{"id":406,"date":"2015-01-26T02:03:58","date_gmt":"2015-01-26T02:03:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/madrids-best-barrios\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:20:22","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:20:22","slug":"madrid-barrio-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/madrid-barrio-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Madrid\u2019s best barrios"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Spanish capital of Madrid<\/a> is made up of more than 128 different neighbourhoods, or barrios, each with its own distinct personality. To help you uncover the city\u2019s best sides \u2013 from historic buildings to contemporary galleries, and lush green spaces to luxury shopping strips \u2013 we\u2019ve rounded up our top five areas.<\/p>\n

1. Old-world splendor in Retiro<\/h2>\n

Ok, this district actually consists of several barrios, but it\u2019s very compact and every major sight is within easy walking distance. It\u2019s one of the most popular spots for Expedia\u2019s Aussie travellers to stay, for usually 2-3 nights, when exploring the city. And there are plenty of major sights to choose from, for example two of the greatest museums in the world: the Prado<\/a> with its breathtaking collection of European art ranging from the 12th to the 19th century and the more modern Reina Sofia, home to Picasso\u2019s wartime epic Guernica. Outside of the galleries, there\u2019s plenty more art to marvel at. The district\u2019s wide boulevards are lined with imposing statues and ornate fountains, and then there\u2019s the charmingly old-school Retiro Park, with its formal gardens, boating lake and fragrant rose bushes. As you walk from gallery to green space, stop off at Chocolat Madrid for some takeaway churros \u2013 a cheap pleasure among all the cultural riches.<\/p>\n

2. Shopping in Salamanca<\/h2>\n

In the city\u2019s chicest neighourhood, the streets are lined with high-end boutiques and smart restaurants. With its designer kudos \u2013 expect to find Gucci, Chanel and Prada rubbing shoulders with Spanish designers such as Adolfo Dom\u00ednguez \u2013 and futuristic architecture, Paseo de la Castellana (La Castellana for short, or The Castilian\u2019s Mall in English) can easily steal a few hours of your time, and a few hundred dollars from your bank account. Relax after your retail therapy with a drink at the suitably extravagant Magnum Bar in Villa Magna<\/a>, where the champagne flows from 5pm till 2am. Grab a spot on their palatial terrace and contemplate your new acquisitions while sipping a blush-pink and delightfully fizzy Billecart Salmon Ros\u00e9 (a steal at 29 euros a glass).<\/p>\n

3. Palacio\u2019s palaces and plazas<\/h2>\n

This barrio\u2019s historic buildings tend to attract all the attention, such as the baroque-style Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral (with its imposing white fa\u00e7ade), but don\u2019t forget to check out the colorful San Miguel Market on Plaza Mayor \u2013 it\u2019s the place for cheap and tasty tapas while watching the locals go about their shopping; expect hand gestures, fierce bargaining and plenty of passion. The reconstructed covered market opens at 10am each day, and closes at midnight on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday. Sample local delicacies, including freshly opened spiny sea urchins (just scoop out the tangy orange flesh with a teaspoon) and award-winning tortilla by acclaimed chef Senen Gonz\u00e1lez.
\n<\/p>\n

4. Culture, coffee and cupcakes in Malasa\u00f1a<\/h2>\n

Channelling a cool, creative vibe, Malasa\u00f1a is gaining in popularity by the day \u2013 due in part to the recent influx of celebrities buying up property here (Pen\u00e9lope Cruz owns an apartment). Explore the barrio\u2019s boutiques and rub shoulders with local designers, musicians and artists in the buzzing cafes \u2013 Lolina always pulls a crowd thanks to its great coffee, freshly squeezed juices and retro furniture, which is also for sale. And then there\u2019s cupcake bakery Happy Day, also on Calle del Esp\u00edritu Santo. When you\u2019ve got your fill of sugar and caffeine for the day, explore Malasa\u00f1a\u2019s secondhand shops and pop-up stores \u2013 many places have allowed street artists to decorate their fa\u00e7ade, so expect vibrant walls and shutters at every turn.<\/p>\n

5. Literary legacies in all-hours Huertas<\/h2>\n

Also known as Barrio de las Letras (the literary neighborhood), many famous writers \u2013 including Miguel de Cervantes, author of the iconic book Don Quixote \u2013 have chosen to call this small but lively area home over the years. It\u2019s still possible to visit the house where the famous Spanish novelist, playwright and poet died in 1616 and, thanks to the late-night tapas joints that line Calle de las Huertas and Plaza Santa Ana, the place continues to attract bar-hopping bibliophiles from around the world. Pull up a stool at Cervecer\u00eda Alemana, order a beer and a plate of patatas bravas, and discuss plot development and character arcs with the Madrile\u00f1os. This wood-panelled bar is famous for being Ernest Hemingway\u2019s watering hole of choice when he was in town.<\/p>\n

Expedia compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site, such compensation may include travel and other costs<\/i>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Spanish capital of Madrid is made up of more than 128 different neighbourhoods, or barrios, each with its own distinct personality. To help you uncover the city\u2019s best sides \u2013 from historic buildings to contemporary galleries, and lush green spaces to luxury shopping strips \u2013 we\u2019ve rounded up our top five areas. 1. Old-world… Continue reading Madrid\u2019s best barrios<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,6,28,2,3,39,14],"tags":[40,294,53,66,58],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-destination","category-europe","category-experiences","category-explore","category-food-and-wine","category-interests","tag-foodie","tag-madrid","tag-nablikealocal","tag-spain","tag-tips","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMadrid\u2019s best barrios - Expedia AU Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/madrid-barrio-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Madrid\u2019s best barrios - Expedia AU Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Spanish capital of Madrid is made up of more than 128 different neighbourhoods, or barrios, each with its own distinct personality. 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