Fairly priced items can be found in the larger cities and in the small towns alike. Stylish clothing, shoes and leather jackets are among the must-buys, as well as belts and top-end brand coats. Decorative objects and houseware, such as ceramic tiles or painted plates, a specialty of many ateliers and handicraft venues, also make excellent buys. Spanish antique stores mirror the country’s lavish past. Collectors might find very few bargains, but the variety of objects offered  is immense. You can find posters, war memorabilia as well as fine pieces of old jewellery, art objects and religious paraphernalia. Art galleries in the country are equally eclectic, offering miscellaneous prints, drawings as well as the masterpieces of grand names such as Picasso or Miro. Otherwise, large-scale shopping really happens at the country’s numerous malls, which have mushroomed all over the place in recent years.

Shopping in Madrid includes many highlights, the most colourful and vibrant local experience being offered at the Rastro Market, an open air venue, which has also recently spread out to several permanent galleries. The site  displays examples of  well-known Catalonian textiles, local leather items, including high-fashion suede coats and jackets.  Andalucían leather goods are of particular note here. Wooden furniture from Valencia, carved toys from Alicante plus rugs from Caceres, Granada and Murcia are among the many excellent purchases the place offers. Of particular note are the local sherries, wines and spirits. 

Top-end shopping areas are concentrated in the central part of the city, especially in the area to the north of the Puerta del Sol. In Calle Mayor and Calle del Arenal areas you might find an array of odds and ends stores, such as coin and stamp vendors, clock makers, wartime antiques and stores selling musical instruments. Gran Via is an Art Nouveau shopping district specialising in bookstores, clothing and shoes outlets, designer jewelry, furs, and handcrafts from different parts of Spain. Plaza Mayor is an arcaded space where artists display their oils and graphics, while El Rastro is the country’s most vivid and fast-paced  flea-market. Carrera de San Jeronimo is an area laden with gift shops and antiques dealers, some of which are rather pricey. However, the most upscale shops in town are found in Northwest Madrid, densely packed with luxury goods including expensive shoes, handbags, clothing and gifts.

Barcelona, probably the country’s most artistic shopping space, provides numerous possibilities for all kinds of buyers. The city’s glittering top-end venues include boutiques, specialty stores, designer stores and bright  malls. The shopping scene invariably includes some world-renown Spanish brands, such as Zara and Loewe. The Passeig de Gràcia, an expensive clothing and fashion showcase, offers Chanel, Max Mara and Diesel. The street of Valencia is a another shoppers’ paradise  with its exuberant antiques and art shops. Portal d'Angel is a venue selling high-fashion labels at somewhat more reasonable prices. Around the MACBA, you might come across smaller galleries with interesting items. Old-time department stores and traditional shops can be found in the La Rambla district.