Shopping in Spain. Buy top fashion in Europe

Catwalk show by Duyos. Mercedes Fashion Week Madrid

Top labels

Some of the most influential Spanish designers are Amaya Arzuaga, Custo Dalmau, Adolfo Domínguez, Jesús del Pozo, Roberto Verino, Purificación García, Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, Manolo Blahnik, Ana Locking, Ángel Schlesser, David Delfín, Devota & Lomba, Duyos, Francis Montesinos, and Hannibal Laguna. During your stay in Spain, take the opportunity to visit some of its shops.

Spanish accessories are also famous for their high quality, with designers and brands like Camper, Loewe, and Mascaró.

Discover Spanish top designers and the most sought-after brands for a “made in �Spain” look.

Madrid and Barcelona: ideal shopping destinations

In the capital of Spain Madrid, there are different styles of shops in different areas: from the famous Golden Mile (the Salamanca district, especially Calle Serrano) with the most prestigious brands, to alternative and indie shops in Fuencarral and Hortaleza, the window displays of Gran Vía and Calle Preciados, or the famous Sunday morning street market, El Rastro, with over 400 years of history.

Barcelona has become a European hub of innovation and design, and this can clearly be seen on its streets and in its shops. The main retail area in Barcelona is known as the “Shopping Line”: with five kilometres of pedestrianised streets, it is the largest outdoor shopping area in Europe. Take the chance to see the elegant shops of Passeig de Gràcia, the century-old establishments of the Gothic quarter, or the indie designers in the Born district.

Other destinations in Spain also have all kinds of shops, and often sell products made by local artisans. In Andalusia, for example, ask about leather goods, ceramics and metalwork, or traditional Andalusian clothing.

Shopping streets and neighbourhoods

Shopping centres and outlets

Christmas market in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor

Seasons of sales and discounts

Some seasons are specially recommended for shopping in Spain. One is Christmas time, when towns hold Christmas markets with stalls selling gifts and festive decorations.

The sales seasons might also be of interest to you. The winter sales usually run from 1 January to 28 February, while the summer sales are usually from 1 July to 31 August. Mid-season sales are also frequent throughout the year.

Another date to remember is Black Friday. This starts on the fourth Friday of November and usually lasts all weekend. Over these days, many shops and other establishments offer significant discounts and promotions.

Tax-free

As a non-European Union resident, you can request a refund of the Value Added Tax or VAT (in Spain, IVA) paid on your purchases. You just need to fill in the Tax-Free form in the shops where you buy them. Then, get the form validated at Customs within 3 months of the purchase date. On the page Tax Free: How to claim VAT on your purchases in Spain we give you more information about the whole process.

The electronic DIVA system is the only valid procedure for validating invoices at Customs. This system speeds up the process of validating the documents and refunding the tax. With this method, you just have to ask the shops offering this service to provide the DIVA web form, and validate it directly at the automatic terminals installed in many airports and in Spain’s main ports and land border Customs. Consult the list of Spanish airports and ports offering the DIVA service.

You can find more information about all the requirements and the DIVA Tax Free system on the Spanish Tax Agency's website and in the FAQs section. You can also consult this leaflet and this informational video.