Shopping: Calle Mayor and Calle del Arenal

Arenal is a pedestrian street running from Puerta del Sol to Plaza de Isabel II (Ópera), separated from the majestic Plaza de Oriente by the Teatro Real opera house. It’s lined with interesting shops. Here are a few worth taking a look at, starting at Sol.

• Pronovias/Rosa Clará (Arenal, 5): Two internationally renowned Spanish bridal fashion firms.
• Real Madrid CF official store (Arenal, 6).
• San Ginés Bookshop (Arenal at Pasaje de San Ginés): An antiquarian bookseller displaying its merchandise outside and thus offering one of the loveliest sights of Madrid since the seventeenth century.
• Fiambres La Madrileña (Arenal, 18): One of the oldest charcuteries in Madrid, standing here since 1909.
• Alsina (Bordadores, 7-9): A religious gift store with a long tradition in town. There are other religious shops in the area, like Palomeque (Arenal, 17) or Belloso (Calle Mayor, 23).
• Monje’s (Arenal, 19): A curious shop for this part of town, selling wigs and toupees.

Without even noticing, you’ll reach Plaza de Isabel II, aka Ópera after the underground station in it. Walk past Teatro Real to enjoy the gardens in Plaza de Oriente. An area that has several shoe shops such as the popular shoe shop Calzados Lobo or the shoe store Lola Rey.

In the vicinity of the Royal Palace and Plaza de Oriente, you’ll find interesting shops in Plaza de Ramales, Calle de Santiago and the adjoining alleyways.

• Lepanto (Plaza de Ramales, 2): Luxury leather bags and accessories made in Spain.
• La Mar de Letras (Santiago, 18): Award-winning children’s bookshop.
• La Melguiza (Santiago, 12): Renowned specialty store selling the highly valued Spanish saffron.
• La Estrella Misteriosa (Santiago, 12): A curious shop dedicated to Tintin and his adventures: books, figurines, collector’s items, and so on.
• La Real (Independencia, 1): A cosy and well-established flower shop.
• Mujeres & Compañía (Unión, 4): A bookshop specialising in feminism.
• Café del Libro - Librería La Buena Vida bookshop —Calle Vergara, 5—.
• The Sicilian cake shop and ice-cream parlour, Zúccaru —Calle Vergara, 16—.
• Chocolala Belga (Bonetillo, 1): A Belgian chocolatier.

Along Calle Mayor and in the adjoining streets, historic shops rub shoulders with more modern establishments.

• El Corte Militar (Calle Mayor, 82): A shop that has been selling tailored and dress uniforms since 1939.
• La Santiaguesa (Calle Mayor, 73): A bakery that offers classic confections from Madrid.
• Botica de la Reina Madre (Calle Mayor, 59): The oldest shop in Madrid. A drugstore since 1578.

You’re now in the area of Plaza Mayor. A tour of San Miguel Market is a must – a fine example of cast-iron architecture rehabilitated into a modern market and a meeting point for foodies. After grabbing a bite at San Miguel, it’s time to head for Plaza Mayor.

Most of the establishments lining Madrid’s main square are restaurants and cafés, but there are shops too. La Favorita (Plaza Mayor, 25) and Casa Yustas (Plaza Mayor, 30), for instance, sell hats. Others specialise in stamps and coins; there’s even a fair for collectors of these items on Sunday.

During the Christmas season, the Plaza Mayor Christmas Market is set up, where you can purchase all kinds of decorations and articles for the festive season: fir trees, garlands and balls, figures for nativity scenes, etc.

To get back to Puerta del Sol, you can walk up Calle Mayor again.

• Torrons Vicens (Calle Mayor, 41): A sweet branch of the Catalan nougat maker.
• Sacristan (Calle Mayor, 27): One of the best shops for fine writing instruments in Spain.
• Librería Méndez (Calle Mayor, 18): A bookshop whose staff are always ready to give you advice. Regular customers include Javier Marías, Mario Vargas Llosa and other writers and intellectuals.
• El Riojano (Calle Mayor, 10): A bakery that has been standing here since 1855.
• Museo del Jamón (Calle Mayor, 7): A branch of one of Madrid’s most popular ham bars and shops.
• La Mallorquina (Calle Mayor, 2): Standing right where Calle Mayor meets Puerta del Sol, a bakery famous for its Napolitanas, a cream- or chocolate-stuffed pastry.

Other shops worth stopping by when going form Plaza Mayor to Puerta del Sol are Mantequería Bermejo (Zaragoza, 2), a grocer’s shop where time seems to have come to a standstill; Librería de Mujeres, a bookshop that’s also an icon from the days of the Transition to Democracy; or the haberdasheries around Plaza de Pontejos, like Borca (the right place to buy a genuine Manila shawl) or Almacén de Pontejos (the shop in Madrid for seamstresses, knitters, embroiderers and other handicraft experts). Or the traditional Peluquería Kinze —Calle Cuchilleros, 15—.