El Corte Inglés is my favorite store, especially in February when they offer the end of the season sales. After shopping there and spending $100 american (more than 15000 pesetas) go with your receipts and passport to the "Atención al Cliente". You will be credited up to 16% of what you spent. The 16% is the value added tax (VAT) or IVA in Spanish). Before collecting the 16%, you must file paperwork at the Aduana as you leave the country. The 16% is either credited to your credit card, or mailed by check to your home address.

El Corte Inglés has everything. I am usually in a hurry to shop fast, fast. In this store I can buy a lot in a little time. The clerks are always helpful. I especially love the perfume department and the grocery store in the basement.

NOTE: Only non-EU citizens may apply for the tax return.



[This message has been edited by Sofia (edited 06-25-2000).]

I agree. El Corte Ingles has it all. I was really suprised the first time I went inside the large center in Madrid. There are floors and floors of things to be found. I loved checking out all the values they had, especialy on shoes and other clothes. Then, being able to go downstairs and buy groceries was a plus.
I spent way too much money there, but I sure liked going there.

El Corte Inglés Website URL: http://www.elcorteingles.es/

I agree! El Corte Inglés really is some kind of chain! Probably the busiest one in Madrid is that on the Puerta del Sol with its grocery store, candy & tobacco departments on the basement floor. (this is where I bought some of THOSE cigars last year) The rest of the place looked JUST like a modern department store in the USA.

Saludos, MadridMan
********************

Visit MadridMan's ALL Spain Market @ http://www.MadridMan.com/allspainmarket.html for ONLY Spain-related books, music, videos, and movies!

i usually would not buy much in the grocery store there in the Corte Inglés, it is so expensive compared to Mercadona (or as we futbol fans say, "Maradona"). but if you need specialty items, like "harissa paste," which is a really nice "salsa" that comes from the middle east, and any other special items... i did notice that the corte inglés has good prices on the three bottle packs of Freixnet...

¡VIVA ESPAÑA!