In the heart of Madrid’s historic district, next to Puerta del Sol, Calle de Preciados and Calle del Carmen make the largest open-air shopping centre in the Spanish capital. There, you can find the highest concentration of department stores, bookshops, record stores, and fashion boutiques, as well as bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. A well-connected 2000m2 area in the most touristy district in town, which can be reached by public means of transport, by car or on foot.

This crowded pedestrian area, bounded by Plaza del Callao and Puerta del Sol (where you can find and Apple Store), is perfect for retail therapy every day of the week.

Preciados and El Carmen run parallel to each other from El Callao to Puerta del Sol, punctuated by three cross streets. Most leading Spanish and international fashion and jewellery brands can be found here: Zara, Bershka, Mango, H&M, Stradivarius, Pull & Bear, Camper, Desigual, Intimissimi and Pandora, among others. If you can’t find what you are looking for, you are bound to find it in the  El Corte Inglés department store, whose façade on Calle Maestro Victoria hosts the popular Christmas event each year Cortylandia. The flamenco and fancy dress store, Maty, can also be found on this street.

Walking down Calle del Carmen, you’ll find a renowned lottery retailer, Doña Manolita, a toy shop, Imaginarium, a FNAC branch selling books, CDs, DVDs and electronic devices, and also hosting book and album presentations, and a branch of the bookshop La Central.

Just off Plaza de Callao, nostalgic music lovers can stumble upon vinyl gems in the little shops that have mushroomed in the area. Furthermore, in Preciados you can find MediaMarkt, Spain’s biggest store in an urban area where you can find the latest technology and electronic products.

And now that we mention gems… You can’t leave Madrid without your Manila shawl. The finest ones are sold at Borca (Calle del Marqués Viudo de Pontejos, 2), an old, traditional shop selling hand-embroidered pieces made with natural silk.

A visit to the Galería Canalejas, located in the former Equitativa Palace, between Calle Alcalá and Calle Sevilla cannot be missed. This commercial gallery brings together more than 40 boutiques selling fashion, accessories, perfume and high-end jewellery and watches by the word’s most prestigious luxury firms. The department store has a Food Hall, a unique gastronomic experience in Madrid, with 13 restaurants serving different types of cuisine, some of which have even been awarded a Michelin star.

Other traditional shops in the area are Seseña (Calle de la Cruz, 23), where you can buy classic and modern capes, and Casa de Diego (Plaza de la Puerta del Sol, 12), offering handcrafted hand fans and umbrellas.

For a stop to catch your breath during your shopping spree, there’s an interesting assortment of coffee shops and bakeries to buy traditional confections or have tea as Madrileños do. There’s Antigua Pastelería del Pozo, whose Twelfth Night sweet bread is among the best in town, Casa Mira, selling the most delicious nougat and so a must in Christmas, El Riojano, La Violeta, which is the perfect shop for violet candy and other violet-based sweets, and La Mallorquina. And for the quintessential Madrid tea-time snack – hot chocolate and churros or porras –, guide your steps to Chocolatería San Ginés, just a couple of blocks from Puerta del Sol.

Another option to take a break from shopping is to visit the Four Seasons Hotel Madrid, more specifically its luxury spa which is open to hotel guests and any tourist or resident of Madrid who wishes to enjoy a beauty and well-being session in the heart of Madrid.

The Madrid Edition hotel is also worth a visit . It has two restaurants run by award-winning and internationally renowned chefs Enrique Olvera and Diego Muñoz. There are also different areas where you can enjoy signature cocktails: the Punch Room, the Lobby Bar, and a unique rooftop bar.

The Thompson Madrid hotel has three unique places to eat and drink, headed up by the famous Madrid restaurateur, Nino Redruello: the TAMA rooftop bar-restaurant and piano bar; Hijos de Tomás, perfect for a glass of cava; and The Omar, a bistro-bakery open all day.