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Some of the oldest businesses in the city have survived to this day very close to Galería Canalejas. These century-old stores and workshops maintain traditional production and know-how that has been passed down from generation to generation, forming an integral part of Madrid’s heritage. Besides an opportunity to buy some unique items, visiting them is another way to keep this legacy alive.
The sweets made from violet essence by this candy store since 1882 are a characteristic flavour of Madrid, a delicacy of such fame that they have become a veritable icon of the city. The shop windows still display a genuine tradition in sweet-making for Madrid: an exquisite selection of hand-made goods.
This iconic atelier has been perfecting a particular benchmark of elegance and modernity for over a century. Capes from this store have been worn on the shoulders of such greats as Picasso, Buñuel, Hemingway and Bruce Springsteen. Since 1901, this establishment has been committed to traditional craftsmanship and is an essential part of any visit to Madrid.
This iconic glove store and workshop has been imbuing every pair it produces with loving care since 1886. Word of the popularity and quality of its fabrics has reached the ear of many great designers, who have expressed an interest in its workshop. Its gloves have dressed the hands of famous actors and actresses in films, series and theatre plays both in Spain and overseas.
This workshop has been meticulously producing and selling quality fans, umbrellas, parasols and shawls since 1823. The design of its prestigious items, which are all made using non-industrial techniques, makes each one a unique object. That’s why accessories from Casa de Diego in Madrid have been used by numerous royal households over the years.
The extensive range of hats, berets, regional dress and military goods from Casa Yustas catches the eye of everyone walking past its window display in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. Its interior, with a store on three floors that has remained unchanged since it first opened in 1894, offers one of the most representative and authentic journeys into the past to be found anywhere in the city.
From its tidy window display, La Favorita invites curious onlookers to discover a range of hats, caps and berets that the store has been using to dress the heads of people from Madrid and its visitors with enormous style and elegance for over 125 years. This family business is the oldest hat shop in Plaza Mayor and an essential destination for many in the capital.
This pharmacy is one of the oldest businesses in Madrid and still has many historical documents and objects of great value inside. A benchmark supplier to the Royal Household during the times of King Felipe V, it hides some remains of the old city walls of Madrid and the existence of a big secret: an underground passageway that linked it directly to the Royal Palace.
Guardian of the most authentic Madrid, Casa Hernanz has been making shoes for tourists and locals alike since 1845. Visitors in search of its iconic hand-stitched espadrilles are welcomed by the characteristic smell of jute and esparto. A store impervious to the passage of time with an extensive catalogue of traditional rope craftwork items, basket weaving and decorations, among other things.
El Rastro takes place every Sunday along the central street of Ribera de Curtidores in the popular La Latina district. This is the most authentic outdoor street market in Madrid. You might discover all sorts of curious items on a stroll around the antique dealers and various stalls selling clothes and other second-hand goods. A universe unto itself that always surprises anyone who ventures in.
These fifth-generation master guitar luthiers maintain the secret to making the perfect Spanish guitar. An iconic destination for any musician who visits Madrid. The Beatles, Supertramp, Eric Clapton and Joaquín Sabina are just a few of the artists who have trusted the sound from these marvellous hand-made instruments.
For decades, Calzados Franjul has been converting the shoes and bags that leave its atelier in the Las Letras district of Madrid into unique pieces of art. Made to order and using entirely traditional techniques, its creations are perfectly moulded to each individual customer. Design, quality and comfort are the only common denominators shared by them all.
A classic pedestrian street has been home to this permanent antique book fair since 1919. For more than 100 years, it has been a meeting place for all kinds of readers to find all sorts of gems, rare editions and out-of-print books. Such celebrities as Pío Baroja, Hemingway and Azorín, among others, have frequented its legendary book stalls.
Imágenes sobre Madrid proporcionadas por MADRID DESTINO, CULTURA, TURISMO Y NEGOCIO, S.A. para más información www.esmadrid.com: Nº9 Carlos Cazurro/Álvaro López del Cerro©; Nº12 Álvaro López del Cerro©.