Madrid Guide
Madrid's fast pulse beats through its idiosyncratic neighbourhoods and vibrant residents. Top art attractions, varied cuisine, animated nightlife and a dynamic fashion scene all add to life in the Spanish capital.
Fine works of art hang on the walls of museums on the Paseo del Arte. The Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor form the sumptuous topping of Bourbon and Habsburg Madrid. Meanwhile age-old mesones (inns) and the modern tapas joints of La Latina fill its stomach. Each central barrio (district) exudes individuality – from swanky Salamanca to naughty Chueca, alternative Malasaña and multicultural Lavapiés.
Spain has given a number of talented designers to the world – the crème de la crème can be found on the streets of Salamanca. An alternative design scene thrives in Chueca, while grungier fashion takes over along in Malasaña culminating in the Mercado de Fuencarral. The streets around Huertas, and much of the old town are also jammed with specialist shops of all descriptions.
Madrileños spend little time at home, preferring to enjoy their city alfresco. Join crowds sipping coffee or something stronger at street-side cafés and bars. Madrid is not particularly green, but visitors can still wind down in parks such as the leafy and impressively monumented Parque del Buen Retiro – ideal after gorging on the art treasures at the nearby museums – or Campo del Moro.
While the ‘Big Three' art museums, the Prado, Reina Sofia and the Thyssen cover all the major epochs between them, hidden gems are to be found in monasteries, churches and an old art school attended by the great Spanish artists. La Movida (The Movement), which rejuvenated Spanish culture post-Franco, lives on in Madrid – particularly in Malasaña and Chueca. Zarzuela, a more traditional form of Madrid expression in which plays break out into musicals, still thrives in the Teatro de la Zarzuela.
La Latina boasts posh tapas bars aplenty, and the high-class eateries in Salamanca concentrate on serving classic Spanish cuisine with a gourmet touch. More traditional Madrid fare like chick pea and meat stew can be found in the older parts of the city, while the cool crowd makes for trendy Chueca. International cuisine is available in relative abundance.
Match fine wines with exquisite tapas at the Vinoteca Barbechera wine bar which looks out onto the lively Plaza Santa Ana. Pity those drinking plain old beer at Madrid staples Cervecería Alemana and Naturbier opposite.
