Lavapiés

As a reflection of its multicultural nature, Lavapiés offers visitors a wide range of shopping possibilities in its traditional small shops.

African crafts, belly dance supplies, hookahs, Maghreb lamps or bags, electronic and mobile devices… Lavapiés is like a huge bazaar where you can find things from the four corners of the globe in a single block.

In the high part of the neighbourhood, along the streets that run into the colourful Tirso de Molina Square – peppered with flower stalls –, there are clothing and accessories wholesalers (but a few of them are retail suppliers too). A good option for those looking for fashion is to visit La Positiva Shop where you can find all types of gifts and curious details created by independent designers, mainly from Spain.

In the vicinity of Lavapiés Square, traditional food stores sell imports from a variety of countries: spices from India or Pakistan, sesame dressings, pita bread, Arabic sweets (Sombrerete and Tribulete Streets), noodles, sake or preserved bamboo shoots from Asia, halal meat for Muslims, and so on.

Independent bookshops and bookshop cafés have also mushroomed in the area: Enclave de Libros, Bajo el volcán,  Los pequeños seres, Sin Tarima Libros, La Libre, El dinosaurio todavía estaba allí. You’ll find all kinds of books, especially if you have a list of alternative readings to tick off…

At Antón Martín Market, you can also find books, flowers, fresh produce and multicultural dishes (Japan, Italy, Mexico, Colombia, Taiwan, Spain…). It’s one of the newest establishments joining the city’s trend in gourmet markets.

Lovers of good music cannot miss a trip to the record and instrument store, Revolt Music & Records, and the store, Liquidator Music, in Calle de las Dos Hermanas. It is also worth visiting the numerous “signature cafeterias” that are all the rage, such as the Pum Pum Café, El Cafelito or Plántate Café.

Embajadores and El Rastro

Have you ever bought books by weight? Some of the stalls at San Fernando Market (Calle de Embajadores, 41) offer this option. You can also buy organic fruit, cheese, an exclusive assortment of preserves, accessories and gifts, crafts, flowers, and more.

In the same area you’ll also find La Cebada Market, one of Madrid’s largest food markets, selling meat, cold cuts, fish, poultry and fruit, as well as perfumes, eyewear, flowers and upholstery fabric. A wide variety, indeed.

Located next to La Cebada Market is the new local leisure centre that has two indoor pools, an athletics track, a gym, and an indoor sports court. It also has a large 915 square metre terrace with a bright blue athletics track and artificial turf.

It is also interesting to take a look at the graffiti by the Boa Mistura group of urban artists, the perfect place to take some colourful photos and upload them to social media as a reminder of your visit to the area. 

The key feature of this area - and one of the city’s main tourist attractions - is El Rastro, Madrid’s street market par excellence that is held every Sunday and on public holidays, whose origins are in medieval times. It is located on the Ribera de Curtidores and owes its name to the period in which this steep street used to be occupied by leather tanners which, with the coming and going of cuts dragged from the nearby slaughterhouse, left a trail that baptised the area and later its open air market.

From Plaza de Cascorro, El Rastro sprawls across Ribera de Curtidores into the adjoining alleyways and small squares, forming a triangle delimited by Calle de Toledo, Calle de Embajadores and Ronda de Toledo. Streets like San Cayetano, Fray Ceferino González, Carlos Arniches or Mira el Río, and squares like General Vara de Rey or Campillo del Mundo Nuevo are packed with shops selling first-hand and second-hand clothes, costume jewellery, trinkets, collectibles, antiques, old records, and many other things.

Renowned antiquarians like Manuel Riestra or Galerías Piquer have their shops here too. And there are also stories specialising in vintage décor, such as Reno, La Brocanterie, Living Retro, La Recova and Antigüedades Palacios.

When El Rastro is closed, Ribera de Curtidores boasts a high concentration of speciality stores where you can get mountain sports apparel (first-hand and second-hand technical wear at Makalu, Barrabes, OS20 and Outdoor Sin Límite), handcrafted furniture, photo gear (Fotocasión), antiques and art restoration services (two patios on both sides of the street house a good number of shops in this department), books, fabric remnants, small wares and notions, and pets, pet food and accessories.

Los Artistas del Barrio, a gift shop where contemporary artists sell their creations in a shared space, is found at Embajadores, 7. You will be able to find laminates, toys, stationery, t-shirts, jewellery, books and even bags there.