12 Best Places for Shopping in Madrid | Condé Nast Traveler

"Every Sunday morning since 1740, the sloping Ribera de Curtidores overflows with street vendors hawking everything from old watches to fake Nikes to hand-sewn leather bags and Franco-era paraphernalia. Welcome to El Rastro, one of Europe's most legendary—and most chaotic—flea markets. There are some 3,000 open-air stalls, so trying to hit them all is a truly Sisyphean task. Strike out from the Plaza de Cascorro, where locals gather for mid-morning vermouths and no-frills tapas, then follow the herd downhill, veering right at the fork to explore the antiques stalls on the Plaza del General Vara del Rey." - Benjamin Kemper