So I have a huuuuuuuge shopping addiction (you do not want to know how much of my paycheck I spend at Sephora) and my semester abroad in Madrid I had the best time shopping! There are so many stores I loved that aren't in the U.S. and even though their Sephora was a lot smaller and didn't have some of the brands I wanted, they had other makeup stores I learned to love. So this is for all my fellow shopaholics out there!
Areas/Streets to spend all your money
Gran Vía
This is THE street to shop on! There are soooo many stores I liked on this street that I will cover in just a little bit but you can seriously find so much stuff here! Clothes, shoes, touristy gifts, Atlético Madrid wear, whatever you want!
Calle de la Princesa
So this is basically an extension of Gran Vía, aka if you keep walking down it you will end up on Gran Vía. So essentially it has the same vibe and a ton of quality stores. Get off at the metro stop Argüelles and take a look around! You can also find the massive department store El Corte Inglés here which I recommend you check out! Its a staple in Spain and the biggest department store in Europe.
Calle de Fuencarral
Another great street to find various shoe, clothes and makeup stores (Urban Decay anyone?). I think if you want shoes this would be the place to go! Spain is known for their leather work so maybe get some cute leather boots or bag :)
El Rastro
This is a huge outdoor market where you can find all kinds of fun thrifty buys! Make sure to bring cash and deal with a lot of people and sorting through a lotttttt of stuff.
Stores to spend all your money
Primark
This is basically like a 5 story forever 21 but with even more stuff. I got soooo much stuff here while I was in Madrid. The small purse I take out clubbing with me today I got here for like 6 euros. I also got bathing suits here, sun glasses, tops, an amazing metallic silver fanny pack for raves, you name it you will probably find it here and for a great price. Its easy to get overwhelmed here though so prepare yourself! The inside of this store is an experience in itself.
Bershka
One of my good friends who had been living in Madrid introduced me to this store and I loooooved it! I got a lot of cute club clothes here and they also had a lot of other trendy looks that I could not pull off but my friend could so if you are able to pull off more fashionable styles than I can, definitely go check it out.
Stradivarius
Ok for one this store always smells amazing so you basically are forced to go inside. It is a super nice store
high quality clothes and accessories. Its a little pricier but I think its worth it. I got one of my go to winter coats here and it is amazing! I still use it if I'm traveling somewhere cold today and the inside is the softest thing I have ever felt, I used to sit in class and just pet it lol Also the wallet I still use today is from here and its in perfect condition.
Pimkie
This is a really cute store that I got several of my "going out" jackets at. It's pretty decently priced and has a lot of cute stuff so check it out!
KIKO
Like I said, the Sephora is kind of sad in Madrid and your VIB points don't count (much to my dismay) so if you want to branch out and try a new makeup store try KIKO! Its an Italian brand and not everything they had was my favorite compared to my usual buys but I did like some of their products and its always good to change it up and try new products!
ALE HOP
These are everywhere in Spain! It just has a bunch of random stuff in it and it’s really fun to browse even if you don't buy anything! You may find some cute trinkets though and maybe some fun gifts!
Stores that are also in the U.S. that are really popular in Spain are Zara, H&M and MANGO. I personally felt like they had way more variety in Europe than in their stores in America so you should still check them out for yourself and see!
Comments