Page 227 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

SHOPPING IN NOR THERN SP AIN  225

start in early July and continue
until early August. Although
January and August are the
traditional sales periods, many
shops now also have sales at
other times of the year, offering
goods at very attractive prices.
In large department stores,
discounted goods are usually
found on the top floor and less
frequently in the basement.

Large Stores and
Supermarkets
Spain’s leading department Entrance to a shop selling wine and liqueurs
store is El Corte Inglés, with its
characteristic triangular green, Shopping Arcades 4pm, many stalls remain shut.
and Malls
black and white logo. This The earlier you arrive, the better
mega-store, with a branch Spanish shopping arcades are chance you’ll have of picking
in every major city, sells elegant, brightly lit and tastefully up the freshest, cheapest, and
internationally recognized designed; their displays change most attractive products.
brands of shoes, clothing, on a regular basis. The arcades Northern Spain has a strong
sports goods, furniture, are usually filled with designer crafts heritage, and the best
accessories and cosmetics. boutiques, and the choice is places to buy authentic items
There is usually also a well- truly vast. Although items are are the artisan markets. The
stocked electronic goods usually on the expensive items on sale include
department, selling everything side, you can often find basketware and leather
from CDs, DVDs, televisions goods at reduced goods – reasonably
and audio devices to cameras. prices as well as priced shoes, wallets
Various customer services, seasonal discounts and accessories. In
such as hairdressers and travel in summer Galicia you will find
agents, can be found in every and winter. the popular bobbin
El Corte Inglés store. In the Aside from clothes lace and pottery, in
basement there is usually a and shoe shops, every La Rioja the region’s
large self-service grocery arcade has cafés, bars A local woven famous wine, in Asturias
store – Hipercor. and restaurants, where wicker basket clogs, and in the
Alcampo and Carrefour sell you can enjoy a welcome Pyrenees a range of
everything from groceries to break after a burst of shopping. wood products.
clothing to household goods American-style malls, called Bookstalls are also popular,
and appliances, and are usually centros comerciales in Spain, selling cheap second-hand
located out of town, so are are gaining popularity and books. It’s worth taking a look,
accessible only by car. FNAC can be found on the outskirts as you can sometimes find
stores have a wide range of of most large cities. rare books at bargain prices.
music and books.
Markets
Every large town in Northern
Spain has a daily food market,
where you can buy bread,
cheese, fruit, vegetables, meat,
sausage, fish, seafood, as well as
frutos secos (a variety of nuts,
almonds and dried fruits) and
honey. The smaller towns have
designated market days, where
stalls are set up, often on the
town square. Most markets have
a few cafés where you can grab
a quick coffee or a snack. It’s
best to visit markets in the
mornings, from 8am to 1pm.
A fruit and vegetable market in Santiago Most close around 2 to 3pm, A range of goods outside the entrance
de Compostela and even if they re-open after to a souvenir shop

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