Shopping

There are some fabulous shops in Spain selling locally produced and imported designer merchandise at reasonable prices. In particular, leather goods like shoes and handbags are very good quality and excellent value for money compared to the UK. If you're browsing markets or shops in more touristy areas, be prepared to haggle.

Here are a few tips to bear in mind before you hit the high street:

• Most general stores are open Monday to Friday from 10.00am until around 1.30pm when they close for siesta and open again around 4.30pm until around 8.00pm, and Saturday mornings. (Times can vary regionally)
• Larger department stores and shopping malls are likely to be open continuously from 9.30am to 9.30pm, Monday to Saturday, some even later. Many will open on Sundays and Bank Holidays, but this depends on the area
• Most shops are closed on Sundays, although bakeries are often open for a few hours in the morning
• As with the UK, shops close on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday.

Helping you spend in Spain

As a Spain Solutions customer, you can call the Mapfre Group which offers a special service to our customers. One quick call will connect you to a helpful English-speaker to give you information on where to find specific shops, your local malls and opening times - they can even book you a taxi to get you there. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round.