Top Specialty & Gift Shops in Madrid
10 Nov, 2015
This is a beautiful small shop/workshop belonging to Lola Fonseca, who offers a variety of items hand-painted in silk: scarves, foulards, shawls, and the most beautiful fans. Prices range from moderate to high, but the beauty is that there is never any pr
1. Lola Fonseca
This is a beautiful small shop/workshop belonging to Lola Fonseca, who offers a variety of items hand-painted in silk: scarves, foulards, shawls, and the most beautiful fans. Prices range from moderate to high, but the beauty is that there is never any pressure to buy. You can visit, watch her and her assistant at work, feel the fabrics and marvel at the colors and designs, all the while enjoying sampling the work of a great craftsperson at work.
2. Museo del Jamón
Museo del Jamon is a multilocation restaurant that specializes in selling Iberico ham, but also has other food and sweets and drinks. The ham is the speciality and they are lined up on the wall.If you are expecting a U.S. piece of ham, a pink slab of sweet and salty \"meat\" that\'s not what you\'re getting. Instead you are getting a thinly sliced, somewhat fatty, relatively dry, spiced ham. It\'s quite tasty.
3. Desperate Literature
This is what a bookshop should be. A place to step back from things, peer into new worlds and find new friends. The owners Terry and Charlotte are two of the kindest people you\'ll ever meet; they\'re always happy to have new people in to browse or chat over a cup of tea. If you\'re looking for a community as well as great second-hand books, do not miss this place.
You can find Spanish and French-language books as well as English, and there\'s always a section of staff recommendations if you\'re not sure what you\'re looking for.
4. Antigua Casa Talavera
Are you looking for super authentic non-touristy spanish pottery to take home? This is THE place. Off a small road, you have to knock and be let in by the owner, who is the 4th generation salesperson at the store. He will notice what you like and make recommendations for you, and tell you about the history of the pattern and the artist. What a find! We made few purchases in Spain, but spent the most money here and could have spent much more. The pottery was perfectly packaged and made it back to the US safe and sound.
5. Cacao Sampaka
Delicious chocolate, chic store, great customer service. They also have a cafe with tea, coffee, ice cream, and various cakes. They all tasted delicious (minus the black truffle chocolate, which we ordered from the experimental chocolates selection. That was no good, but I basically asked for it when I ordered it)