Taking in the sites, some great cuisine and some shopping till you’re dropping is always fun. Set them all in Madrid and the enjoyment only increases. Follow along as writer Leslie Long shares where to do some major dining, sightseeing and shopping in Madrid, Spain.

Save this article to Pinterest to help you plan your time enjoying food and shopping in Madrid, Spain. Photos by Leslie Long. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Hungry for more? Learn about five unique food experiences in Spain.

Dining, Stopping and Shopping in Madrid Spain

On a recent three-day stop in Madrid, I spent most of my time with a couple of stylish Madrileñas who love to shop. And while I usually think of Paris (style), Rome (elegance) and London (cool stuff) as my top overseas shopping destinations, I’ll now enthusiastically add Madrid. With fabulous fashion districts and the most extraordinary indoor shopping I’ve ever seen, the city is drawing visitors not only from North America, but from Mexico and South America, too.

It doesn’t hurt that the theater scene in Madrid is third only to London and New York with musicals expertly translated into Spanish, drawing huge audiences night after night. And no matter where you’re from, the tax savings of 12% are an added draw. Quick redemption options only add to the appeal. Safe city streets are yet another bonus.

And as much as my friends love to shop, they also love to eat, so I’m including not only where to get great stuff, but where to eat great stuff.

START AT THE TOP: THE SALAMANCA DISTRICT.

If you’ve been to New York’s Madison Avenue or Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, the Salamanca District is Madrid’s equivalent. Elegant shops and restaurants line the streets and smaller alleyways feature more artisanal brands. One of Spain’s most famous brands is Loewe, a company that’s been making leather goods for well over a century.

A glimpse of the shopping scene at Loewe.

At 34 Calle Serrano, we visited Casa Loewe, their gorgeous flagship store where my friend wanted to further explore her desire to own The Madrid Bag. After an expert demonstration by our Zoe Kravitz look-alike sales associate, my cohort made the purchase, while I explored the more affordable bag charms, also lusting after the softer-than-soft leather jackets and dreamy clothes. I’m not a fan of luxury bags, but Loewe’s exhibit quiet luxury — and they’re cleverly designed to serve multiple purposes. (If the prices were lower, I would have been more than tempted.)

Next stop was Hoff, a Spanish sneaker company with cool, colorful designs, many named after European cities. Their brand-new high-ceilinged headquarters was tastefully designed using elements from nature. We settled into the sleek matcha bar in front awaiting our expertly crafted drinks which we enjoyed while looking around.

The cafe within Hoff, a store in Madrid, Spain.

I fell for a pair of black, white and grey suede sneakers with a low back because they were different but now wish I’d gotten a more traditional pair. (Yes, they look cool, but they’re not the greatest for walking any further than into a yoga class.)

After all that shoe and bag shopping, it was around 2pm and we had a reservation at El Paraguas. As Spanish custom dictates, lunch was just ramping up at that hour. The restaurant has many small rooms with beautifully-appointed tables under the glow of white silk lampshades fringed in gold, and each one was filling up quickly.

We shared appetizers of salty, tender Iberian ham fanned out in a circular display, followed by anchovies with avocado, a new combination for me but the perfect bland of sweet and salty. Asparagus stuffed with crab was my favorite. My main course was suckling pig because it’s so rarely seen on American menus. While very flavorful, I had order envy for the lobster rice my friends chose, and luckily, they were happy to share.

A platter of Iberian ham for the sharing at El Paraguas.

On a small street called Jorge Juan, we visited Pedro Garcia shoes and Mr. AB, home to classic but somewhat costly menswear where one of my friends bought a stone-colored sweater for her son.

EL CORTE INGLES: AN INDOOR SHOPPER’S PARADISE AND THE ONLY STORE WITH A MICHELIN-STARRED RESTAURANT.

As a New Yorker, I thought I’d seen it all, but El Corte Inglés was something new. Upon entering at ground level, I was greeted by individual shops for Louis Vuitton, Bulgari and Tiffany, which was just the start of something big. As we ascended the escalators, the magnitude of the place unfolded. With 27 floors, including five underground, the Castellana store we were visiting is the largest of five found in both Spain and Portugal.

Huge floors so expansive it was hard to see the other side carried just about every clothing make I’ve ever heard of — from super high end to everyday. Literally, hundreds of brands. If you can think of it, it’s there. A house brand featured lovely and affordable clothes and we also checked out the Spanish labels not available in the U.S. If you’re overwhelmed (not difficult with so much to choose from), personal shoppers can help.

Hungry for more? Best Pintxos in Spain’s Basque Country.

We kept going up and up and eventually landed at The Gourmet Experience — a food hall offering multiple versions of condiments, cheeses, baked goods, fish, meats — literally everything. In a beautiful setting surrounded by foods of every description, we took a seat at a long table where we relaxed over superb cheesecake and tea. Around the corner was Ravio XO, the in-store restaurant that earned chef Dabiz  Muñoz a Michelin star.

After a brief respite in my room at the super cool U Music Hotel (on-site theater performing “Cabaret,” piano player at breakfast, neon sayings on the walls, comfy rooms — all in a great location close to the Plaza Major), I met my Spanish friends at another great restaurant, but not until almost 9pm, the traditional hour to dine.

The Plaza Major is one of the places to visit in Madrid, Spain.

JAPANESE FOOD IN A WILD, JUNGLE-Y ATMOSPHERE.

At my urging, we arrived at SLVJ a little before our 9pm reservation. Guess what — it was empty. Wondering if my friends had picked a dud, I remembered that Spaniards are the opposite of early birds, so we settled in for exotic cocktails in even more exotic glasses. In the middle of the restaurant was a huge hanging rhinoceros. Why, I don’t really know, but it certainly looked good. (The restaurant bills itself as “The Wild Side of Japanese Cuisine”). As other diners trickled in, we noticed a lot of leopard-and-leather-clad girls and guys passing by and once the restaurant filled up at around 9:30, the music cranked up and they did a Flashdance-y routine which was repeated several times during the night. A little corny, yes, but they were cute and really enthusiastic, so they added a lot of fun to our evening.

The interior of the stylish SLVJ restaurant.

We feasted on edamame which was unusually spicy, a wide variety of sushi rolls, a huge platter of sashimi (the salmon was superb) and some very tender hibachi steak. While far from typically Spanish, it was a night to remember.

MARKET MORNING

Just off the Plaza Major, the Mercado San Miguel is housed in a gorgeous old glass structure. Inside, are stalls of every Spanish food imaginable. Raw ingredients to take home and cook, paper cones of gorgeous thin-sliced ham; shrimp, scallops and shellfish and a huge variety of oysters. Other stalls sell churros, sandwiches, baked goods and so much more to be eaten on site.

Shopping in Madrid, Spain includes purchasing a variety of seafood at the Mercado San Miguel.

GALERIA CANALEJAS: BEAUTY THROUGH THE THROUGH.

There’s a Four Seasons Hotel and then there’s Galería Canalejas. Attached to the hotel, the elegant three-level shopping paradise is beyond compare. It’s constructed from seven restored financial buildings. The original bank vaults, Art Deco screens, doorways and more simply gleam with beauty. Each of the 40 shops is an impeccable jewel, including Hermes, Cartier, Rolex, Dior and Louis Vuitton.

Even if the shops are out of your price range, it’s a charming place to visit. When we were there, a pop up of one of Madrid’s classic confectionaries, La Pajarita, graced the open area, selling candy and ice cream to stylishly dressed children.

Candies from La Pajarita pop-up at the Galeria Canalejas.

After a seafood lunch, we went our separate ways.

Lobito de Mar is an almost-all-fish restaurant with a fresh, open feel we really liked. Even the glassware, filled with colorful bubbles, was special. We enjoyed mussels, clams, shrimp, a large tuna on the bone (that actually looked like a piece of meat) and the best roasted potatoes. Crisp and golden, I couldn’t get enough. After lunch, my local friends headed home after showing me a great time filled with beautiful shopping, fabulous food and a lot of good times.

Addictive, crispy potatoes at Lobito de Mar.

Hungry for more? Get Chef Jose Andres’ recipe for Patatas Bravas.

My flight didn’t leave until the morning and that night, a light rain was falling. Alone, I wandered the small streets behind my hotel, walking from plaza to plaza. Looking to get out of the rain, I checked out a few tapas places and settled on an inviting corner spot with red and white striped awnings. Called Alimentacio, it was sparsely populated when I entered but soon was bursting at the seams. It became so busy that I was unable to flag down the server for a second glass of the fabulous house red wine I enjoyed with tomato-topped toasts and anchovies. Of all the foods we’d eaten, this quintessentially Spanish snack could have been my favorite.

Bread rubbed with tomato and topped with anchovies was a simple but favorite meal.

To learn more about visiting Madrid, see the official website, here.

-Story and photos by Leslie Long