What can you/anyone tell me about ABC Serrano.
The web site isn't much help. I've read a small artical about it in the NY Times but I can't find much more out there.

Is it worth a visit?

Thanks!

IMO it's not that great, some high end boutiques because of the neighborhood, but nothing special. For better shopping, obviously go to the centro between Sol and Gran Via, or shop on Calle Serrano and surrounding area which ABC is right off of. If you want more of a shopping center atmosphere and stay out of the heat, catch a ride to the outskirts of town and head for Xanadu or another indoor mall! They are great, but more suburby!

it has quite a few shops, and also a few cafeterias on the ground floor. As laduque says, a lot of them are boutiques. it is not that bad, and is in a nice area.
One area worth visiting is the Haagen-Daaz resturant on the lower ground floor :-)
Also, I don't know if they still do it, but on the top floor used to be a restuarant where they did an all-you-can-eat buffet at lunchtimes. they food was always great, and not too expensive either.

One thing, be careful if you go there with kids. It seems that the toilets are used frequently by gay men (i don't know if it is the same for the womens toilets), I have often been either propositioned there or heard 'activity' going on in a cubicle.

Oh, and for better shopping I'd go to Calle Goya.

Thanks everyone!

I suppose if I'm in the area I'll pop in but I won't make a trip there. I'm still curious. I hear the building itself is very nice.

I do have family that works at the American Embassy up the street. If I go to the embassy I'll go to ABC.

Thanks again!

Looking forward to my trip this October

If you want a big shopping center, there's a huge one at Barrio del Pilar. It's a long metro ride from the center, so there are not many tourists there.

Rudolfo, have you not found the REAL ABC Serrano website? I ask because the BASE URL (with just the .com) shows the website as "Under Construction". Click my link above for more info about the history and such - only in Spanish.

The ABC Serrano building is beautiful on the outside and even parts of the inside so if you want to go just to see it and take photos then great.

If looking to do real shopping, the new-ish, near-downtown typical shopping mall at Centro Comercial Príncipe Pío (metro of same) has all the mid-range shops, has a huge food court, and even a multi-plex cinema (no original version movies here, though). So if you want the American Mall Experience near downtown it doesn't get any more typical than this.

Saludos, MadridMan

That mall has boring stores.

Principe Pio isn't bad, and there are plenty of shops. I'd say that it is certainly better than ABC Serrano. It is just the the ABC is in a nicer location, and close to other shopping areas

When I used to take student groups to Spain I always took then to La Vaguada and let them wander for a few hours.
http://www.enlavaguada.com/
It was a quite a metro experience and away from the tourist places so it really forced them to speak Spanish.I think it is the closest to an American mall except for the presence of a grocery store! Definitely worth the trip-better stores than at Principe Pio which appears to be a teenage hang out.

ABC Serrano is old and nice but not too many choices. Here is another one nearby about the same
http://www.jardindeserrano.es/EN/index.htm

for real shopping centers you need to go a bit outside city limits but easily accessable like at Sexta Avenida
http://www.sextavenida.com/
or Plaza Norte 2, bus takes you from plaza castilla in Madrid
http://www.plazanorte2.com/

Happy shopping