Spanish Steps - Fact file - Shopping for souvenirs

Spanish and Latin American regions all have their speciality souvenirs, which make it possible to pick up some imaginative yet typical items hechos a mano, handmade by un artesano, a traditional craftsman.

The city of Toledo is well known for its damasquinados, wrought iron craftwork. Gold or silver is laid on iron or steel to produce a decorative pattern. Nearby in Talavera de la Reina you can also find the famous white glazed pottery, named la talavera after the town of their origin. This type of pottery is also widespread in Mexico, where the Spanish exported their ceramic craft in the 15th century.

Seville is famed for its glazed blue azulejos, wall tiles. Many of them feature designs of crosses, squares and hexagons, a legacy of Andalucía's Moorish past, which were used to adorn walls in geometric patterns. This tradition continues in many Spanish homes and shops.

For other souvenirs you can shop at el bazar, a gift or trinket shop found in most towns, but you could always head for los grandes almacenes, the department store. El Corte Inglés, commonly regarded as the department store in Spain, has branches in all main cities.

Perhaps the best service available when shopping is envolver para regalo, gift-wrapping. The service is free and available in most shops in major towns. You ask ¿Me lo envuelve para regalo, por favor?, Can you wrap it as a present, please?

Open markets, los mercadillos, are great if you want to find a bargain. People in Madrid spend their Sunday mornings at El Rastro, a very popular market that dates back to medieval times and is now as much apart of Madrid's weekend ritual as a mass or un paseo. Crowds flood the narrow streets around the market every Sunday, and often on Fridays and Saturdays too, looking for gangas, bargains, and antigüedades, antiques.