Alcalá World of Leather

People who come to Alcalá on holiday aren´t exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to souvenirs.  There are no gift shops.  The Quesería Gazul sells excellent local cheese and honey, but for something more lasting you have to use your imagination.  Crazy really, we are in the heart of one of Europe´s biggest cork forests but you can´t even get a set of coasters.

A good place to look is the Guarnicionería Pedro Jiménez, on the end of Calle Constitución.  Their main business is leather, mainly saddles and bridles, but the word guarnicionería comes from the word to garnish, and they also make all the trappings that are used to decorate horses and riders at ferias and equestrian events.

Beautiful handmade leather bags, boots, hats, even key-rings are on sale alongside more startling hardware such as garrochas, the 3-metre poles used by mounted cowboys to bring down cattle.   You can also get leather goods repaired or refurbished, and he sells a wide range of leather treatment products.