Is the Rastro open every Sunday? including Easter?

What is the best thing you have ever bought there?

The Rastro´s open every Sunday as far as I am aware . Bear in mind that many of the traders are Arabic ( from North Africa ) so would not probably observe easter . I´ve never been when it´s bad weather , but I assume that it´s a slimmed down version of the market when that happens . Some of the side streets are more interesting than the main street with people selling old junk from their houses . Every now and then you´ll find wonderful little things from the Franco era , or beautiful old postcards and photos as much as a 100 years old .. All for little money .
I haven´t bought much there but have my eye on some things ... some old postcards of the bullfight and toreros that i´d like to find maybe 6 and frame them together .
I bought a nice morroccan leather "pouffe" there ... Very comfortable and gets a lot of use in my apartment . The moroccan slippers and shirts are wonderful and the South American stalls sell wonderful knitwear for winter .

Yes, I'm sure El Rastro is open, even on Easter Sunday.

What's the best thing I've ever bought there? I don't think I've ever bought anything there but did enjoy browsing. Some say that El Rastro is losing its original charm, that more and more of the merchandise is the same as that you'd get at any "Chinese store". Others say the stuff sold at El Rastro is just junk. But as steve robinson says, old postcards and posters are some of the most interesting things for sale there. You can also get decent new leather bags for cheap-ish, old peseta coins, as well as antiques at varied quality.

I really need to go back, with wallet totally secure, to check out what they have these days. It's been more than 3 years since I've walked those streets on a Sunday morning. The best part are the neighborhood tapas and drinks at mid-day. Those bars are packed!!

Saludos, MadridMan

My husband used to sell comics at the Rastro when he was a kid. He and a friend had a stall they opened when they were about 12 years old. It got so big, they did it for about 5 years, hubby came to the States, and his "partner" now owns about 3 or 4 proper comic stores in Madrid!!!
We go every time we are in Madrid, it is close to the house and we have a few stalls we always go to. The ceramics stall I mentioned in another post is especially worth it!!!
As MM said, the eating is the most fun, in a side bar at the end of long shopping day!