InterContinental MadridMadrid, Spain

Shopping on the Golden Mile (5 minutes away from InterContinental Madrid)


The Salamanca district boasts all the retail outlets of top national and international luxury firms Madrid offers its very own shopper´s paradise in the district of Salamanca, the city´s most chic, glamorous and sought-after area. The most luxurious boutiques are found in streets such as Serrano, Castelló, Goya, Velázquez, Jorge Juan, Príncipe de Vergara and Ortega y Gasset. If your credit card knows no limits, then this area, known as the Golden Mile, is a world you will want to discover. 

Strolling down Calle Ortega y Gasset is an experience not unlike attending the Milan Fashion Week, or watching a catwalk show in New York. The prêt-a-porter of the French fashion house Dior, whose clothes are designed by John Galliano, can be found at number 6. Three doors up lies the exclusive outlet of Hermès, with all the refinement and simplicity associated with the name.

At number 14, Dolce&Gabanna, have a 700-m² shop which oozes sophistication and the most modern designs, and boasts an impeccable decor. At number 14 of this same street you will find the Chanel boutique, where you can admire Karl Lagerfeld's ‘works of art', and at number 16, a movie stars' favorite, Giorgio Armani. For those looking for distinction in accessories such as handbags and suitcases, a visit to Louis Vuitton, at number 17, is a must.

However, on Calle Serrano you will find one of the most prestigious fashion and accessories' designer brands in the world. Loewe seduces passers-by with exclusive garments and accessories both for women, at number 26, and for men, at number 34. Also, at the corner of Serrano and Ortega y Gasset, you will find the Italian designer label Gucci, with its renowned provocative and somewhat romantic touch. One of the newest additions to the Golden Mile is Prada, whose shop for women lies at number 26 and who will soon be opening one for men on Calle Goya number 4. 

Designer shoes

Owning a pair of Manolo’s is a temptation few women can resist, that's why Manolo Blahnik has opened a store at number 58 of Calle Serrano to the delight of singers, actresses, models, aristocrats and millionaires of all lineage. At number 15 of Ortega y Gasset lies Jimmy Choo's boutique, with over 160 square meters and a consolidated philosophy that makes his style recognizable: accessories and shoes boasting both exclusive luxury and comfort. Last but not least, number 17 houses Italian brand Tod´s, known worldwide for its leather items, in particular shoes.

The Best of Spanish fashion 

Naturally, Spanish fashion also has its place in the most luxurious area of the capital. At Serrano 27, we find the store of Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, the Madrid-born designer, whose fresh and colorful collections have made her one of the most famous Spanish creators in the world.
Galicians Adolfo Domínguez, Roberto Verino and Caramelo also have outlets on Calle Serrano, at number 18, 33 and 19 respectively, in which they offer garments and service of the highest quality to a select clientele.

On Calle Lagasca 88, furrier Elena Benarroch boasts her own shop, the flagship of this label which has been around since 1979. At number 50 of the same street, lies Amaya Arzuaga, a regular on Spanish and foreign catwalks, and at number 64 you will find one of the two stores owned by Córdoba-born Elio Bernhayer, awarded a Gold Medal of Arts in 2002.

If you make your way to Calle Jorge Juan, 35, you will step into the workshop of Venezuelan Hannibal Laguna, who has lived in Madrid for many years and who has his flagship store on this central street. On Calle Don Ramón de la Cruz, we find the shops of two of the leading couturiers of our country, Josep Font and Ángel Schlesser, the former at number 51 and the latter at number 2. The boutiques are a reflection of their individual styles: Font colorful and sophisticated and Schlesser featuring sleek and elegant designs.


The crème de la crème of jewellers 

It is not just clothes that can be found in this prestigious area of Madrid's centre. The shop windows of both Spanish designers such as Suárez, Brooking, Carrera y Carrera and foreign labels like Wempe, Cartier and Bvlgari are filled with diamonds and precious stones. The latest newcomer to the capital´s world of jewellers is legendary Tiffany, which opened in 2008 on Ortega y Gasset, 10, to lure Madrileños in with the luxury items Audrey Hepburn yearned for in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's.
The Cartier shop, located at Serrano 74, is a temple of sophisticated décor combined with warmth designed to make customers feel at home. As you venture further into the shop you encounter the more valuable items on offer, until you come to a library and a drawing room, "the secret chambers" of the firm, where the most exclusive items can be found. The very latest technology is used to ensure the lighting is perfect so that clients can observe the items down to the last detail.

Ultra-chic shopping center

Luxury in the Salamanca district is not restricted to exclusive outlets. Two shopping centers  El Jardín de Serrano and the ABC Serrano also house prestigious jewellery, footwear and fashion brands. A far cry from the usual concept of shopping centers, an elite atmosphere of calm and distinction reigns over these centers. The Jardín de Serrano (Goya 6-8) is one of the most exclusive shopping centers in Madrid, housing leading fashion, accessories, leather and perfume labels. In ABC Serrano, which is more popular but equally charming, the modern notion of a shopping centers is combined with the history of the 100 year-old building, formerly home to the Prensa Española, the publishing house of the newspaper ABC.
 
 

• THE PRADO MUSEUM From its privileged location surrounded by trees and some of Madrid´s greatest monuments, the National Museum of the Prado is one of the most visited attractions in the capital. The museum is home to the most important Spanish painting collection in the world.
• THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA MUSEUM The Thyssen-Bornemisza, with almost 1,000 works of art, is extraordinarily located in a cultural and artistic itinerary that is unique in the world. Come to the museum and enjoy a privileged tour of seven centuries of European painting, from its origins in the 13th century to the end of the 20th.
• REINA SOFÍA MUSEUM Works by Dali, Miró and Juan Gris join Picasso's Guernica on a fascinating journey through the history of contemporary art. The new scheme that commenced in 2009 contrasts works from different painters, origins, periods and subjects, thus illustrating different facets of the avant-garde.
• MAJOR ARTS CENTRES As well as the major museums, the Art Walk, stretching from north to south along the Paseo de la Castellana, is home to important exhibition halls, foundations and institutes, which play a fundamental part in the country's cultural life. Matadero Madrid, Centro Cultural Conde Duque and Círculo de Bellas Artes are just some of the most important ones.
• CAIXAFORUM MADRID It emerges as a live space opening its doors to old, modern and contemporary art, to music and poetry, to multimedia art, to debates, and to social and educational activities. The spectacular building housing it, located on Paseo del Prado in the former Mediodía Electric Power Station, is already one of the new landmarks in our city.
• TEATRO REAL When Queen Isabel II founded the theatre she intended to turn it into one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. Since reopening in 1997, it has welcomed to its vast stage both its own productions and artists from around the globe. A must visit for lovers of opera.
• SPANISH NATIONAL LIBRARY This library works to identify, preserve, conserve and disseminate the written heritage of Spain. The museum, which houses over 30,000 manuscripts, around 3,000 incunables and some 500,000 examples of printed matter, is a fascinating journey through the history of the book.