Madrid may not have the rich heritage of cities like Toledo or Granada, but its historical importance cannot be denied. The best voices have sung to the Spanish capital and the best pens have written about it . He has seen kings born and die; it has rebelled against invaders and has given shelter to dictators; it has seen democracy perish and reappear. In its streets, wars have been fought and attacks have been carried out, but they have also hosted demonstrations for peace and human rights.Everyone who ever experiences it can no longer take it out of their hearts, because whoever you are, and wherever you come from. , Madrid welcomes you and makes room for you.
Madrid has lived so long, so much has been said about it, that when it comes to describing it, it seems that there is not much left to say; and yet it never runs out. There is always a new corner to discover, it always has a new story to tell. It is the same as always and different every day. Do you also want to meet her? So, read on: today we enter “where the roads cross, where the sea cannot be conceived; where the fugitive always returns … Let’s say I’m talking about Madrid .”
The neighborhoods of the center of Madrid
Madrid is an immense and intense city: it has so much to offer that it would take several installments to be able to talk about all its corners. For this reason, in this article we are going to stick almost exclusively to the downtown area, which is the most famous and rich in terms of tourism . But, if you have the opportunity, do not forget to get lost in other areas of the city: it is full of treasures to discover
The Sol area, essential for tourists
Even if it is only because of the New Year’s Eve chimes, every Spanish knows the Puerta del Sol. This huge esplanade has been home to live concerts, has hosted demonstrations and movements such as 15-M, and every day is visited by several thousand people who They do not hesitate to take a rigorous photo with the statue of the bear and the strawberry tree , symbol of the city, or at kilometer 0 from where all the roads of Spain start.
The Puerta de Alcalá and the Círculo de Bellas Artes
From the statue of the bear and the strawberry tree, we can head down Calle Alcalá towards Puerta de Alcalá , one of the quintessential symbolic urban monuments of the capital. It was inaugurated in 1778 in honor of Carlos III , and today it is one of the most photographed monuments.
On the way to it, you can stop at another interesting building on Calle Alcalá: the Círculo de Bellas Artes , an exhibition hall that has a restaurant on the ground floor and a terrace on the upper floor from where you can get an unobstructed view. just like the Madrid sunset over the rooftops of the city.
Preciados, Gran Vía and Plaza de España
Calle Preciados is one of the most famous shopping streets in the capital, frequented daily by waves of tourists and locals and connecting Puerta del Sol with the famous Plaza de Callao. From this square you can access the no less famous Gran Vía, worth visiting at night when the doors of all its musical theaters are illuminated , like a kind of Spanish-style Broadway .
At the other end of Gran Vía is the Plaza de España , another of the most visited tourist spots in the city and surrounded by emblematic buildings. People sit in its gardens to rest while they relax contemplating the fountain, or take photos at the monument to Miguel de Cervantes , which features the statues of Sancho and Don Quixote.
Madrid de los Austrias, a journey through the history of the city
This neighborhood encompasses the area in which the Habsburg court was initially established since 1516 under the reign of Charles I. Consequently, there are numerous points of tourist and historical interest:
The main square
Designed in 1619 by Juan Gómez de Mora and built in the typical Herreriano style, there are few places that have seen more history and mysteries than the four walls of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor: bullfights, weddings and royal births, autos de faith and executions of the Inquisition … To this day, it is one of the most beautiful open spaces in the capital, a winning combination of imposing architecture, legends and a vibrant street life.
The main street
Directly connected to the Plaza Mayor is Calle Mayor, the axis of the city in the time of the Austrias along with Calle Arenal. Calle Mayor is full of remarkable historical elements: at number 46 is the house where Lope de Vega was born; in ’61, that of Pedro Calderón de la Barca; and at the end of the street is the monument in honor of the victims of the attack against King Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia , which took place in front of number 88 of this same street (they, evidently, survived).
The Church of San Ginés
Located in the aforementioned Calle Arenal is the Church of San Ginés, a 17th century temple that was declared a national historical-artistic monument in 1982. But, to be fair, the church is not as famous as the adjacent San Ginés chocolate shop. , historical place where you must eat a chocolate with churros if you want to feel like a real Madrid.
The Plaza de Isabel II (Opera)
At the end of Calle Arenal we find the Plaza de Isabel II, where the statue dedicated to the queen of the same name and the Teatro Real , also known as Madrid’s opera house, are located. It has been operating since 1850 and is still active today with the same mission.
The Plaza de Oriente
At the back of the Royal Theater, are some of the most emblematic places of Madrid: the Plaza de Oriente , in which numerous statues of the Godos Kings are distributed (which were to decorate the exteriors of the Royal Palace); the Royal Palace, ordered to be built by Felipe V and that today is only used for official ceremonies; the adjacent Sabatini Gardens , where great photos can be taken; and the Almudena Cathedral , the first consecrated by a Pope outside Rome (John Paul II in 1993) and which was the scene of the royal wedding between King Felipe VI and Doña Letizia.
La Latina and Lavapiés: the epicenter of multiculturalism
La Latina is the historical neighborhood of Madrid par excellence , to the point that it still preserves the original layout of the Villa from 1656, and continues to be one of the most charismatic places in the city. It receives its name from the nickname of Beatriz Galindo, in charge of teaching Latin to the queen and her daughters.
Cebada Square and La Latina Theater
The Plaza de la Cebada is the starting point of the La Latina neighborhood, where the Mercado de la Cebada and the La Latina theater are located , which is one of the most important in the city . The huge empty lot that is used by the residents of the neighborhood for various activities stands out in this square.
Toledo gate
This Gate is one of the four monumental gates that Madrid still conserves from the time when the city was surrounded by a wall. It began to be built as the Arc de Triomphe in 1813 during the Napoleonic occupation, to commemorate the advent of José Bonaparte, but by the time it was finished -in 1827- things had changed and it ended up being inaugurated in honor of Ferdinand VII.
Las Vistillas
This traditional enclave hosts the La Paloma festivities every summer . The Plaza de las Vistillas rises on a hill from where you can see a great view of the west of the city (hence the name), from the banks of the Manzanares to the Casa de Campo on the horizon.
The trail
El Rastro is the most famous flea market in Madrid (and perhaps in Spain), and is visited every Sunday by crowds of locals and curious tourists in search of second-hand bargains. Located on Ribera de Curtidores street and its adjacent streets, it opens only in the morning and it takes at least two hours to enjoy it due to its length and the number of people who visit it.
El Rastro marks the border between La Latina and Lavapiés, always known as the traditional area of Madrid but which, curiously, has become the most multicultural place in the capital. Madrid’s streets coexist with residents from all over the world, which has turned this area into an alternative and diverse neighborhood where cultural life is breathed everywhere.
La Tabacalera and La Casa Encendida
The old Madrid Tobacco Factory has been transformed into an exhibition hall that houses some of the largest samples of urban art in the city , but without a doubt the cultural center of reference for the Lavapiés neighborhood (and Madrid) is La Casa Encendida. , where exhibitions and other cultural activities are held , including music, literature or plastic arts classes. On its roof, in addition, concerts and film sessions are held.
The Barrio de las Letras: a walk through the Golden Age of Spanish literature
The best Spanish feathers once walked through this neighborhood delimited by Paseo del Prado, Atocha, Carretas Street and San Jerónimo Street: Lope de Vega, Quevedo or Góngora left their mark on Spanish literature, and today their works they are remembered thanks to the verses scattered on the tiles of these streets .
This neighborhood had a huge social life at that time: it was full of corrals of comedies and lies, and they passed through its Church of San Sebastián to get baptized (Tirso de Molina), get married (Larra, Zorrilla, Valle Inclán and Bécquer) or rest the rest of eternity (Espronceda, Lope de Vega and Jacinto Benavente) numerous famous authors. Today it continues to be a very lively area of the city, especially the many terraces in the Plaza de Santa Ana, where the Spanish Theater and the monuments to Calderón de la Barca and García Lorca are located.
Chueca, Malasaña and the Madrid night
Malasaña is a neighborhood that has witnessed almost everything important that has happened in the city: from the May 2 Uprising (in which Manuela Malasaña, the young woman from whom it takes its name, died) to the emergence of ” La Movida “from the 80s. Nowadays, it brings together the most modern and underground residents of Madrid, and therefore it is not surprising that some of the most emblematic taverns and gambling dens of Madrid’s nightlife are found on its streets : Casa Camacho and his famous yayos to begin to get the hang of the night; el Penta , the song bar La Chica de Ayer ), La Vía Láctea or El Barco are just some of the many venues that have been the scene of the most intense nights for young people (and not so young) from Madrid for decades.
Chueca , meanwhile, is another of the nerve centers of Madrid’s nightlife. Full of bars, shops, restaurants and life, the capital’s gay district is also the most cosmopolitan , and is known around the world thanks to the Gay Pride celebrations, which take place annually at the end of June. Among its streets, in addition, you will find one of the best kept secrets of the capital: the Toni2 . This legendary place is a curious mix between piano bar, karaoke and afterlife that navigates between the stately and the kitsch , and the locals come to put the finishing touch to their nights singing at the top of their lungs until dawn when everything else closes.
Other places to party in Madrid
Madrid is the city that never sleeps: you can find something open to party almost any day of the week. The Joy Eslava room, for example, is open 365 days a year (and is famous for its “We Love Mondays” session). The capital’s nightlife offer is not limited only to Malasaña and Chueca, but there are places for all tastes scattered throughout the capital: gigantic nightclubs such as Kapital or the Barceló Theater ; others focused on a more exclusive audience such as Bling Bling and Opium ; rooms where indie, pop and techno sounds like Ochoymedio or Independance; and even quirky shows like Puri Stockings or Shung Lee Nails .
Parks and museums, other great tourist attractions in Madrid
The quality and artistic importance of Madrid’s museums is famous all over the world, since within their walls these art galleries house many of the masterpieces of Art History, and that is why it is worth visiting them all: The Prado Museum , where You will be able to find paintings as important as Las Meninas by Velázquez; the Reina Sofía Museum , whose greatest exponent is Picasso’s Guernica; or the Thyssen Museum , which houses works by Gaugin, Degas or Caravaggio.
Outside of the realm of art itself, it is also worth visiting other less well-known museums such as the Romantic Museum, the National Anthropological Museum or the Natural History Museum .
The Buen Retiro Park, the most famous in Madrid
Inaugurated in the seventeenth century by Felipe IV (in principle for the personal use of the royal family and their relatives), the park was opened to the public in 1868 for the first time and today it is the most famous in Madrid . The glorious gardens of El Retiro have nothing to envy to the parks present in other large European cities: with a huge central pond, elegant marble monuments , beautiful buildings (the Crystal Palace is sensational) and abundant vegetation, it is quiet in the weekdays but comes alive on weekends.
Other parks in the capital
Other parks that are also worth visiting are the Parque del Capricho , located in Alameda de Osuna and in which there is hidden an old bunker from the Civil War; and the Parque del Oeste , which houses the Egyptian Debod Temple and a viewpoint with fantastic views.
Madrid Río should also be mentioned because, without being a park as such (it is a huge promenade full of green and recreational areas along the Manzanares River) it is one of the natural spaces of the city preferred by Madrid residents to stroll , running or cycling.
And, on a separate note, it is also worth mentioning the capital’s amusement parks: Madrid Amusement Park and Warner Park , perfect to visit with children or if you fancy an adrenaline rush.
Eating in Madrid: tapas, markets, haute cuisine and much more
Madrid has an enviable gastronomic offer full of typical dishes that we have previously mentioned in this blog. Their tapas are also famous, to which we already dedicated an article on another occasion, so we are not going to elaborate on that point either.
But Madrid never runs out, it always has something more to offer, and the culinary side is no exception: proof of this are the many markets where locals and tourists enjoy local produce , either to take home ingredients or to have tapas. and try the delicious snacks on the spot :
- San Miguel Market
- Barley Market
- San Antón Market
- San Idelfonso Market
- Antón Martin Market
- San Fernando Market
On the other hand, if your pocket allows it and you like sophisticated dishes of haute cuisine, in Madrid you will find a generous offer of high- class restaurants led by some of the best chefs in the world : in total, there are 24 restaurants in the city. capital that have Michelin Stars, the highest culinary award that exists. The most prominent is DiverXo, by Dabiz Muñoz, which holds three stars.
Are you a soccer fan? Then do not miss the Bernabéu (or the Wanda Metropolitano) or “the sources”
Any Madrid or Atleti fan has seen their teams celebrate their titles in the city’s two most famous fountains (La Cibeles and Neptuno, respectively), and football is as good an excuse as any to visit them. In addition, if you have the opportunity, we recommend watching a match by any of these teams, because the atmosphere that is breathed and the immensity of the stadiums is worth experiencing. And, if you can’t, you can always take an official tour of the facilities , go down to the field and enjoy its trophy rooms.
