Calle de Serrano

An emblematic and exclusive shopping street in Madrid.

Near the intersections of Calle Serrano, Calle Velázquez and Calle Ortega y Gasset is what is popularly known as “Madrid’s Golden Mile”. This is a great urban shopping area known for the exclusive nature of many of its shops. This is where the major international luxury brands are to be found, but there are also more popular fashion shops and traditional establishments.

Calle Serrano forms part of this shopping area, but most of the Golden Mile is not so well known. To the north, Calle Serrano converges with Calle Príncipe de Vergara and the Plaza de la República del Ecuador, running through residential areas where a great number of embassies and institutional headquarters are located.

The central section of the street articulates the Barrio de Salamanca neighbourhood, which is what makes the street one of the great destinations for shopping tourism. Its wide pavements are home to a great number of shop windows, stores and shopping centres such as ABC Serrano or El Corte Inglés.

Other noteworthy building and architectural elements are the Embassy of the United States of America, the Plaza de Colón with the Gardens of Discovery and the building that now houses the National Archaeological Museum.

Although there is some variety of styles in the buildings, Calle Serrano retains its characteristics that take their inspiration from Paris, with bright and ornamented buildings that give identity to this neighbourhood that was designed by the Marquis of Salamanca in the 19th century.

Divided by a one way street with up to five lanes, and flanked by generous tree-lines pavements, this street provides a unique image of the modern city centre, with a spectacular view all the way to the Puerta de Alcalá gate at the very end.

Updated: 29/06/2020