Jun 12, 2024
6 min read
The Best Neighborhoods to Visit in Madrid
When you hear Madrid y
ou might think soccer, museums, and tapas, and while you'll find the best of all three, Madrid has so much more to offer. From designer stores galore to curated vintage shops, parks straight out of Studio Ghibli to hubs competing with Times Square, historic gayborhoods to the largest royal palace in Europe, Madrid has everything. There's a lot of information out there, so we've pulled together everything you need to know about Madrid's best neighborhoods from the travel mavens we all know and trust.
Chueca
Chueca is Madrid's central gayborhood and is a super hip area perfect for foodies, shopping, and nightlife.
"One of Madrid’s most famous neighbourhoods...borders Gran Vía and is within walking distance of many bustling shopping areas. This is the city’s gaybourhood – if you can be here for the summer LGBTI Pride Festivals and the races in heels along the cobbles, all the better – and it has an indie spirit that’s rather refreshing after the expensive storefronts of Salamanca." -
Conde Nast Traveler"You’ll notice the progressive transformation of the area in the modernization of its cultural venues. Mercado de San Antón, for example, with its art gallery and bar with terrace, isn’t just a market – though you can still enjoy perusing the stalls for fresh meat, fish, and fruit and veg." -
Time Out"It’s the center of Madrid Price at the end of June, but year-round, it’s a draw for Madrileños of all ages and orientations. It’s known for great restaurants, trendy bars and cafés, cocktails dens and boutiques." -
Forbes
Malasaña
Malasaña is a hipster neighborhood with amazing food, nightlife, and shopping scenes.
"One of the city's hippest neighborhoods, Malasana is known for vintage shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques. This historic area is also where you'll find live music and clubs." -
Travel + Leisure"Today, contemporary eateries and chic shops live alongside the traditional bars and markets that have populated the neighbourhood since the dawn of time. It’s also one of the top areas in town for going out thanks to its central location. The graffiti art you’ll find around this neighbourhood hasn’t only been passed over by the city government’s clean-up crews but it’s treated as real art (some works truly are)." -
Time Out"Respectable and unruly at the same time, Malasaña is an historic neighborhood with a unique character and a provocative past. Locals fought and lost against French troops in 1808,Spainfound its modern Renaissance in the rebellious rock of the 70s and 80s, and still today the streets manage a well-worn charm." -
USA Today
Retiro
The upscale residential Retiro neighborhood surrounds the famous Retiro Park, near the Prado Museum.
"The Retiro neighborhood draws millions of people each year who are captivated by the area’s exceptional museums and architecture. Locals and visitors alike come to stroll through Retiro Park, admire artwork by the grand masters of Europe at the Prado Museum and view the singular architecture of the Palacio de Comunicaciones that presides over Cibeles Fountain." -
USA Today"When a Madrid local tells you the greatest thing to do in the city is to go to the park, you might feel slightly underwhelmed – initially. But that’s before you experience Madrid’s particular park culture first-hand...with its 15,000 trees and, since 2021, UNESCO World Heritage Site status, Buen Retiro Park" -
Conde Nast TravelerSalamanca
Salamanca is an upscale neighborhood home to businesses and nearby landmarks with amazing shopping.
"...the Salamanca district was developed as part of the urban expansion carried out under the reign of Isabel II. Traditionally, it was a residential neighborhood that counted much of the country’s political and business elite among its residents. However, recent decades have seen a boom in financial, diplomatic and, above all, commercial activities, making Salamanca one of Madrid’s major hubs for luxury fashion." -
Forbes"Whether you’re looking to do serious damage or some harmless window-shopping, the Barrio de Salamanca is a worthy destination. Chanel, Hermes, Delpozo, Christian Louboutin…all the usual suspects are here, but it’s the gorgeous buildings that house the goods that make this stretch so special...Don’t skip the side streets—this is where you’ll find the indie gems and small local boutiques." -
Goop
Sol Gran Vía
The neighborhood surrounding Puerta del Sol and along Gran Vía is the busiest part of the city, home to many historical landmarks, great shopping and nightlife, and businesses.
"Puerta del Sol and its surrounding areas take a deserved place near the top of the list of places Madrid newbies want visit. As well as being the true centre of the city (and the starting point for all the motorways in the whole of Spain), this is a great meeting place for locals and tourists alike thanks to its location smack-dab in the middle of the Madrid and great public transport links." -
Time Out"Gran Via is a nearly mile-long retail paradise where shoppers can expect to find a mix of luxury boutiques and mainstream brands nestled among some of the city's architectural gems. Retailers along the Gran Via include H&M, the Real Madrid Official Store, the Atletico Madrid Official Store, and the largest Huawei store in Europe." -
Travel + Leisure"If you visit Madrid as a tourist, you will eventually find yourself here. The area between Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía is the heart of the city’s cultural life...Gran Vía, the pedestrian-friendly street, has theaters, cinemas and exclusive boutiques, many housed in architecturally significant buildings from the early 20th century." -
ForbesEmbajadores
Embajadores is a hip area with great food and nightlife scenes and is home to many city landmarks.
"...Lavapiés thrums with creative energy. A warren of mediaeval roads emblazoned with street art and filled with multi-coloured bars and tapas joints that sprawl out onto the cobbles, simply mooching through them all with no particular place to go is part of the area’s joy." -
Conde Nast Traveler"No neighbourhood in Madrid is as lively and diverse as Embajadores...home to neighbours who have lived here forever, young people new to the area, and plenty of creative energy that feeds a dynamic cultural…you’ll find CALLE Lavapies, an event in which dozens of urban artists decorate the facades of landmark bars and shops…[and] the Tapapiés tapas festival..." -
Time Out
