JOSE RAMIREZ

José Ramírez is a shop in Madrid which specialises in guitars. The Ramírez family have been making Spanish guitars since 1882 and José Ramírez guitars are still constructed from aged woods of the finest quality.

Nowadays the family continues to closely follow the standards of traditional crafts workshops, where the highest authority is that of the Maestro, who designs, controls the work of its workers and apprentices and signs the guitars that obtain his approval.

Part of the collection of guitars held by the Ramírez family is exhibited in the shop, so visitors can delight in the perfect finishes and the beauty of the materials used.

Calle de la Paz, 8. Metro Sol

LA FAVORITA

La Favorita is a shop in Madrid which specialises in hats. La Favorita is found on Plaza Mayor, Madrid's expansive central plaza, just to the left of the Casa de la Panaderia. Founded in 1894, it is the oldest hat shop in Madrid and sells all types of felt hats, top hats, bowler hats, caps and berets. Essential accessories at the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century, these items are still particularly attractive and never go out of fashion.

Plaza Mayor, 25. Metrol Sol

LA MALLORQUINA

La Mallorquina is a shop in Madrid which specialises in cakes. Founded in 1894 by Juan Ripio from Majorca, the Pastelería La Mallorquina is located in one of Madrid's most privileged spots: La Puerta del Sol. Its specialities are napolitanas (flaky buns filled with custard or chocolate), rosquillas (small ring-shaped sweet buns) and truffles, which can be eaten at the counter or in the tea room. Every day there are crowds of people at the counters, buying or eating the excellent products offered. Other delights on sale are the pastries, shortbread, croissants, cream buns, chocolate cakes and a hundred other varieties on display, all homemade and fresh from the oven in the back store.

Plaza de la Puerta del Sol, 2. Metro Sol

LA VIOLETA

La Violeta is a shop in Madrid which specialises in violet sweets. Open since 1915, this elegant confectioner's shop owes its fame to a very particular product: violet sweets, whose name is due to their shape, their colour and that the essence of the flower is part of their ingredients.

This establishment, not far away from the Puerta del Sol Square, has kept its original wooden façade and its jars and little boxes of sweets have always had loyal and illustrious customers, like Jacinto Benavente or Queen Victoria Eugenia.

Other typical products of this confectioner's shop are natural violets glazed with sugar, glazed fruit, chocolates and marrons glacés.

Plaza de Canalejas, 6. Metro Sol

LHARDY

One of the oldest delicatessens in Madrid, Lhardy was founded in 1839 by Emilio Lhardy (also known as Huguenin) from Switzerland and it soon became a meeting spot for the aristocrats of the time. The shop is associated with a restaurant of the same name and it maintains the elegant aspect of former times. Here you can purchase an endless number of gastronomic specialities such as 'callos a la madrileña' (tripe casserole with chorizo and chillies), wild boar's head, sole in champagne, gazpacho or orange pudding.

Carrera de San Jerónimo, 8. Metro Sol

LIBRERIA SAN GINES

This bookshop became very popular in the early 20th century because a great many personalities from the literary, arts and politics environments used to meet here. At Librería San Ginés we can find old books, second-hand books and bargains.

Pasadizo de San Ginés, 2. Metro Sol/Opera

MERCERIA COMERCIAL AMPARO

Mercería Comercial Amparo is a shop in Madrid which specialises in sewing items. This haberdashery is very popular for people in search of cotton threads, buttons, zips, bands or any other item related to sewing that may seem impossible to find.

Marqués Viudo de Pontejos, 5. Metro Sol

TEA TIME

Tea Time is a shop in Madrid which specialises in tea. Situated right opposite the well-known Chocolateria San Ginés, this lovely establishment stocks almost one hundred different types of tea in tin boxes kept on the shelves. It also sells multicoloured tins, cups, teapots and other accessories to enjoy this exquisite drink.

Plazuela de San Ginés,3 . Metro Sol

EL RIOJANO

El Riojano is a shop in Madrid which specialises in biscuits. Among the specialities here are the azucarillos, small delicacies traditionally taken with aguardiente, and the so-called 'pastas del Consejo', biscuits which were originally made to be served at Cabinet meetings (Consejos). The cake shop has a small tea room where these delights may be enjoyed.

Calle Mayor,10 . Metro Sol

CASA MIRA

This traditional cake shop, open since 1855, is well-known for its Spanish nougat or 'turrón', traditional in Spain during the Christmas period, but which is sold in this establishment all year round.

The nougat comes in all sorts of varieties, from the classic Jijona and Alicante to toasted egg yolk or chocolate.

Among the specialities there are also other Christmas sweets, such as marzipan, polvorones (flaky biscuits) and yemas de nuez (walnut and egg-yolk pastries). All the products are handmade using the finest ingredients in the old-fashioned way with no preservatives or artificial colourings.

This establishment is also known for being a supplier to the Royal Household.

Carrera de San Jerónimo, 30. Metro Sol

CASA DE DIEGO

This is a speciality shop for typical Spanish fans or 'abanicos', shawls, walking sticks and umbrellas and is located right on Madrid's main plaza, the Puerta del Sol Square.


Puerta del Sol, 12. Metro Sol

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ANTIGUA PASTELERIA DEL POZO

La Antigua Pastelería del Pozo, cuyo nombre hace honor al pozo milagroso que, según dicen, había en la zona donde se ubica la pastelería y en el que se arrojaban reliquias de santos, lleva endulzando la vida de los madrileños desde1830. Son famosas sus planchas de hojaldre hechas a mano y rellenas de crema o cabello de ángel, así como los roscones de Reyes que elaboran durante todo el año y los turrones y mazapanes que preparan para la Navidad.

Calle Pozo , 8. Metro Sol

CASA LABRA

Una gastronomía popular que además cuenta con el atractivo de la historia del establecimiento, que conserva su decoración primitiva y su original fachada curva para adaptarse a la estructura del mismo edificio donde, el 2 de mayo de 1879, Pablo Iglesias creara en la clandestinidad el Partido Socialista Obrero Español.

• Tapas de bacalao

Calle Tetuán , 12. Metro Sol

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MONASTERIO DE LAS DESCALZAS REALES

Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales. Fue fundado por la princesa Juana de Portugal. Destaca su hermosa escalera principal y su importante colección de pintura de la Casa Real austríaca.

The monastery of las Descalzas Reales. Founded by the princess Juana of Portugal. A beatiful main staircase and an important collection of the Austrian Royal House.

Pza. de las Descalzas, 3. Metro Sol y Callao.