I will try my best to show you why I love this place. Here is the guide, Can’t wait to show you in person all my favorite places
“De Madrid al cielo” EL RASTRO.
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s the most popular open air flea market in Madrid (Spain). It is held every Sunday and public holiday during the year. A great variety of products (new and used) can be found at el Rastro. A number of antique shops in the local area are also open on Sunday.
Huge alternative street market. LA CIBELES
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he place where Plaza de Cibeles sits today used to form part of a wooded, longi tudinal axis that, during the Renaissance, separated the urban section of Madrid from different monastic and palace complexes. It consisted of three main sections, known as the Prado de los Recoletos Agustinos (now the Paseo de Recoletos), the Prado de los Jerónimos (which corresponds to the now Paseo del Prado) and the Madrid’s most fa- Prado de Atocha.
mous fountain The first important reform this axis wascent carried out by Phillip II in 1570. In of the eighteenth ury, during the reign of Charles III, a new renovation had begun The fountain of Cibeles is found in the part of Madrid commonly called the Paseo de Recoletos. This fountain, named after Cybele (or Ceres), Roman goddess of fertility, is seen as one of Madrid's most important symbols
NEPTUNO a Fuente de Neptuno es un monumento de estilo Neoclásico que ocupa el centro de la plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, en la ciudad española de Madrid. Fue diseñada por el arquitecto Ventura Rodríguez en el año 1782, y realizada entre 1780 y 1784 por Juan Pascual de Mena, quien la esculpió toda ella en mármol Also a famous blanco procedente de Montesclaros fountain (Toledo)[cita requerida], como parte de las obras de ordenación del Salón del Prado. Forma parte, pues, de un programa iconográfico inspirado en la mitología grecorromana
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SOL
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iazza where all the roads in Madrid start (Km 0). Center of the movement of “indignados”. Famous statue called “El oso y el madroño”, Madrid’s symbol The Puerta del Sol (Spanish for "Gate of the Sun") is one of the best known and busiest places in Madrid. This is the centre (Km 0) of the radial network ofSpanish roads. The square also contains the famous clock whose bells mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes and the beginning of a new year. The New Year's celebration has been broadcast live on TV since 31 December 1962.
Piazza start where(Km all the roads inof Madrid 0). Center the movement of “indignados”. Famous statue called “El oso y el madroño”, Madrid’s symbol
PLAZA MAYOR
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he Plaza Mayor was built during the Habsburg period and is a central plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain. It is located only a few Spanish blocks away from another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape, measuring 129 by 94 metres, and is surrounded by three-story residential buildings having 237 breathtak-
Xmas marketsduring in winter and lots of tourists summer
ing balconies facing the Plaza. It has a total of nine entranceways. The Casa de la Panadería, serving munic-
ipal and cultural functions, dominates the Plaza Mayor.
LA LATINA
Old quarter, perfect for cañas
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n and around this area are the srcins of Madrid. Its difficult to put precise boundaries on La Latina, because, like its immediate neighbors, streets are narrow and winding. There are quite a few nightlife spots, though the neighborhood is best known as having one of the best concentrations of tapas bars (particularly onthe Cava Baja and Cava Alta). These tapas bars are most easily accessed by heading north-northeast from the Metro down Calle De Toledo, taking a left (west) on Calle de la Colegiata, and then making a second left, effectively doubling back slightly upon arrival. There are also a number of attractive churches, like the Iglesia de San Andres and the Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande. On Sundays and major holidays, the Rastro flea-market begins on the eastern edge of La Latina, spilling out of the San Millan exit of the La Latina metro stop to the Plaza de Cascorro all the way to the Ronda de Toledo to the south. Plaza de la Paja is another interesting and entertaining spot of this neighborhood. On the other side, La Latina borders with Plaza Mayor and overlaps with the ancient part of the town, El Madrid de los Austrias, where the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) is located.
TEMPLO DE DEBOD
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he Templo de Debod or Temple of Debod is an ancient Egyptian temple which was rebuilt in Madrid, Spain.
The temple was built srcinally 15 km south of Aswan] in southern Egypt very close to the first cataract of the Nile and to the great religious center dedicated to the goddess Isis, in Philae. In the early 2nd century BC, Adikhalamani (Tabriqo), the Kushite king of Meroë, started its construction by building a small single room chapel dedicated to the god Amun. It was built and decorated on a similar design to the later Meroitic chapel on which the Temple of Dakka is based. Later, during the reigns of Ptolemy VI, Ptolemy VIII and Ptolemy XII of the Ptolemaic dynasty, it was extended on all four sides to form a small temple, 12 X 15 m, which was dedicated to Isis of Philae. The Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius completed its decorations. From the quay there is a long processional way leads to the stone-built enclosure wall, through three stone pylon gateways and finally to the temple itself.[ 2]The pronaos, which had four columns with composite capitals collapsed in 1868, and is now lost.[2] Behind it lay the srcinal sanctuary of Amun, the offering table room and a later sanctuary with several side-rooms and stairs to the roof. In 1960, due to the construction of the Great Dam of Aswan and the consequent threat posed to several monuments and archeological sites, UNESCO made an international call to save this rich historical legacy. As a sign of gratitude for the help provided by Spain in saving the temples of Abu Simbel, the Egyptian state donated the temple of Debod to Spain in 1968. The temple was rebuilt in one of Madrid's parks, the Parque del Oeste, near the Royal Palace of Madrid, and opened to the public in 1972. The reassembled gateways appear to have been placed in a different order than when srcinally erected. Compared to a photo of the srcinal site, the gateway topped by a serpent flanked sun appears not to have been the closest gateway to the temple proper. It consti- Piazza/park/monument… I don’t tutes one of the few works of ancient Egyptian ar- know how to describe it, but it is a chitecturewhich can be seen outside Egypt and special place the only one of its kind in Spain.
EL RETIRO
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he Buen Retiro Park (Jardines del Buen Retiro or Parque del Buen Retiro, literally "Gardens" or "Park of the Pleasant Retreat," or simply El Retiro) is the one of the parks of the city of Madrid, Spain. The Nice beautiful park with a crystal largest park belonged to the Spanish Monarchy until palace “ de crystal”, sometimes they the late 19th century, when it became a pubhave expositions there, next to lic park.
“Puerta de Alcalá” perfect for renting boats, going for walk or rollerskating
Close to the northern entrance of the park is the Estanque del Retiro ("Retiro Pond"), a artificial pond. Next to it is the monuMain train station, it is a famous place, I like the chaotic feeling, maybe large ment to King Alfonso XII, featuring a semicirnot in august, but during winter there cular colonnade and an equestrian statue of are lots of people walking fast, going the monarch on the top of a tall central core. to different places… IDK, Madrid’s The Rosaleda rose garden. Among the many rose bushes of all kinds stands the Fountain representation. of the Falling Angel, erected in 1922, whose main sculpture El Angel Caído (at the top) is a work by Ricardo Bellver (1845–1924) inspired by a passage from John Milton's Paradise Lost,[3] which represents Lucifer falling from Heaven. It is claimed that this statue is the only known public monument of the devil.[by whom?] The few remaining buildings of the Buen Retiro Palace, including Casón del Buen Retiro and the Museo del Ejército, now house museum collections. The Casón has a collection of 19th and 20th century paintings, including art by the Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla. The Ejército is one of Spain's foremost Army museums and it houses "La Tizona" the sword of the famous Spanish warrior El Cid. There are displays of armor, a cross carried by Christopher Columbus on his sea voyage to theNew World and other artifacts. Since assuming its role as a public park the late 19th century, the "Parque del Retiro" has been used as a venue for various international exhibitions. Several emblematic buildings have remained as testimony to such events, including the Mining building, popularly known as the Velázquez Palace (1884) by architectRicardo Velázquez Bosco, and thePalacio de Cristal ("Crystal Palace"), a glass pavilion inspired by The Crystal Palace in London, undoubtedly the gardens' most extraordinary building. Built along with its artificial pond in 1887 by architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco for the Philippine Islands Exhibitions, it was first used to display flower species indigenous to the islands. The landscape-style gardens located in the former "Campo Grande" are also a reminder of the international exhibitions that have taken place here in the past. The Paseo de la Argentina, also popularly known as Paseo de las Estatuas ("Statue Walk"), is decorated with some of the statues of kings from the Royal Palace, sculpted between 1750 and 1753. There are now art galleries in the Crystal Palace, Palacio de Velázquez, and Casa de Vacas.
In the Retiro Park is also the Forest of the Departed (Bosque de los Ausentes), a memorial monument to commemorate the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks. *From late May through early October,[4] every Sunday at midday, the Banda Sinfónica de Madrid gives free concerts from the bandstand in the park near the Calle de Alcalá. Manuel Lillo Torregrosa composed 'Kiosko del Retiro' to this bandstand. The Park also features an annual Book Fair. Around the lake, Retiro Pond, many puppet shows perform, and all manner of street performers and fortune tellers. Rowboats can be rented to paddle about the Estanque, and horse-drawn carriages are available.
COLÓN
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laza de Colón (Columbus Square, in English) is located in the Alonso Martínez district of Madrid, Spain. This plaza and its fountain commemoratethe explorer Christopher Columbus, whose name in Spanish was Cristóbal Colón.
Piazza, usually full of skaters. There is a street close by called “Goya” with nice and very expensive stores
The plaza, srcinally called "Plaza de Santiago" (St. James Square), was renamed "Plaza de Colón" in 1893 to honour Christopher Columbus. The square contains two monuments.
On the Paseo de la Castellana (Promenade of the Castilian) side there is a monument to Columbus built in 1885. This is a statue of Columbus standing at the pinnacle of a tall column. He appears to be pointing west, indicating the route he would take towards the islands of the Caribbean. The second monument on the Serrano Street. side consists of concrete macro-sculptures by Joaquín Vaquero Turcios. The concrete blocks are decorated with inscriptions by philosophers and indigenous leaders. The gardens in the plaza are known as the "Jardines del Descubrimiento" (Gardens of Discovery), where the Royal Mint was located until 1970. At the base of the Columbus monument is a a l rge fountain with a broad cascade of water. There are steps leading under the cascade and beneath the plaza, where the roar of the fountain is amplified. Under the plaza along with the Centro Cultural de la Villa de
Madrid (Madrid City Cultural Centre) lies a stop for a special shuttle that takes passengers toBarajas Airport. At the other side of the Plaza are the twin Torres de Colón.
GRAN VIA
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ran Vía (literally "Great Way") is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. It leads from Calle de Alcalá, close toPlaza de Cibeles, to Plaza de España. The lively street is one of the city's most important shopping areas, with a large number of hotels and large movie theaters; it is also noted for the grand architecture prevalent among many of its buildings. Now, most of the theaters are being replaced by shopping malls.
Probably the busiest street in Madrid, stores, places to get a milkshake, an ice cream… I guess it will be kind of empty on summer though
It is considered a showcase of early 20th century architecture, with patterns ranging from Vienna Secession style, Plateresque, Neo-Mudéjar,Art Deco
and others.
FUENCARRAL
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uencarral is a neighborhood located in the northern part of Madr id, Spain. It includes the municipal area of the ancient town of Fuencarral, which was annexed to the city of Madrid by a decree of November 10, 1950. Administratively, Fuencarral belongs to the municipal district of Valverde in the district of Fuencarral-El Pardo.
Shopping street with an alternative market, weird clothing, weird jewelry…
PASEO DEL PRADO
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here are also expensive hotels and some expensive restaurants. I still like the looks of the place
The Paseo del Prado is one of the main boulevards in Madrid, Spain. The Paseo del Prado is the oldest historical urban in Madrid and was declared Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC). garden It runs north-south between the Plaza de Cibeles and the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V (also known as Plaza de Atocha), with the Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo (the location of the Fuente de Neptuno, and of the Ritz and Palace five-star hotels) lying approximately Nice and big avenue, the name in the middle. The Paseo del Prado forms the southern end of the city's central axis (which comes because of “Museo Prado” famous museum.del continues to the north of Cibeles as the Paseo de Recoletos, and further north as thePaseo de la Castellana). This densely tree-lined, wide and centric avenue is a landmark for the city residents and the location of important cultural and tourist spots in the city, including the so-called Golden Triangle of Art, which encompasses three museums: the Prado Museum (with highlights such as Diego Velázquez's Las Meninas andFrancisco de Goya's La maja vestida and La maja desnuda), the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (housing a collection that spans eight centuries of European painting), and the Reina Sofia Museum (where Pablo Picasso's Guernicahangs, among a collection of 20th century art). In the vicinity are located the Parque del Buen Retiro and the Casón del Buen Retiro (hosting the 19th-century collection of the Prado Museum), as well as the headquarters of the Real Academia Española (the Spanish language academy), the Bolsa de Madrid (the city's stock exchange), and the Congreso de los Diputados (the national congress). The Paseo del Prado boulevard includes several monuments and enclosures that are of historical and artistic interest, erected in the eighteenth century for the Hall of Prado urban project. Numerous ornamental and landscaping grounds were constructed for this project. The highlights of this project include theVillanueva Building, headquarters of the Prado Museum, the Royal Botanical Gardens and the sculptural water fountains of Neptune, Cibeles andApollo.[citation needed]
URJC
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ing Juan Carlos University (Spanish: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, URJC) is a public university located in Móstoles (Spain), and distributed into four campus:Madrid, Móstoles, Alcorcón and Fuenlabrada. It's named after king Juan Carlos I of Spain. It was created in 1996 and has the Latin motto Non nova, sed nove ("Not new things, but in a new way"). My college!
PARQUE DEL MANZANARES
Big park by the river, Clara’s mom helped designing it.
Manzanares Park (in Spanish: Parque del Manzanares) is a large, 480 Ha. park in the south of Madrid, Spain. It follows the Manzanares River, backbone of the park, for seven kilometers between the M-30 Nudo Sur ("South Knot") and the town of Getafe. The first part (Primer Tramo) of the park was inaugurated on April 29, 2003. The rest of the Park is under construction.
The most significant areas of the finished part are:
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he Green Square (Plaza Verde), a wooden amphitheatre structure. he Alley of Senses (Paseo de los Sentidos), which goes along the river and is planted with palm trees, oak, cork, olive trees and other mediterranean species. he Umbráculo. he Watchtower (Atalaya), a pyramid-like structure with a 13 meter high sculpture by Manolo Valdés on top representing the head of a woman looking at the city. he Pérgola.
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he Sports Area, with several football, basketball and handball fields. he Loop, a six meter wide way around the park. he Belvedere Park.
CHUECA
Gay quarter. During the day is nothing special, but I kind of like it at night, for dinner, drinks…
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hueca is a central neighborhood in Madrid named after Federico Chueca (1846–1908), composer of zarzuelas. It lies just to the north of the old city and is centered around the Plaza de Chueca, with its metro station "Chueca."[1] The neighborhood has become a popular area for Madrid's gay community, which stages a large annual pride festival.[2] Chueca is very lively, with many street cafes and boutique shops; Lonely Planet describes it as "extravagantly gay, lively young, and always inclusive regardless of your sexual orientation."
TORRES KIO
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he Puerta de Europa towers (Gate of Europe or just Torres KIO) are twin off ice buildings in Madrid. The towers have a height of 114 m (374 ft) and have 26 floors. They were constructed from 1989 to 1996. The Puerta de Europa is the second tallest twin towers in Spain after the Torres de Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. They were designed by the American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee, built by Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas[1] and commissioned in 1996 by the Kuwait Investment Office (hence their initial name "Torres KIO" or "KIO Towers"). Leslie E. Robertson Associates, RLLP New York (LERA) provided structural engineering services. Each building is 115 m tall with an inclination of 15°, making them the first inclined skyscrapers in the world. They are located near theChamartín railway station, on the sides of the Plaza Castilla bus station, north from the Paseo de la Castellana and near the Cuatro Torres Business Area. After the Torres KIO fraud case, KIO had to sell the buildings, which are now owned by Caja Madrid and Realia. The west tower has a rooftop helicopter pad outlined in blue; the east tower has a red one. They played a key role in the 1995 movie The Day of the Beast, whose climax took place on one of the then nearly-completed towers. The towers were also shot inthe song sequence "oru koodai sunlight" in the popular Tamil film Sivaji.
The Spanish version of “La Torre di Pisa”
LA CASTELLANA
Famous street, my
cousin’s college is there, I aseo de la Castellana (English: Promenade of the Castilian), commonly known as La Castellana, is one might show you since is of the longest and widest avenues of Madrid. It is named a very old, proud looking after an old fountain that used to exist inPlaza de Castilla. building. They share the It starts at Plaza de Colón, passes through the Nuevos Minbuilding with the muisterios, Plaza de Lima, Plaza de Cuzco, Plaza de Castilla, seum of natural science. and ends near the Nudo Norte (North Junction), connecting with theM-30 and the road to Colmenar Viejo. The Paseo de la Castellana is the continuation of Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado, and these three avenues vertebrate de north-south axis of the city.
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As part of an ambitious project called Operación Chamartín, it is planned to extend it further to the north, where a big number of railway lines will be dug underground and the area will be transformed with high-rise buildings. This project was recently brought to life again, after many years of debate. To the west of La Castellana lie the districts of Chamberí and Tetuán, and to the east, the districts of Salamanca and Chamartín. Many business, banking and financial buildings are located along La Castellana or its immediate proximity (including, among others, those that form AZCA, Puerta de Europa and the CTBA). Also, many of the most important embassies are located in or around the stretch between Plaza de Colón and Plaza del Doctor Marañón. Other landmarks that can be found along this street are the Nuevos Ministerioscomplex, where the offices of several ministries of the Spanish Government are located, and the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Between 1952 and 1981, the stretch north of Nuevos Ministerios was called Avenida del Generalísimo.
HUERTAS Perfect for a drink at night, lots of little clubs with free entrance. It is even better for big groups of nice looking girls since they get alcohol for free…
PLAZA SANTA ANA
Last place I went to before leaving for the States. Is nothing super special, but I like the general feeling
Plaza de Santa Ana (English: Square of Saint Anne) is a plaza located in central Madrid, Spain, nearby Puerta del Sol and Calle de Huertas, in the Barrio de las Letras. It features monuments to Spanish Golden Age writer Pedro Calderón de la Barca and the Granadian poet Federico García Lorca and numerous restaurants, cafes and tapas bars, with its terraces covering most of the sides surfaces. Teatro Español, the oldest theater in Madrid, is located on
the plaza's east side. It was built in seventeenth century and then had the name Corral del Príncipe.[1] On the west side of the plaza, a luxury hotel (now ME Madrid Reina Victoria) was built in the early nineteenth century. The hotel achieved fame for being the favorite among the most popular bullfighters. For example, the regular guestManolete always reserved room number 220[2] in superstition. The plaza is a popular meeting point in Madrid. The name derives from a monastery with the name
Santa Ana that occupied the current location in the seventeenth century.[3] The srcins of the modern plaza go back to Joseph I, who in 1810, with urban sanitation of Madrid in mind, demolished the old Carmelitemonastery and the adjoining houses.[4] The plaza began to take its current appearance, which was almost completed in 1880 when buildings that obstructed the view of the Teatro Español was demolished.
CHUECA Chueca is a central neighborhood in Madrid named after Federico Chueca (1846–1908), composer of zarzuelas. It lies just to the north of the old city and is centered around
Gay quarter. During the day is nothing special, but I kind of like it at night, for dinner, drinks… I might take you, let’s see...
the Plaza de Chueca, with its metro station "Chueca."[1] The neighborhood has become a popular area for Madrid's gay community, which stages a large annual pride festival.[2] Chueca is very lively, with many street cafes and boutique shops; Lonely Planet describes it as "extravagantly gay, lively young, and always inclusive regardless of your sexual orientation."
MONTERA Prostitutes, tattoos and piercings. I got my piercing done there, we will walk by for sure.
LAVAPIES Lavapiés is quite probably the most multicultural "barrio" of Madrid heavily influenced by African, Arabic and gypsy cultures. The plaza of Lavapiés marks the centre of this "barrio". [1] Lavapiés is a central neighbourhood of the city of Madrid, centered on the Plaza de Lavapiés.
It was the Jewish quarter of the city until the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, the church of San Lorenzo being built on the former site of the synagogue. The name literally means "wash feet", and may refer to the ritual washing of one's feet before entering the temple, possibly in the fountain in Plaza de Lavapiés which no longer exists.
Immigrants' quarter, my ladies don’t dare to go. I like it though, not super special, but a different view of Madrid. Lady Gaga buys some of her clothing there
OPERA – 100 MONTADITOS Opera is a big piazza, 100 montaditos is a restaurant in which they offer 100 kinds of mini sandwiches. On Wednesday they all cost 1 Euro. Sometimes they have an offer, a big jar of beer for 1 Euro as well… Imagine how I end up…
TETERIA – SOL Little place to have sisha, tea and some other drinks. You seat on pillows on the floor and it’s kind of intimate. I don’t think it is easy to find for people who don’t know it already. Teresa showed it to me. I adore it, but I know of people who dislike it as well.
BERNABEU The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu)is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators.[1] El Bernabéu, renamed in honour of
Football stadium. Not interesting for me, but there is a Friday's restaurant close by; from 17 to 20 half priced cocktails and smoothies. Ñam Ñam
their former chairman Santiago Bernabéu Yeste, is one of the world's most famous and prestigious football venues. It has hosted the European Cup final on four occasions: in 1957, 1969, 1980, and the UEFA Champions League Final in 2010.[4] The finals for the 1964 European Nations' Cup and the 1982 World Cup have also been held at the Bernabéu.
LA FILMOTECA – CINE DORÈ The Filmoteca Española (Spanish Cinemathèque) is an official institution of the Ministry of Culture of Spain. Its objective is to restore, investigate and conserve the film heritage of Spain and its difusion. Its cinema where films are daily shown is cine Doré (filmed by Pedro Almodóvar in Hable con ella), in Santa Isabel Street, architect Críspulo Moro Cabeza, built in 1923. It was restored from 1982 to 1990. The archive, offices, library and exhibition halls are set in a restored palace on Magdalena St nº 10 in Madrid.
Little old cinema, low price, old movies in srcinal version. I usually go to watch Casablanca, I will have to take you, no matter the movies they are playing baby...
JUAN CARLOS I Juan Carlos I Park (Spanish: Parque Juan Carlos I) is the main municipal park in Madrid, Spain. The park was named after King Juan Carlos I. The park has many modern sculptures. The Music MetroRock festival is regupark with a larly held at the Juan Carlos park
Big river and lots of strange sculptures. Nice for picnic TRIBUNAL
It’s fine for a drink at night, little strange clubs around, shorts and cocktails, it is not one of my favorites though, so let’s just decide w the flow if going or not =)
MONCLOA – CHAPANDAZ Moncloa is the main bus station, well one of the main ones. This is the meeting point for everyone when going to the centre. Chapandaz is a bar where you have to try “leche de pantera” the most famous cocktail. I do like it, ti is sweet and has cinnamon (don’t judge it before trying it)
