find the Bloom shop and restaurant run by Salvador Bachiller, a romantic space decorated with flowers in each corner and which offers an interesting culinary proposal.

Bookstores, gourmet products... and much more

In Plaza de los Cubos, just off Plaza de España and Calle de Alberto Aguilera, you’ll find dining options and movie theatres that screen films in their original version. For book lovers, the area offers the iconic bookshop Librería Ocho y Medio and several others: Naos Libros, Librería Rafael Alberti, Visor Libros and Librería Juan Rulfo FCE (these tree in the vicinity of Moncloa Underground Station).

If you’re visiting the Temple of Debod – one of the landmarks in this neighbourhood –, you can shop for food. Cuenllas is one of the best fine grocery stores in the area, while La Gazpachería sells all kinds of Andalusian gazpacho. Another option is to go to the Vallehermoso Market, which has 62 stalls with a select range of quality foodstuffs. Another good option is to visit the Corte Inglés Outlet (Arapiles, 10) where you can find leading brands at very competitive prices.

On Calle de Martín de los Heros, you can browse the records at Y que viva Joplin!. And on your way to Faro de Moncloa, make a stop at the VIPS group restaurant (Arcipreste de Hita, 10), as well as at one of the best ice cream parlors in Madrid, Los Alpes in Arcipreste de Hita. The Exe Moncloa terrace, located on the top floor of the hotel, can also be visited the Kebab House on Meléndez Valdés, one of the most traditional in Madrid.

For special-size shoes, head for Calle del Marqués de Urquijo, where you’ll find the specialist shoe shop José Luis Deza. Close by there stands the flagship store of the French motorcycle and scooter brand MASH (Calle de Martín de los Heros, 66). And before coming to Parque del Oeste, you’ll bump into Campera Salmantina (Calle de Ferraz, 79), selling riding books and equestrian wear. For stylish clothes, go to Charo Azcona (bridal fashion; Paseo del Pintor Rosales, 76); Carmen´s Boutique (Fernández de los Ríos); or to Bat Cave Trip (men’s fashion), just opposite the Italian restaurant Casa Marco in the district of Gaztambide.