Real deals in Madrid

The final part of our shopping series on where to go for the summer sales abroad takes us to the vibrant Spanish capital THE start of July in Madrid marks the start of the summer sales - or las rebajas - which continue throughout this month and well into August.

That's assuming there is anything left by then, of course.

Madrid is relatively small and divided into distinct shopping districts, each catering to a particular taste and bank balance. Around the Puerta del Sol in the city centre are mostly midrange, high street stores but with the tourist crowds (and artful pickpockets) it is best avoided.

Instead, take the metro to Salamanca, the swankiest district north- west of the city, with wide, leafy avenues that are lined with top designer stores and the upmarket shopping mall, Galeria ABC Serrano (C Serrano 61. Tel: 00 34 91 577 50 31) - an airconditioned haven on a hot day.

Nearby is Adolfo Dominguez (C Ortega y Gassett 4. Tel: 00 34 91 576 00 84) with its collection of Spain's leading designers; Loewe (C Serrano 26. Tel: 00 34 91 577 60 56), one of the country's longest- established brands of top-quality leather accessories; and Purificacion Garcia (C Serrano 28. Tel: 00 34 91 435 80 13), with its clean-lined, minimalist clothes and bags.

At Delitto e Castigo (C Claudio Coello 26. Tel: 00 34 91 577 77 29) you will find a multitude of designer names in nightclub-like surroundings and huge screens broadcasting the latest catwalk shows.

Spain's number one department store and the best for bargains is El Corte InglEs and it has two branches on Calle Serrano (47 and 52). Although it has bigger stores in Madrid (C Prediados 1-4 and C Goya 76 and 87. Tel: 00 34 91 418 88 00), Serrano is the best for fashion and cosmetics. Madrid's answer to John Lewis, it is a great onestop shop if you are short of time. Staff are generally helpful and speak good English.

Spain's homegrown, value-formoney fashion chain, Zara, now has shops worldwide, but it is cheapest here. Hit the first few days of the sales and you will find unbelievable bargains (under e10 for T- shirts and e20 for pretty summer dresses).

The city's biggest Zara store is on Gran Via 34 (Tel: 00 34 91 521 12 83) and next door there is a discount store which sells end-of- line stuff all year round.

Madrid also has a great Zara Home store (C Hermosilla 16.

Tel: 00 34 91 577 64 45) with cushions and linen in vibrant colours.

Along the same lines as Zara, but not on the British high street, is Blanco (C Mayor 14 and Goya 59. Tel: 00 34 91 366 4426), where you will find hip bargains that no one will be wearing back home.

For more alternative boutiques head to Malasana, the grungy part of town, or Chueca, Madrid's gay district, where you will find funky clubwear and a street totally devoted to shoes (Calle Augusto Figueroa).

Perhaps the most wacky footwear, though, is from Spanish designers Muxart and Looky, at Excrupulus Net (Almirante 7. Tel: 00 34 91 521 72 44).

Muxart's range uses bright prime colours and gravity-defying designs while Looky's collection is sleek but just as colourful.

Unlike in other parts of the city, shops in Malasana and Chueca still close between 2pm and 5pm. Elsewhere, they open at 9.30am and close at 8pm or 9pm, Monday to Saturday. Apart from touristy souvenir shops, everything shuts on Sundays.

WHERE TO STAY The Hotel Villa Magna, a Park Hyatt (Paseo de la Castellana 22, 0845 888 1234, www.hyatt.com) has a personal shopping service for the ultimate retail indulgence, starting at e300 for the first two hours. Guides can arrange exclusive opening times and private catwalks at top boutiques and the hotel's courtyard leads directly into El Corte Ingles on Calle Serrano.

Hotel Quo (Puerta del Sol, 00 34 91 532 90 49, www.hotelesquo.com) opened last year and is a stylish addition to Madrid's hotel scene. Right in the heart of the city, it is a two-minute stroll to the Gran Via and ideal for Chueca and Malasana.

(c)2004. Associated Newspapers Ltd.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.