The Calle Preciados of Madrid !!

Posted in Madrid, Spain

In my continuing saga of my dear Madrid I take you to the wonderful pedestrian shopping street of Calle Preciados just off the Puerta del Sol and Plaza de Callao, This is shopping delights and great ambiance at any time, We love to be here and of course in my latest stop in the city could not avoided coming back for more, Therefore, here is my new take on the Calle Preciados of Madrid !! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Madrid calle de Preciados off Puerta del Sol jul23

A pedestrian street, Calle de Preciados is located between Puerta del Sol and Plaza Callao. Department stores, brands of various standings, and above all a lively atmosphere! The locals rub shoulders with tourists, who come as much to shop as to stroll. One of my favorite streets even today we shop there a lot. Calle  de Preciados is named for two brothers who were civil servants in the 15C, working as almotacenes. That means they were in charge of monitoring the use of different measurements and coins by the different tradesmen operating in the neighbourhood.  at the end of the 19C, the Centro Numismático Matritense, a bureau de change, was established here.

Madrid calle de Preciados off Puerta del Sol el corte ingles jul23

The Calle de Preciados begins at Puerta del Sol and ends at Plaza de Santo Domingo, passing through Callao, where it makes a jog. It is a street with various commercial premises and it occupies the fifth position of the streets in the world where the rent is more expensive. It is famous for the presence of El Corte Inglés and other international franchises , such as FNAC.

However, with my dear late Mom Gladys we came to know it first by this anecdote ! In 1943 the businessman Pepín Fernández began his commercial activities in this central street by opening the Galerias Preciados, (our first store experience in Madrid back in 1971 !! ) which took the name of the street. It’s considered to be Madrid’s first shopping center. It was eventually absorbed by El Corte Inglés, in 1995, but the building that was home to the galerías is still one of the most distinctive ones in the area. In fact, it’s served as a set for plenty of adverts and films, like ‘The Day of the Beast’ by Álex de la Iglesia.  On the Calle de Preciados was the Varela café, an emblematic place from the 19-20C, frequented by Miguel de Unamuno, Emilio Carrerè and the Machado brothers, among others. In 1973, it was one of the first pedestrian streets in the capital before the year 2000 and decided to open a hotel (Hotel Preciados) and recovers the Café Varela, which functions as a hotel cafeteria as well as for clients from outside.The complex of El Corte Inglés here is huge. The stores covered the entire block square starting at Calle Preciados, 1,2,3 and Calle Abadia 5,and Plaza de Callao 2. The Calle Preciados goes back to Plaza de Callao the store on your left coming towards Puerta del Sol. and another nearer Puerta del Sol, just out from metro Sol.

The Madrid tourist office on Calle Preciados: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/shopping/preciados-street

There you go another bright spot on the many faces of Madrid. This is in Madrid Centro or City center district with plenty to keep you awake for several days me think. Again, hope you enjoy the shopping and walking the Calle Preciados of Madrid as I. 

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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