Kirsten's Guide to Madrid

Wonderguide by

Sarah Cantor

Kirsten's Guide to Madrid

Your guide to all things food, fun, and adventure* in the city! :) *not including museums here because there are too many to count and I figure you will look up where you want to go depending on the art you like.

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Restaurants & Cafes

Good eats all over the city! I've included neighborhoods in each description.

Image - El Buo
Place
El Buo
Sarah:There is also a Buo in Chueca. Buo is famous for their really good tortilla! Super good.
Image - Pum Pum Café
Place
Pum Pum Café
Sarah:Cute breakfast spot. Gets a little flack for being a bit of a gentrified joint in Lavapies but the food and coffee is great. They play awesome music usually too :)
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Image - El dinosaurio todavía estaba allí
Place
El dinosaurio todavía estaba allí
Sarah:Good food, great wine, quaint little place around the corner from my old apartment in Lavapies/ Anton Martin. The owner had a really cute dog named Blue who would chill their all day long. Def recommend
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Image - La China Mandarina
Place
La China Mandarina
Sarah:I liked getting a quick breakfast here with my friends before going out on Sundays to the local market--El Rastro. Rastro is hilarious; they sell literally everything (like from underwear to vintage lamps) and everyone goes to it on Sundays. This place is right in the middle of it.
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Image - Juana La Loca
Place
Juana La Loca
Sarah:Fancier tapas bar in La Latina. Amazing tortilla. Really good. Could be a good date spot :)
Image - Lamiak
Place
Lamiak
Sarah:There are a few Lamiak restaurants (La Latina, Anton Martin near Lavapies, etc.) Really good, no frills, cheap tapas if you want to go out for tapas with friends or are showing visitors around the city looking for good Spanish food.
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Image - Café Barbieri
Place
Café Barbieri
Sarah:Right in heart of Lavapies plaza. Nice cafe that has been around forever but was recently renovated a bit. I like the vibe here--a good mix of young people and older people who have been coming here forever.
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Image - Hola Cafe
Place
Hola Cafe
Sarah:Cute, laid back coffee shop in Lavapies. I liked coming here and staying for a coffee or bringing it to either of the two nearby plazas.
Image - Malaspina
Place
Malaspina
Sarah:Just plain, good Spanish food. No frills restaurant. Right in the center, by Sol.
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Bars

Some fancy, some laid back, some rooftops. I've included neighborhoods in the descriptions.

Image - Freeway
Place
Freeway
Sarah:A favorite bar of mine! Sort of grungy (as is the vibe in Malasaña where the bar is). Usually once it's late they open the downstairs up for fun music and dancing. Bar upstairs, too!
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Image - Tupper Ware
Place
Tupper Ware
Sarah:Awesome bar in Malasaña. Smallish but two floors. They usually play fun music but you can also just go and chill.
Image - Maria Pandora, Cava & Poetry
Place
Maria Pandora, Cava & Poetry
Sarah:One of my absolute favorite places for a coffee or glass of wine in Madrid. The interior is so beautiful and it's a bit of a hidden gem. They have books throughout the whole cafe, vintage finds, and the most beautiful candles. The hours are really odd so definitely be sure to check online if they are open. The cafe sits in La Latina right on the border of a park called "Las Vistillas" which is also home to one of the biggest celebrations in Madrid (called San Isidro--happens in April usually); they usually have concerts here and everyone sits in the park and drinks during this dia de fiesta. yay!
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Image - El Imperfecto
Place
El Imperfecto
Sarah:An awesome bar. Best first date spot!!! Really funky vibes, good prices, in a nice neighborhood. Closest metro stop is Anton Martin. Def check out Huertas/ Barrio de las Letras neighborhood--nice shops with handmade things, awesome bookstores, really cute area.
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Image - El Viajero
Place
El Viajero
Sarah:Nice restaurant with a fun rooftop in La Latina. Pretty views of La Latina. Go on a a nice day!
Image - Casa Camacho
Place
Casa Camacho
Sarah:My friends and I used to like to go here when we were out in Malasaña to get a drink called a "yayo." It's like a mix of vermouth, soda, and who knows what... The bar is really old school and the guy who owns it is awesome.
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Image - Círculo de Bellas Artes
Place
Círculo de Bellas Artes
Sarah:Right in the heart of the center (near Sol, Callao, Sevilla metro stops, it has an amazing rooftop with probably the best views of Madrid. It's 5 euros to go on the rooftop (so cheap) and fun cocktails. It's a fun place to take people who might visit you or for a drink out with friends.
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Image - La Playa de Lavapiés
Place
La Playa de Lavapiés
Sarah:Fun bar in Lavapies. Good cocktails!
Image - El Juglar
Place
El Juglar
Sarah:Another fun Lavapies bar where you can go for a drink or to dance!
Image - Chinaski Lavapiés
Place
Chinaski Lavapiés
Sarah:One of the few bars in Madrid where they have tons of craft beers from around the world. (Another place you could go for this is called "Los Grifos") Cool vibe, right in Lavapies.
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Image - Las Cuevas de Sésamo
Place
Las Cuevas de Sésamo
Sarah:Ok. This place is seriously hidden. I walked by it like 4 times before I realized where it was. Look at the signage carefully and then go inside and walk downstairs to the basement. This was easily one of my fav Madrid places for a drink late at night. There's like a tiny piano in the corner of the place where usually an elderly man is playing. He's awesome and the combo of music plus good wine makes the vibe awesome here. Don't tell too many people about it or it will lose its charm! Near Sol.
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Parks

A few of the most well known ones and a few beautiful ones that are a bit less popular and less crowded.

Image - El Retiro Park
Place
El Retiro Park
Sarah:Definitely the most famous park in Madrid. Sort of like Central Park is to NYC. Lots of awesome parts to check out--get to the little lake in the center, and check out the glass house, too. Perfect place for a picnic.
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Image - Campo del Moro
Place
Campo del Moro
Sarah:Really cool park in Madrid that not as many people know about. Randomly, tons of peacocks walking around here! There are some beautiful gardens and hidden parts with benches connected to gigantic trees. Def worth exploring. It's right near the royal palace (palacio real.)
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Image - Casa de Campo
Place
Casa de Campo
Sarah:Even bigger than Retiro but not quite as glam. There are tons of things to see and do here. One of my favorite public pools called " Piscina Lago" is here (named after the lake right nearby). There are some places to eat in the park and it's also a fun place to bike around. Casa de Campo has it's own metro stop but you can get off in several different spots depending on where in the park you're trying to go.
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Image - Juan Carlos I Park
Place
Juan Carlos I Park
Sarah:Found this park right before I left and wished I had found it sooner. Cool sculptures throughout the park, and a beautiful botanical garden is just down the road. The park is vast and beautiful! A little further outside of the city, near the airport.
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Miscellaneous Recommendations

Some outdoor spaces, plazas, funky streets, etc. I've included neighborhoods in the descriptions!

Image - La Latina / Mercado de Cebada
Place
La Latina / Mercado de Cebada
Sarah:La Cebada is an indoor marketplace but everyone sits outside in the little enclosed plaza like place. In Spain if you drink outside its called a "botellon" and everyone does that here. It's legal. Usually people just hang out here but sometimes there are informal events, concerts, etc. Def a fun place to have a beer on a weekend or drink before going out. Great scene and people watching. La Latina is an awesome neighborhood, too.
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Image - Travelade Image
Place
Calle de la Cava Baja
Sarah:Good street for tapas/ Bars in la Latina. One of my fav bars is on this street--its called Baja 5 la playa. Downstairs is like a beach (the floor is covered in sand and they have a nice bar that serves really good mojitos (and whatever other drink you want. but get the mojito!)
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Image - El Rastro
Place
El Rastro
Sarah:Every Sunday, baby!!! You gotta go. It's a scene. You can prob find some good vintage things if you look enough!
Image - Matadero Madrid
Place
Matadero Madrid
Sarah:El Matadero is a big open art space near Legazpi metro stop. Right next tp the river (fun to take a walk there after.) They always have awesome exhibits, cool markets on the weekend, movies, workshops, and a nice cafe. It's an indoor/outdoor space--used to be an old slaughterhouse. You wouldn't think that being there, though. I used to spend a lot of time here!
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Image - Microteatro Por Dinero
Place
Microteatro Por Dinero
Sarah:Salva took me here and it was a ton of fun. You pay to see a few mini theater productions (like 20 mins long, and you choose how many rooms you go to.) There are probably only about 15 audience members in each room watching. Good date idea/ way to practice listening in Spanish!
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Image - Librería Desperate Literature (Bookstore)
Place
Librería Desperate Literature (Bookstore)
Sarah:Bilingual bookstore run by my friend's friend! A nice British guy. They have awesome events there. A really good way to meet people from all over and a great scene.
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Image - Plaza del Dos de Mayo
Place
Plaza del Dos de Mayo
Sarah:Nice plaza in heart of Malsaña. Good bars/restaurants in and around the plaza. Pinta Malsaña which is a fun festival in the neighborhood usually has a lot going on in the plaza.
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Image - La Tabacalera de Lavapiés
Place
La Tabacalera de Lavapiés
Sarah:Not sure even how to categorize Tabacalera. Sort of like Matadero, it's a big art space where they hold mostly music related events but they also have markets and stuff. Really cool grungy vibe. Went to some cool concerts there. Def explore--they have these tunnels with beautiful graffiti art that wind throughout the whole building and some spaces that lead outside, too.
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Image - La Casa Encendida
Place
La Casa Encendida
Sarah:Awesome building in Lavapies that is sort of the heart of all things culturally Madrileño. They have concerts, workshops, etc. and the rooftop is awesome.
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Image - mas que cervezas
Place
mas que cervezas
Sarah:Nice, luxe craft beer store my friends and I liked to stop by if we were picking up some fancy beers for a picnic. In Huertas neighborhood. Check these streets out near here--lots of cute shops. Loved a few jewelry stores around here, too.
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Image - Travelade Image
Place
Calle de Fuencarral
Sarah:Long street that stretches from Callao (center) to Malsaña. Usually the street I took when walking to go out at night if I was going out in Malasaña. They have big brand name shops and some other small ones. Really nice street.
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Image - Travelade Image
Place
Plaza de Santa Ana
Sarah:Nice plaza with lots of places to eat and drink in Huertas/Barrio de las Letras.
Image - Templo De Debod
Place
Templo De Debod
Sarah:This place is awesome. It's an ancient Egyptian temple that was transported to Madrid. It and the park around it are really nice. Def recommend going for sunset! Right near Plaza de España stop. Not far from Malasaña.
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Wonderguide map

  1. El Buo
  2. Pum Pum Café
  3. El dinosaurio todavía estaba allí
  4. La China Mandarina
  5. Juana La Loca
  6. Lamiak
  7. Café Barbieri
  8. Hola Cafe
  9. Malaspina
  10. Freeway
  11. Tupper Ware
  12. Maria Pandora, Cava & Poetry
  13. El Imperfecto
  14. El Viajero
  15. Casa Camacho
  16. Círculo de Bellas Artes
  17. La Playa de Lavapiés
  18. El Juglar
  19. La Huelga de Lavapiés
  20. Chinaski Lavapiés
  21. Las Cuevas de Sésamo
  22. El Retiro Park
  23. Campo del Moro
  24. Casa de Campo
  25. Juan Carlos I Park
  26. La Latina / Mercado de Cebada
  27. Calle de la Cava Baja
  28. El Rastro
  29. Matadero Madrid
  30. Microteatro Por Dinero
  31. Librería Desperate Literature (Bookstore)
  32. Plaza del Dos de Mayo
  33. La Tabacalera de Lavapiés
  34. La Casa Encendida
  35. mas que cervezas
  36. Calle de Fuencarral
  37. Plaza de Santa Ana
  38. Templo De Debod

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