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Madrid - Viva España
Recent months have seen the back pages filled with David Beckham's potential transfer to AC Milan. Karl McKeever, tells us why the LA Galaxy football star might be more inclined to return to Real Madrid to experience the superior shopping in Spain's premier city...they certainly seem to need him.
Madrid is probably the best Spanish city for shopping, but as it's so big, you'll need to know where to look and to be selective whilst visiting. Renowned for its juggernaut national fashion chains like Zara and Massimo Dutti, Madrid is awash with leading retail brands in every fashion sector. Consumers can find some great labels and exciting stores when visiting this major city.
Two areas that are highly popular with locals and tourists alike are Gran Via and c/Fuencarral.
Gran Via is one of the oldest and largest streets in Madrid, and attracts many tourists each year. This upscale shopping street, located in the centre, leads from Calle de Alcalá, close to Plaza de Cibeles, and Plaza de España. It is home to top name international brands, and the available space inside these historic retail gems have large footprint formats that spread far and wide across many floors.
Be sure to look skyward on Gran Via as many of the buildings are at their most interesting on the roof. This street is also where you will find Spain's colossal cinemas and outstanding theatre district.
Unsurprisingly, all things 'spring' dominate the window display themes. Generally, these are executed to a very high standard, with quality props and POS elements complementing the brightly coloured seasonal product ranges to tell very convincing stories. Well lit, clearly priced and expertly styled, the windows are credible and attractive - everything a good display window should be.
Just off Gran Via is the hipster paradise of c/Fuencarral and c/Hortaleza that offers a totally different shopping experience. Here, the large store's grandiose frontages are replaced by ornate boutique properties, with a more comfortable scale set amongst a tree-lined vista.
Consumers here are truly spoilt for choice as you can purchase unique and individual clothing labels, though many of the trendier stores are being pushed out by the bigger brands.
This street - if nowhere else in Madrid - proves once and for all that the Spanish are just as fashionable and brand savvy as their well-turned-out French neighbours.
The fascinating aspect to this street is its total transformation from day to night. After dark, the stylish window displays and corporate brand fascias are completely overtaken by a scene of chaotic graffiti painting.
Whilst this may seem unsightly and even a little bit threatening to the uninitiated, it's something that many European citizens have long become accustomed to in their neighbourhoods. Instead of endlessly cleaning up after the night before in an attempt to outwit the curse of the spray-can, many brands have commissioned their own art to defy and deny their retail space to these graffiti artists.
Love it or hate it, its all part of the magic of Madrid - real retail at its most fashionable, dynamic and vibrant.