Lolly100

I'm travelling to Spain for the first time this spring - Madrid & Seville. What should I be on the look-out for as "must haves" to bring back from Spain? I love to shop & can't wait to find some unique stuff. What is Spain known for? Jewelry? Leather? I'd also be interested in local artwork. What are your favorite items to bring back? And where are your favorite shops in Madrid & Seville?

ekscrunchy

One of my favorite purchases from Madrid is a black wool hooded cape partially lined in black velvet. I bought this cape in the early 1980s and it looks like new.

The shop is Sesena:

http://www.sesena.com/ing/index.htm

Leather is often a good buy. But most of my purchases are food; there was a great post here on what kind of foods to bring back but I can't find it.

Smoked paprika and tuna packed in olive oil are musts but there are many, many things to buy if you are a cook. Some people bring saffron, too.

Marc_David_Miller

I'll second the Capas Sesena suggestion. I saw an article in the New York Times in 1985 about the store, and 15 years later bought a cape from them in Madrid (from the same salesperson mentioned in the article). Great with black tie!

ekscrunchy

Here is the thread on what to buy in Spain; it is mostly, but not totally, about food and food-related items:


http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34778161

jsmith

I'm surprised no one has mentioned buying a mantilla or a fan. My wife has had much use of the silk mantilla that we bought in Barcelona.

AnnMarie_C

bkmkng

bigtyke

If you get to Toledo from Madrid (highly recommended), then get an inlaid gold/silver on steel piece of Jewelry.

artlover

I think the leather goods are fabulous. DH and I still love the coats we got there in 2002. This year I'm going for a purse. Also Majorca pearls. One item I really love and use all the time which we got there and I haven't seen much of here is a bellows to start fires with (which I'm doing soon tonight!) DH and I joke that we don't know how we did it without one. A silly "touristy" item is sherry in a "bull" container with castonets--very hooky, but it's fun.

worldinabag

Hola

Madrid: Great shoes in Cuenca and Salamanca. Good ladies fashion at Zara's. What about ceramics shopping at Antigua Casa Talavera, calle Isabel la Católica 2. Metro stop: Santo Domingo. This shop is fantastic. "The first house of Spanish ceramics" has some really nice, non tourist quality ceramics. Admire the 100 year old facade.

In Toledo I visited the sword workshop and bought a lovely men's pendant done in a Moorish design. It was only about €45 (in 2005). Heaps of other awesome jewellery for women and men.

Lolly100

Thanks for the great replies & the link to the other thread. I'm not really not much of a cook or a "foodie" - although food items would make great gifts. Although, the Crema Catalana from the other thread sounds delicious!

I'd definitely be interested in finding great jewelry shops, ceramic/art shops, etc. Thanks for the suggestions! I'm only in Madrid for 3 nights, but was considering the possibility of a day trip to Toledo. Now it sounds even more tempting with the shopping there!

Leather goods, majorca pearls, wow, I better start saving my money! I'm really excited about this trip & definitely want to bring back some unique items so I can always remember it. Please keep the ideas coming!

lawchick

If you're after something you'll never use again go the leather/fan route.

Other than that - shoes and plenty of them.

Lolly100

I love shoes! You can never have too many pairs, right? Any favorite shoe stores in particular, lawchick?

lawchick

Don't worry about particular stores, theres always a good selection at El Corte Inglés, or go to Calle Augusto Figueroa in Madrid which has lots of shoe shops.

Lolly100

Thanks lawchick! I'm sure I'll have no problem finding some great shoes.

Please keep the suggestions coming. Any unique shops for jewlery or artwork in Sevile & Madrid that aren't tourist traps?

Isadore204

I'm planning a trip for 2008 and love Flamenco. I'm going to get myself a pair of dance shoes!

Rastaguytoday

My wife fell in love with the capas at Sesena. We probably spent (to me boring) three hours there picking out a cape from this famous shop. It's where Hillary and Chelsey and people who were really famous shopped. Also silver and gold from Toledo are excellent. Look for quality, not for the tourist crap.

eurogirl2006

bookmarking

bigtyke

I'm not sure about the name of the shop in Toledo where my sister bought the jewelry, but i think it was something like Felix de la Vallee. That was 37 yrs ago. IT was one mentioned in '$5 a day' and was at the far end of the town from the RR station.