the main street of madrid: gran via

while booking a hotel in madrid for the first time, you always wonder which area will fit best to your needs. not only for the holiday-lovers, but also if you want to move to the capital or just want to know how to spend your day perfectly, it is useful to gather information of the different areas of spain. with more than 3 million residents, every area has its own characteristics and uniqueness. we divide the area into three different main characteristics: most exclusive, trendy and the competitors. every characteristic has different areas what can help decide where to go in madrid.

most exclusive

a chic and luxury traveller or a professional may want to secure accommodation in salamanca or castellana, some of the most expensive areas in the city. the broad thoroughfares are lined with designer shops, stylish boutiques and upmarket restaurants. not only for the more posh-people, but this area is beautiful to walk through as a tourist and to explore the luxury part of madrid. the us embassy is found here and the district´s wide highway and tall buildings are the headquarter of many banks and companies.

serrano street and calle goya are the most busy and luxury shopping streets in Salamanca, both with an upmarket high street feel. serrano has just emerged from a bit of a revamp, aimed at making the whole shopping experience more pleasant.

salamanca
the poshest part of madrid, with the best restaurants, the most expensive shops and lounge bars. it is also a traditional neighbourhood of madrid where you can enjoy typical madrid food in many places.
el madrid de los austrias
the oldest part of madrid, between the palace, the cathedral and the opera. you will have access to many great restaurants and green spaces.
letras & cortes
letras is a neighbourhood with a long intellectual history, known for its traditional tapas bars and partying along calle huertas.

trendy

the trendy area of madrid is for the typical student or for the ones that want to avoid the touristic sightseeing. it is famous for its non-touristy alternative area and it is getting popular every day. wander through the streets for glimpses of street art, second hand shops and even pop-up stores.

malasaña
famous in madrid for its bars and artist population, malasaña is the neighbourhood for the gentrified, the alternative and people who like to be in the middle of things, should it be party, alternative art and music, or the city itself.
chueca
famous for its gay population, but it is in fact much more than this. old typical madrid buildings, with quaint bars, calm coffees and a bit more laid back and diverse than malasaña.
la latina
typical old buildings, a vivid neighbourhood life, coupled with the most famous street for tapas and Madrid’s huge flee market.
sol
sol, nickname of the neighbourhood around the puerta del sol, is the very centre of madrid. sol is a great place to live as a your first neighbourhood and if you want to discover madrid but still feel you need to stay close to international and english-speaking restaurants, shops and bars.

malasaña is a vibrant neighborhood and a center for the ‘hipster’ phenomena, full of lively bars and clubs overflowing with young people. its streets are currently being renovated, making it a much more attractive quarter. it’s one of the classic areas for partying the night away.

the competitors

these areas could be called as ´upcoming´ as they are not known by everybody, but they are getting more popular to experience another expression of the city. this area has a lot to offer and especially for the outdoors among us: there are a lot of nice parks and avenues and not a lot of tourists are aware of the inner-beauty of these places.

lavapies and embajadores
lavapies starts just south of the very centre of madrid, from the tirso de molina square which marks the start of this neighbourhood, and goes south until the metro station of embajadores. it is a diverse neighbourhood, with a large indian and african community, but it is also still known for its traditional bars and shops like the butcher.
chamberi
a neighbourhood which still lives the traditional madrid way, with local markets, no lounge bars and only the typical tapas restaurants where madrileños are enjoying with friends. not as fancy as malasaña, or as posh as salamanca, but it is another quintessential neighbourhood like la latina.
moncloa
a traditional neighbourhood with universities close by and plenty of parks just five minutes walking: debod’s temple park, parque del oeste and casa de campo. a great place if you are looking for a quality quiet neighbourhood, not too expensive, with plenty of parks nearby and very close to the centre.
retiro
the neighbourhood is defined by the massive park in the middle of it. retiro is quite expensive, with great restaurants in its surroundings, “modern” buildings compared to the city center, and the park is always near to enjoy a stroll. careful with the eastern part of the neighbourhood, which is not so well connected with the city centre as you think it should be.

lavapies

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