INFORMATION ABOUT SHOPPING
IN
GRANADA SPAIN
Introduction
SHOPS:
Small shops in Granada are open from Monday to Friday (10.00-13.30; 17.00-20.00)
and on Saturdays (10.00-13.30). They normally close on Sundays.
Larger
shops and departments stores (Alcampo, Corte Inglés, Hipercor, Mercadona,
Carrefour, etc.) are open all day (normally 10.00-22.00), Monday to Saturday.
Shops don't generally
open on Sundays although there are some selling basic supplies which do
on Plaza Nueva.
Granada has a good range of shops and is lucky in that it still has small,
specialist shops in the centre of Granada.
BANKS:
Banks are open every morning from 8.30-14.00 (Monday to Friday).
POST OFFICE:
The main post office is in Puerta
Real (mid top) and is open 8.30-20.30 (Monday to Friday) and 9.30-14.00 (Saturdays).
There are
normally long queues so it is best to avoid it if at all possible. You
can buy stamps in tobacconists (estancos) and letters can be posted in any
of
the
yellow
post boxes around the town.
The main shopping area is around Puerta Real in the streets Reyes Católicos (Zara), Recogidas (Mango), Mesones and Acera del Darro.
Although not as agriculturally important as it used to be, a lot of produce is still grown either on the Granada "Costa Tropical" with its warmer climate (e.g. tropical fruits such as avocados and custard apples), in the province (Huétor Tájar is close by and famous for its asparagus), or on the vega of Granada - the traditional agricultural area to the south of the city with its low-lying fertile plains (broad beans, artichokes, garlic and onions are some of the typical vegetables grown over the winter). Motril is also an important fishing port and much of the fish sold at the San Agustin market and in fishmongers around Granada comes from here.
MARKETS:
The main market in Granada is San Agustin, just behind the Gran Vía
(Plaza
San Agustín). It sells meat, fish,
fruit, vegetables, cheese, ham, etc. and is open Monday to Saturday, 10.00
- 14.00.
It is not
possible
to buy
fish on Mondays. The Corte Inglés
supermarket in Acera
del Darro has a good fish counter with an excellent selection of all kinds
of fish and they will prepare and fillet it for you. There are also several
fish shops in the Realejo area.
FRUIT
AND VEGETABLES:
There are stalls
selling fruit and vegetables inside the market and in the area around Pescadería.
A good stall for nuts, dried fruit and pulses is the one on the corner of
Pescadería
and Carcel Baja. My favourite fruit and vegetable shop, however, is FRUITERÍA
YOLANDA near the market on Plaza
Villamena and it always has a good selection
of fresh, local produce. There is also an open-air fruit and vegetable market
most weekday mornings in Plaza Larga in the Albaicín.
BREAD:
There are quite a few good bakeries around the city
but one of my favourites is el PANADERO LOCO (the mad baker) in the street Caldería
Nueva. They bake and sell a good selection of brown and wholemeal bread,
which they can slice, and also their own home-made biscuits. They also sell
healthfood products (e.g. tofu, dairy-free products, etc.).
GLUTEN-FREE
/ DAIRY-FREE PRODUCTS:
Most large supermarkets now sell products for special diets but the most centrally
located one is probably the CORTE INGLES in the street Acera
del Darro. The supermarket is in the basement and there is a special
section for dietary needs.
HALAL MEAT:
There are several Halal butchers that I know in Granada, both near Plaza Nueva:
one is in Calderería Vieja (and
is open on Sunday mornings) and the other is in Calle
Elvira.
DELICATESSEN:
There are a couple of good delicatessens between Gran Via and Calle Elvira.
These small shops have an excellent selection
of cheese, ham, cold meat, wine, etc. The MANTEQUERÍA HOLANDESA is
on the street Joaquín Costa (top right) and
the owner takes a real pride in his produce. The other one, the CASTELLANO,
is round the corner on the street Almireceros (top right) (Castellano).
FLOWERS:
There are lots of flower shops in Granada but possibly the best place to
go for flowers and plants is the Plaza Bib
Rambla. It's a particularly pretty
square with its fountain and flower stalls and they will
prepare bouquets for you. There is also a plant and flower
market on Saturday mornings in Plaza
Larga in
the Albaicín.
WINE:
There are several specialist wine shops around Granada and one can be found
just off Plaza del Carmen, where the Town Hall is.
LOCAL PRODUCE:
Granada and the province of Granada (including the Alpujarras) produce a number
of local specialities such as cheese, ham, oil, honey etc. One place where
you can
try before you
buy is the tapas bar/shop AL SUR DE GRANADA at the beginning of the Calle
Elvira, just after the Arco de Elvira.
OTHER TYPES OF SHOPPING
STATIONERY & ART SUPPLIES:
If you need any paper, pens, envelopes, art materials, paints, etc. then the
place to go is TAINE on the street Joaquín
Costa.
HABBERDASHERY:
There are a number of shops around the Pescadería area selling habberdashery,
lace, etc. One of the best is in a small passageway between Plaza Bib Rambla
and Plaza Pasiegas (where the Cathedral is) and is called EL SULTAN. It is
an incredibly small shop but it has everything you need for sewing and will
even cover buttons for
you if you
have
the material.
SOUVENIRS:
The typical souvenirs to buy in Granada are Granada pottery (white background
with blue and green designs) and tarecea (marquetry). There are lots of souvenir
shops in the area around Plaza Bib Rambla in the Alcaicería and Plaza Nueva.
If you go up the Cuesta Gomerez, there is a shop called EL SUSPIRO selling
Granada pottery, taracea, tiles and other traditional handicrafts, and the
Scottish owner Antonia speaks English.
OTHER SERVICES
DRY CLEANING:
There is a dry-cleaner's (tintorería) on the Gran
Via.
LAUNDERETTE:
There is a do-it-yourself
launderette/laundromat and cybercafé on Ancha
de Capuchinos
SHOE REPAIRS:
If you need to get your shoes repaired, then there is a cobbler in the basement
of the CORTE INGLES in the street Acera
del Darro.