Sol and Gran Vía
Sol and Gran Vía are the core of the city. The Puerta del Sol square (completely renovated between 2022 and 2023) is also km 0 of the roads in Spain. A very commercial area, the stores stay open late at night (10 pm), and few of them close on public holidays. You will find many hotels in the area, but they will often be expensive and their quality will leave something to be desired. This is the neighborhood where the whole of Madrid mingles: rich women and prostitutes mix together without any great problems. Very touristy, always keep an eye on your bag, thieves are on the lookout in this area. The wide sidewalks of the Gran Vía are the perfect scene for a pleasant stroll through the shops.
Until 1570, the Puerta del Sol was outside the city walls. It seems that the name of the square comes from a sun carved on the gate of what was then a wall that survived until the 16th century. The square has an elliptical shape and ten streets meet there. Under the clock of the building of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, the New Year is celebrated by a jubilant crowd. El Oso y el Madroño, the emblematic statue of the city of Madrid, was returned to its original place after the long works of the square: at the beginning of Alcala street, it is the most photographed star of the city. Its two protagonists remind us that in the past, large areas of arbutus trees populated by bears and other game surrounded the city. The Puerta del Sol has been the scene of great events. On May 2, 1808, the uprising against Napoleon took place here, the proclamation of the Constitution of Cadiz in 1812 and the celebration of the Second Republic in 1931. Today, this square, adorned with fountains, is very lively day and night, and is usually used as a meeting place.
Going up Calle Preciados, the Gran Vía is the busiest street in the city. The idea of the Gran Vía, the "Great Way", almost 2 km long, arose from the need to connect the Plaza de Cibeles and the Plaza de España, in order to improve the connection between the center of Madrid, the Salamanca neighborhood and the Moncloa-Argüelles neighborhood. A whole neighborhood had to be demolished to make way for it. On April 4, 1910, King Alfonso XIII inaugurated its construction. The first section, from 1910 to 1917, is located between Calle Alcalá and the Telefónica building. It was designed by the architect Carlos Velasco, who gave it a touch of glamour with the construction of historicist style buildings. Later, with the extension from 1922 to 1925 to Callao, the French and bourgeois style is favored. The Gran Vía has a Broadway or Fifth Avenue feel to it. The neighborhood is full of stores, bars and cafes, but mostly cinemas and theaters. Not all of the cinemas have been preserved, but the buildings still exist and have been converted into theaters or department stores.Plaza España and Moncloa
This area includes the districts of Moncloa and Argüelles, as far as the Plaza de España: the western part of the centre of the capital. Rather residential, there are old buildings, not exceeding three or four floors, making it a very pleasant area to walk around. In the north, students share large apartments and like to go out to the lively dance bars. In the south, wealthy families occupy these luxurious period homes and enjoy the shops in this privileged area.
The Plaza de España was created following the demolition of José Bonaparte's army headquarters (former convent of San Gil under Carlos III). With the aim of enlarging the centre of the capital, several buildings were erected and thus gave rise to the Plaza de España area: Torre España (1957), Edificio España (1953). These two large constructions are important for the city, as they are the first two skyscrapers of the capital. In the middle of the square, tourists like to photograph the statues of Don Quijote de la Mancha and his faithful Sancho Panza, the monument dedicated to Miguel de Cervantes (1929). The main axis, Calle Princesa, offers us a sample of the shops that can be found in the centre, but also small shops where you can find beautiful couture creations at reasonable prices. Heading east, we will find the romantic cable car that takes us through the large park of the Casa de Campo. Towards Moncloa, a more student area, the dancing bars create the atmosphere thanks to the Erasmus evenings, every day of the week!Plaza Colón and Salamanca
Plaza Colón. At the junction of the paseos de la Castellana and Recoletos, the column surmounted by Christopher Columbus dominates Madrid's main municipal cultural centre, whose entrance is under the deafening curtain of water. On the other side of the square there are entrances to the underground car park and the tourist office located under the square. Next to the statue of Columbus is the Garden of Discovery (el Descubrimiento). Large sections of wall represent important events in the discovery of America. This work by Joaquim Vaquero Turcios was inaugurated by Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía in 1977. On the other side of the avenue, a bushy woman, sculpted by Botero, is lazing about watching the cars drive by.
Salamanca is the upmarket district par excellence, the most chic and expensive area of the city. Situated to the north of the Retiro Park, and to the east of the Castellana axis, it is just a stone's throw from the centre, undisturbed by the crowds of tourists. Indeed, exclusivity is the watchword. Calle Serrano is home to some of the capital's most prestigious brands and offers a range of shops by young designers where everyone can find something for everyone. Far from the crowds, refined restaurants, intimate hotels and private clubs populate the area inhabited by opulent youth and large families. The Marquis of Salamanca gave his name to the district: an entrepreneur and politician who left his mark on the capital. In the northern part of the district, there are dozens of small palaces with large gardens, but difficult to appreciate because of the large walls that protect them from prying eyes. These large 19th century buildings used to belong to notables. Nowadays, the majority of them house the official lodgings of the ambassadors destined for Madrid. The residence of the French ambassador is located at 124 Calle Serrano. Every year, on 14 July, he receives the French in Madrid.
La Latina, Plaza Major and Lavapiés
Just below the Puerta del Sol, these working-class neighbourhoods abound with an impressive cultural wealth. This is the historic heart of the capital, where you will fall back into the history of Madrid, with for example the Arab wall, or the architecture of the House of Austria style of the 16th and 17th centuries. The Plaza Mayor, a jewel of this style, is one of the most beautiful in the country. Inaugurated in 1619, it was built on the ruins of the Plaza de Juan de Herrera. The royal palace, which took more than 100 years to build, was designed on the orders of Felipe V de Bourbon in 1734, according to the plans of Filippo Juvara, Giovanni Battista Sachetti and Francesco Sabatini. The latter gave his name to the beautiful park adjacent to the palace. The first monarch who lived in the palace was Carlos III. Today, it serves only as a museum and is sometimes the scene of official receptions.
The neighbourhood is very lively: not for nothing does it delight groups of friends looking for a place where they can spend endless evenings bathed in cañas and tapas, without spending a fortune. This area is witnessing a huge cultural mix every day: from students to businessmen in ties, there is something for everyone. A concentration of tourist sites, walking through this area is a real pleasure. If you manage to get in, the San Miguel market is a haven of delicacy and a delight for the eyes: an endless variety of delicacies are on offer. Wines, macaroons, oysters, salmon, sushi, Galician meat, exotic fruits... it's impossible to list them all.Huertas and Paseo del Prado
If Huertas is a convenient area for tourists to stay, it is nevertheless difficult to sleep there, as the nights are usually noisy. The establishments located in the streets adjacent to Calle Huertas are preferred. Don't forget that you are in the heart of tourist Madrid, between Sol and Paseo del Prado. Students often come to spend their evenings in this neighborhood where there is a bar on every corner. Often cheap, international music, and many Erasmus students, it's a perfect place to spend a great evening and meet new people. In addition, the largest discotheque in the city is just a stone's throw away: Kapital. Seven floors and seven different atmospheres. Little appreciated by the natives, it welcomes young people and foreigners.
While the revellers rest during the day, the others will find their cultural happiness on the Paseo del Prado: there are the three most important museums of the capital. The Prado, the Thyssen, and the Reina Sofía are concentrated around the Paseo del Arte, at the end of which is the infamous Atocha train station. It's worth a visit, even if only for a short ride. The tropical garden that it shelters is singular, and the turtles that live there do not seem to be disturbed by tourists.
The neighborhood, also known as Barrio de la Letras (Literature Quarter), is the cradle of Spanish literature. Many Spanish artists established their residences there to be located in the heart of the tertulias. Thus, during the Spanish Golden Age (Renaissance and Baroque, 16th-17th centuries), great names stayed here for long periods: Lope de Vega, Quevedo or Góngora. This cultural ferment led to the creation of several theatres: the Lope de Vega Theatre, the Teatro Español and the Zarzuela Theatre.Chueca, Malasaña and Chamberí
Chueca, Chamberí and Malasaña are three neighboring neighborhoods with very different essence, but they all live together peacefully. One is the emblem of homosexuality, the other very castizo, and the last one rather alternative. Staying here is ideal for partygoers, but you will also find quieter hotels.
Chueca has been reborn since the end of the 1990s, thanks to the initiative of the new generations, especially the homosexual community that is gradually settling here. By their presence, the newcomers are shaking up the life of the neighborhood, which was a little outdated. Chueca has thus become the gay district par excellence, the barrio rosa or pink district, known throughout the world in barely a decade. But Chueca is not limited to its population, because all the straight people also love this neighborhood. It is located near Gran Vía, between Fuencarral and Barquillo streets. Its nerve centre is the Plaza de Chueca, which is very lively in the evenings. It is the trendiest and most fashionable neighbourhood. It is also very cosmopolitan. Pubs, nightclubs and bars reflect this evolution and an attractive mix of old and modern, classic and futuristic. Two streets with trendy shops separate this neighbourhood from the adjacent Malasaña. Hortaleza and Fuencarral streets alone are a small market of young designers, design objects and electronic music. Its gay pride is known throughout the world for being the best, but also because the festival lasts almost a week at the end of June and beginning of July and spreads throughout the city.
In the 1980s, Malasaña, a quiet neighbourhood, became the nucleus of Madrid's Movida. Located to the north of Puerta del Sol, it was where the agitators gathered, of whom Pedro Almodóvar, for example, is a worthy representative and world-famous. The area of Malasaña is located between the Gran Vía, Fuencarral and San Bernardo streets and the glorieta of Bilbao. It is known here as Maravillas (marvels). During the day, it is a quiet and popular neighbourhood that welcomes more and more immigrants. The quiet streets make you think you are wandering through a sleepy village. Squares with children playing, small shops and neighbourhood restaurants make it a wonderful place. But in the evening, things change and the party takes over. Tapas and bars attract students from the big Complutense University. With a rock'n'roll tradition, this neighbourhood is also the place for DJs with electro and techno sounds. Tapas bars are very common here. The nerve centre of the district, Plaza Dos de Mayo is very lively as soon as night falls. Manuela Malasaña gave her name to a street and the whole neighbourhood. Malasaña is also a fashionable neighbourhood for designers. There are many small shops selling old clothes or young fashion designers. Calle del Pez is an emblematic street. The district also abounds in galleries or alternative premises and artists' squats... It is necessary to get lost in its streets to discover the artists of the moment and their creative impulse.
Chambérí, a more pija (posh) area, looks a bit like the Latina, but with less movement. During the occupation of the capital by Napoleon's troops at the beginning of the 19th century, the soldiers decided to name the central square of the district, Chambéry, in honour of the French city of Savoy. This area belonged to the order of the Templars as early as the 15th century, which is why you will find many churches and beautiful buildings. Here, you try to have a good time with friends, without going out until it is too late. A very traditional area, known as the castiza, where good practices are the rule, it is also one of the most pleasant places in Madrid to go out for dinner or a drink.
In Chueca, Chambérí and Malasaña, buildings and apartments with traditional decoration, old and historic shops, new ultra-design establishments, with a pop, minimalist or delirious spirit are mixed together. Side by side, vintage shops, outlets, restaurants, cultural and artistic associations, boutiques where young designers offer inimitable collections.
