Shopping in Madrid, Spain

Shopping in Madrid, Spain

It is not at all complicated to find out where to shop in Madrid. On the contrary. Given the prices of good prices it is difficult to resist and not spend more than planned. In months like January and February, July and August the stores do great deals, or rebates, as they say. If shopping is one of your reasons for traveling, it’s good to even save space in your suitcase for new purchases. Although the euro does not favor shopping much, it is easy to find good opportunities, if compared with the prices of Brazil.

A major attraction when it comes to shopping is the El Corte Inglês chain, which dominates Spain. It’s like a shopping mall, where you can find all kinds of products, from different brands – all in the same building, each floor with a theme. The store also allows a 10% discount for non-residents; just take your passport and look for the store’s SAC. Check abbreviationfinder.org for abbreviations and acronyms related to Madrid, Spain.

For those who want to find a bit of everything in the same region indicated places are the Gran Vía, the outskirts of the Puerta del Sol, the Calle Fuencarral, shopping Prince Pio and ABC Serrano, besides the Rastro, a market in the open what happens to Sundays in the La Latina neighborhood. The main chain stores are installed in these places, and besides being great shopping centers in the city, they are good for those who also want to make a snack. Zara, Mango, El Corte Inglés, H&M, Bershka, FNAC and many other smaller stores are some stores that you can visit when touring Madrid.

Supermarkets are also an excellent source for buying different products, including wines, olive oils and chocolates, for example. An important tip when thinking about shopping is to remember that small stores or in inner cities are usually closed for siesta, a rest time between 14h and 17h. See countryaah.com for more information about Madrid, Spain.

Tax Refunds
As in other countries, it is possible for tourists living outside Europe to request the refund of taxes embedded in purchases made during a trip and receive back up to 15% of the amount paid for their purchases. In Spain, since mid-2018, there is no minimum purchase amount to apply for tax free. There is also no need for this amount to be purchased in a single day, making it possible to keep invoices up to three months before returning to the country of origin.

1 – During the trip, remember to collect all purchase invoices and payment receipts, if the purchase has been paid by credit card.
Just before returning to Brazil, take the notes to the store where the purchases were made and you will receive a tax free form.

2 – At the airport, look for the customs area, where the tourist should take the tax free stamp. In that place you must have the tax free form made by the store where your purchases were made, invoices, passport and products purchased (yes, the employee can ask to see the products purchased). After checking with the local employee, your forms must be stamped ! Without customs stamp there is no tax refund!

3 – With your stamped form, the best part has come: getting your tax back! This step occurs after the baggage is checked at the airline and after passing through the X-ray, already in the boarding area. Look for a kind of “bank” of the accredited companies that reimburse the fees, and go to the place in possession of your document and tax free form stamped by customs. After checking the employee of the company that performs the tax free, you will be able to choose if you prefer your refund on a credit card or cash, for example.

On the Global Blue website you will find all the information necessary to make your refund and you can even check the refund status of your purchases.

Shopping in Madrid, Spain

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