Madrid is the capital of Spain and, therefore, has in a concentrated form the main elements that define the country, that is, the impressive architecture, the fine arts, the masterful history, its exquisite, and so on. This has made it one of the most visited and busiest cities in all of Europe.
The best way to get to know Madrid is walking through its incredible streets, which today has reached a total of 9,139 roads in force. Each route presents the main characteristics of the city, and serve to better understand the culture of Spain, and also has a variety that allows its own inhabitants do not get bored of it.
It was not until 1835 when the first specific rules were made to name, list and label all the squares, boulevards, traffic circles and squares of Madrid, since then the city has been growing and currently the Government of Urbanism, responsible for the management of the street map of Madrid, has incorporated advanced technologies in each of its streets to continue this expansion little by little.
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What are the streets of Madrid like?
Currently, there are a total of 965 streets in Madrid, which are divided into its 21 districts, giving an approximate surface area of 4 million m2. In addition, recently, the government made an investment of more than 60 million euros to improve the pavement, so they are in a neat state as rarely seen.
For more than 300 years, the streets of Madrid have been built over time, and each one is located in a specific leisure area, so that its inhabitants can better organize their outings, and have more options of places when they want to do an activity, such as gymnastics or shopping.
Most beautiful streets in Madrid
Madrid is a city with an incredible architecture that combines history with modern elements, and a natural environment, so it is very attractive to the eye, causing dozens of artists to walk through it with the purpose of finding inspiration.
Paseo de Recoletos
Paseo de Recoletos is one of the most visited streets in Madrid It has a natural beauty, made up of hundreds of trees, green lawns and long lakes, which create a great contrast with the ancient palaces and modern buildings of the place.
This street gets its name from the Recoletos terrace, which is open to the public and from where you can see excellent views of the city. The street has an extension of 500 meters, and has several rest areas for those who walk along it, such as Café Gijón or Café el Espejo.
Redondilla Street
Redondilla Street is the oldest street in MadridIt was erected in 1712, so it has become an architectural symbol of the city. For tourists is one of the best routes to learn more about the history of Madrid and its inhabitants, who always tell stories about the origins of this street.
The road begins its journey in the costanilla de San Andrés and reaches the street of Don Pedro. In Redondilla Street you can find important buildings such as the Colegio de San Ildefonso, the old house of the philosopher María Zambrano, and several houses known as casas a la malicia.
Alcalá Street
Alcala Street is one of the longest streets in Madrid, starting at Puerta del Sol, which was formerly considered as kilometer 0 because it was the origin of all roads in the city, and extends its route to the northeast, covering 11 kilometers in total length.
In the mid-nineteenth century, Alcalá Street was the financial center of the city. Today, the street is very visited for being a very commercial area, for having in its path the Puente de Ventas, and for having iconic monuments of Spain, such as the Cibeles fountain, where Real Madrid usually celebrates its victories, and the Puerta de Alcalá.
Espiritu Santo Street
Espiritu Santo Street is a central street of only 455 meters that owes its name to a stone cross with a dove, which represented the Holy Spirit, which was preserved in one of its squares until 1820.
This route has a style that feels personal, with graffiti strategically placed on the houses, balconies from where you can see the whole city, stores that have been inherited from generations ago, and the Plaza de Juan Pujol, where you can spend a pleasant time in one of the cafes that compose it.
Paseo de la Castellana
The Paseo de la Castellana is one of the arteries of the city and is 6 kilometers long. It is one of the busiest roads in Madrid and was formerly known as El Paseo Nuevo de las Delicias de la Princesa, as a tribute to Queen Isabel II.
This street shows the most advanced side of Madrid's society, since there are places as important as the Palacio de Congresos de Madrid, the Nuevos Ministerios building complex, the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, the Puertas de Europa towers, or the Museum of Natural Sciences. In addition to several shopping centers where to hang out.
Streets with the best shopping areas in Madrid
Commerce is one of the main economic sectors of Madrid, so it has a wide variety of international brands. This makes it presents a great variety in their products, making it encompasses a traditional trade, as well as a much more innovative one. The streets of Madrid that has a greater number of shopping areas are as follows:
Gran Vía
Gran Via is one of the busiest streets in Madrid, which has a length of more than a kilometer and is known as "Madrid's Broadway", for the numerous cinemas and theaters that are in the area. It also has a large number of restaurants to choose from, and international brand stores, such as Zara, Lacoste and H&M. But one of the most outstanding elements of the thoroughfare is its modern architecture, which includes dozens of large buildings, as well as prestigious department stores, such as El Corte Inglés.
Serrano Street
Serrano Street is a road named after the politician and military Francisco Serrano. It has a length of 4 kilometers, since it begins at the Plaza de la Independencia, continues through the northern part of downtown, and ends at the Plaza de la República de Ecuador.
The thoroughfare is considered one of the most exclusive in Madrid, and has high housing costs. Here you can find large stores such as the ABC Serrano shopping center, renowned jewelry and watch stores such as Piaget, Cartier, Bvlgari, and Tous, settlements of international franchises such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and 5-star restaurants.
Ribera de Curtidores Street
Calle de la Ribera de Curtidores is a 780-meter long street that is known for hosting the Rastro, the most famous open-air market in Spain, which has a wide range of products, divided between new and second-hand goods.
In Ribera de Curtidores Street you can find real estate stores, tapas bars, restaurants, electronics sales, clothing stores, among other things. But, one of the things that most attracts tourists to this area, is to get a closer look at the daily lifestyle of the locals.
Fuencarral Street
Calle de Fuencarral is a 1,500-meter commercial street named after the connection it had with the municipality of Fuencarral during the twentieth century. It is a rather curious street, because, despite being home to several stores, several areas are very narrow, even with the modifications made by the government to enlarge its roads.
The street has an original commercial artery that includes alternative fashion stores, where you can find brands such as GI Joe, Diesel and Kipling, along with creations of other designers who are not so well known, stores of Asian products, and tattoo studios. It also has several cafes and restaurants where you can relax.
Preciados Street
Preciados Street is a public street that, with just 500 meters long, has everything you could look for in merchandise, besides being the headquarters of the international franchise El Corte Ingles. This has made it one of the 5 streets with the most expensive rent in the world.
In this street you can find both international stores, such as FNAC, as well as much more modest stores. It has lines of women's and men's clothing, video game areas, bars, restaurants, bookstores, sale of electronic devices, markets with second-hand items, cinemas, theaters, and much more.
Streets with the best gastronomy in Madrid
The gastronomy of Madrid is based on the customs of La Mancha, and has been passed down from generation to generation since the rule of Philip II in the sixteenth century. One of the main characteristics of this cuisine is its ability to adapt foreign culinary techniques and dishes to its own, so it always has a familiar taste for visitors to the region. To learn more about this gastronomy, the best streets are:
Ponzano Street
Ponzano Street is a public street of one kilometer that gathers 72 pubs, as well as restaurants and stores which change their menus depending on the time of the day. In addition, it is located near entertainment areas such as the Canal Theater, the Santander Park or the Geominero Museum. All this, makes it qualify as the "gastronomic street par excellence".
The street has stores with a very varied menu, the most visited being El Sainete, which has an extensive menu of craft beers, the Sala de Despiece, which has meat as its main ingredient and uses several famous techniques, Los Arcos de Ponzano, specializing in the typical gastronomy of Segovia, and DeAtún, which is said to have the best fish in all of Spain.
Jorge Juan Street
The Calle de Jorge Juan is a public route that has 2300 meters long, known for being the golden mile of Madrid. This is one of the areas that best captures the varied gastronomy of the capital of Spain, with the many restaurants that compose it.
The road has some of the best rated restaurants in Madrid, such as La Máquina which has a cosmopolitan atmosphere and a selection of national and international food, Los Gallos where you can eat sitting on a terrace and uses ingredients from the same market in Madrid, El Paraguas which has a wide selection of meats and fish, or the Huerta de Carabaña which has a menu made with completely organic ingredients.
Cava Baja Street
The Calle Cava Baja is a route no more than 300 meters long, which has 50 taverns on its grounds, which show all the variety of alcoholic beverages that Madrid has. All of them have, in addition, a characteristic style and excellent reviews from critics.
Among the most outstanding establishments on the street we can find the Posada del León de Oro, located in a hotel, the Perejila, which presents a Spanish ambience in all its splendor, the Casa Lucas, whose menu varies between traditional and modern tapas, and the Casa Julián de Tolosa, known not only for its beer, but also for its delicious meats and beans.
Ibiza Street
Ibiza Street is a road that has a length of 1630 meters, which has always had many outstanding restaurants and pubs, such as KultO, Zalamero or Buendi's tavern, but in recent years has had more traffic, to the point of becoming one of the best known and most used gastronomic routes. This is due to the opening of new restaurants.
Since the beginning of 2019, 7 new restaurants have opened on Ibiza Street, run by great personalities of gastronomy, La Casa Julián de Tolosa, a grill; La Bistronómika, The Pâtissier ice cream parlor, El Marginal, a wine bar; La Cocina de Enfrente, dedicated to cocido; El Privado, a restaurant made to organize events; and La Retasca, a tapas and raciones bar with karaoke included.
Santa Maria Street
Calle Santa María is a classic gastronomic route located in the Barrio de las Letras, where you can find dozens of restaurants, cafes, bars, chocolate stores, and other stores, with a great proximity to each other, so it is easy to locate them. In addition, many companies offer tourist guides, where the origins of these foods are explained and promotions and free samples are given.
Most of the restaurants on the road do not have a gourmet menu, but offer traditional dishes. Among the most outstanding are: Tandem, Sky Line Dinner, Bistronómika, Dos Gardenias and Chocolat.
Busiest streets in Madrid
Spain is one of the countries with the most foot traffic in the world, and much of it is concentrated in Madrid, due to its role as the capital. This statistic, rather than being a disadvantage or a benefit, serves to reflect the quality of life in Spain and the number of tourists the city hosts. Below, we will mention the streets most traveled by the general public:
Gran Vía
We have already talked about Gran Via before, so we will not dwell too much on this street. The Gran Via is one of the main routes of Madrid, and the most visited in Spain, which serves as a meeting point for citizens and a recreational and commercial area where you can see several of the most famous Spanish customs. In it you can find areas of interest such as the Prado National Museum, the Plaza Mayor, the Palace of Madrid, El Retiro Park, and dozens of restaurants and divisions of internationally known companies such as Zara, Lacoste and H&M.
Main Street
The Calle Mayor is considered a classic street of the city, as it dates its origins to the sixteenth century where it was used as a triumphal route for the Catholic Monarchs of the time, and has several relevant monuments with which you can learn more about the history of Madrid, as well as the customs of its inhabitants.
The street is one kilometer long and is located in the central part of Madrid. Its appearance is quite unique, as its oldest monuments contrast with its more modern buildings. Among the most famous and visited areas, we can highlight the Mesonero Romanos Museum, the San Miguel Market, Mister Pinkleton's Tavern, the Abrantes Palace, the house of Ruiz de Velasco, and the church of Sacramento.
Calle de las Postas
The Calle de las Postas is an urban road, which was named for having been the point where the post office chairs were mobilized throughout the peninsula hundreds of years ago. It has become one of the most iconic routes in Spain.
The street is quite interesting, as it has a medieval architecture combined with modern structures that makes it stand out from other areas of the city. It has a lot of bars, restaurants, old churches, large buildings, stores of all kinds, outdoor parks, and monuments that tell much of Madrid's history. It is easy to interact with Madrid's culture, as the locals tend to be quite open, and share stories about the city, and their beliefs.
Atocha Street
Atocha Street is a street with a well-defined structure, where you can feel the epochs that have passed in it. This road is so called because in the past, during the Middle Ages, the settlers used to carry a hermitage of the Virgin of Atocha along the way.
Although it does not have many fashionable stores, it has interesting places such as the Church of San Sebastian, which has been declared a National Monument, the Cervantino Center, named after the writer of Don Quixote, the Barrio de las Letras, or the Palace of Santa Cruz, to mention the most prominent. Its route varies from steep to straight and goes from the Glorieta de Carlos V to the Plaza Mayor, being able to see an evolution and a contrast between the modern and the old.
Paseo del Pintor Rosales
The Paseo del Pintor Rosales is one of the most luxurious and exclusive urban roads in Madrid, which starts in Ferraz street and ends its route in Paseo de Moret, covering a total of 1200 meters in length in total. Its name is a tribute to Eduardo Rosales, a purist painter of the nineteenth century who was known for being the nominal director of the Academy of Spain in Rome for several years.
The street is one of the most visited in Madrid because it shows great beauty in its surroundings. You can find a harmony between wooded areas, old buildings, monuments of great value and large buildings. Here are areas known as the Bruin Café, the house of Rafael Alberti, the bust of Paul P. Harris, the Parque del Oeste and the Debod Temple, there is also a cable car from where you can see the whole city. In addition, it has been home to famous figures such as the bullfighter Enrique Ponce, the actress and singer Carmen Sevilla, or the film director, Pedro Amodóvar.
How to choose an area to live in Madrid?
Madrid is one of the most populated cities in Spain, with 3 million inhabitants, which for its quality of life, its multicultural character, and its great job offer has become the goal of many people to settle. But, being a municipality with an area of 604, 3 km² has many areas to choose from, so we will explain the points that anyone should consider if you want to live in Madrid:
Knowing the real estate offer
In Madrid each area has its own housing typology and income in relation to these. Likewise, there are 21 different districts in the city, and each one has its own requirements for tenants, apart from the basic conditions that are requested in any part of Spain. So, the best thing to do is to have in mind as much information as possible about the market of the streets of Madrid, before considering living in it, in order to make a good long term plan and avoid suffering any monetary loss.
The best way for an individual to know the real estate offer in an area on their own, is through apps that are specifically in charge of this, such as Yampi or Aptuno. But, if what you are looking for is to get a house quickly, then it is best to hire a real estate agent, who will take care of the market data and get several options of residence according to the tastes of the contractor.
Using certain zones as a starting point for choosing a zone
One of the best ways to choose a street in Madrid where to live, is to know all the businesses and buildings that are in the street, and evaluate what would be the impact they would have on the daily life of the person, with their pros and cons. In this evaluation, it is advisable to take into account, mainly, the hospitals in the area, in case of an emergency, and the place of work.
Not only is it enough to know the structure of the street and the way it is composed, but the person should also evaluate the distance it would take to get to these places, determining whether it is something important or not, taking into account the frequency with which he/she would go to these places.
Other aspects that should also be taken into account are the attitude of the community and its performance in dealing with certain problems, which can be done by talking to a neighbor of the house where you plan to live.
Make use of trusted real estate sites
Real estate pages and applications are an element that can streamline the entire housing selection process, showing the housing options available in the city, contact numbers to communicate, and some are even able to compare the rental price they have. Although, this can be dangerous in certain cases that request personal information, so it is recommended to use trusted sites such as promora, habitatsoft or Ezpot, which are not only effective in the search and acquisition of real estate, but are completely free.
Ask for advice from residents
Not having any notion about the streets of Madrid, a good idea is to ask for advice from the Madrileños themselves about living areas, and ask for recommendations from them. This way, you can get a much more personal point of view, and opinions about little things that are more difficult to evaluate by real estate agencies or web pages.
If you do not know anyone who lives in Madrid, you can use a forum, or pages like Reddit, to ask a collective question and get hundreds of answers from users. Also, you can use another social network like Facebook to get this information, and try to establish a new friendship, although this can be more complex in this type of page.
What are the requirements to be able to live in a neighborhood in Madrid?
Depending on the area where you are looking to live, the requirements for living on the street will vary, and it is not uncommon for housing managers to ask for unusual documents on an application, and even include certain restrictions on tenants. So, before making an application, it is important to know all the details of the lease.
However, regardless of the street where you are going to live, there are certain documents that will always be requested, so it is best to always have them in order to make the whole procedure much faster and avoid someone else making an application. Next, we are going to mention everything you need to be able to rent in Madrid:
- Have a legal residence in the country, and show the ID, in the case of Spanish residents, or a copy of the passport, in the case of immigrants.
- Give the initial rent.
- Document identifying the lessee.
- Include in the contract the duration of the residency.
- Present the title of the property to be purchased/leased.
If you plan to buy an apartment in Madrid, then the list of basic conditions becomes much longer, so we will also make a list of files that are needed:
- Title to the property to be purchased.
- Property registration.
- Certificate of occupancy.
- Energy efficiency certificate.
- Proof of the last receipts, where it is shown that no non-payment will be dealt with.
- Document showing all current assets and debts.
- Copy of the properties.
- Criminal record.
Best Neighborhoods and Areas to Live in Madrid
Madrid is as we already know the capital of Spain, that is why in it we can find many interesting areas to live, the main advantage of this is that they can be molded to our needs, budgets and comfort, this mainly due to large size that has Madrid along with the importance of it.
Below we will give you a list of the best areas in Madrid to live, regardless of whether it will be for a short period of time, less than 3 months, or if you are looking for a place to live on a more permanent basis.
Chamartín
Chamartin is an area located north of Madrid, it is considered one of the best areas to live in the city of Madrid being for this reason also one of the most demanded areas of the capital of Spain. It has a lot of advantages to take into account if you decide to live here. Among them we get the following:
- Chamartín is one of the central districts of Madrid and one of the districts with the most gardens and residential areas.
- In Chamartín there is a wide variety of schools and commercial areas of great concentration.
- The entire Chamartín district is connected by public transportation.
- Chamartín is home to Real Madrid's stadium, the "Santiago Bernabeu".
- In Chamartín there is currently a supply of almost 1,100 homes.
But as well as good things, Chamartín also offers some disadvantages, although some are relative to those who will live in that area, some of these are the following:
- The "Santiago Bernabeu" is usually crowded with people that can cause traffic jams in the neighboring streets.
- Chamartín, being one of the most central areas of Madrid, is also one of the most expensive.
- In addition, Chamartín is also usually a very sought-after area, so it can be difficult to find housing.
- Chamartín offers mostly 2-bedroom apartments, or 1-bedroom apartments, 4-bedroom apartments or villas can be found but in smaller quantities.
- Many of the stores located in Chamartín tend to have higher prices for their products than others located outside this area.
Chamartín is an area that offers a great variety of interesting places which make it even more attractive. Among them we find the following places.
Sports Center in Chamartín
In Chamartín we have different sports centers, among the best known and most complete in the area we have the following:
- Chamartín Municipal Sports Center (Pius XII, 2)
- Antonio Magariños Sports Center (Serrano, 127)
- Pradillo Municipal Sports Center (Pradillo, 33)
Museums and galleries in Chamartín
Chamartin is an area with many interesting places full of history and art to visit, it has some of the most famous museums in the city, a must for many tourists. Some of these places of interest are the following:
- Canal Art Exhibition Center (Paseo Castellana, 214)
- Daniel Cardani Gallery (Prof. Waksman, 12)
- Canal de Isabel II Foundation (Mateo Inurria, 2)
- Olivar de Castillejo Foundation (Menéndez Pidal, 3)
- National Museum of Natural Sciences (Jose Guitierres Abascal, 2)
- Grand Lodge of Spain - Grande Oriente Español (Juan Ramón Jiménez, 6)
- Real Madrid Museum (Concha Espina, 1)
- Muse Efe, The House of News (Av. de Burgos, 8B)
- Proyecto H Contemporary Gallery (Alfonso XIII Av., 109)
- Sala de Arte Joven (Av. de América, 13)
Theaters and cinemas in Chamartín
Chamartín also offers various types of entertainment in the world of shows and art, among the most striking places for this type of interest we get the following:
- Houdini Magic Room (Garcia Luna, 13)
- Conde Duque Morasol Cinema (Pradillo, 4)
- Pradillo Theater (Pradillo, 12)
Cultural centers in Chamartín
Chamartín is an area full of culture, where various types of events are held in some of the most prestigious places in the city in this field. Some of the most popular are the following:
- Egyptian Institute of Islamic Studies (Francisco de Asís Méndez Casariego, 1)
- National Music Auditorium (Príncipe de Vergara, 146)
- Nicolás Salmerón Cultural Center (Mantuano, 51)
- Luis Gonzaga Sociocultural Center (Príncipe de Vergara, 142)
- Duque de Pastrana Auditorium (Paseo de la Habana, 208)
Parks in Chamartín
Chamartin is an area with what are considered the most beautiful gardens in Madrid, also has a wide variety of green areas so you can be in contact with nature without having to move away from the big city. Among the most popular places of this type we get the following:
- Pablo Sorozábal Gardens (Príncipe de Vergara, 139)
- Berlin Park (Ramón y Cajal, 2)
- San Fernando Gardens (Alberto Alcocer, 9)
- Alfonso XIII Park (Ada. Alfonso XIII, 136)
- Doctor Fleming Gardens (Doctor Fleming, 1)
- Castellana World Cup Gardens (Castellana, 142)
- Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente Park (Padre Claret, 38)
- Garden of Fine Arts (Castellana, 78)
Schools in Chamartín
Chamartín, being an area with many residences, at least 70% of Chamartín is made up of residential areas, in this area there are various types of educational institutions, both public and private.
In this area we have a total of 9 public schools, 3 high schools, 9 private schools, about 20 charter schools, including a total of 11 that are bilingual Spanish-English.
To know exactly the information of each of these educational centers you can follow the following link of the Community of Madrid for more information.
Places to buy in Chamartín
Chamartin being such a popular area, there are also many different types of stores that can be found. This is a great advantage since most of the most important shopping centers can be found within Chamartin without having to go far away. In every street there is usually at least 1 supermarket and small stores of different types.
Among the most commercial streets and with more concentration within Chamartin we get the Paseo de la Habana, a promenade with many stores and life from its beginning to its end that reaches the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, plus several sections of Principe de Vergara and Dr. Fleming area also has many different types of stores.
Additionally in Chamartin we get the popular shopping center Castellana 200. Among the largest supermarkets in the area we get the Chamartin market, this a market with a huge variety of products being all of high quality, in addition there is also the Prosperidad market, not as big as Chamartin but also quite popular and varied.
Is it worth living in Chamartín?
Undoubtedly Chamartin is one of the favorite areas of many who tend to seek comfort in Madrid, but it is also one of the most expensive areas, this is mainly because it is located in the heart of Madrid, this is a great advantage but a large increase in the price of their rents and sale of properties coming to affect this even to the products sold there.
Despite this Chamartin offers a wide range of interesting advantages to consider making it one of the most recommended areas to live. In order to choose this area we recommend above all to have a good budget for renting or buying a house, since in addition to being expensive, the services are also expensive and this has to be taken into account.
Yes, Chamartin is totally worth it although it is an area that is not suitable for people with a tight budget to rent or live in as it can be quite an expensive area to live in Madrid.
Salamanca
Salamanca is another important area of Madrid, this is a district full of commercial, cultural, gastronomic and leisure life which is excellently connected by public transport with the rest of the city of Madrid, within Salamanca we get different neighborhoods of great importance as the Castellana, Lista, Goya, Recoletos and others.
Within Salamanca are the highest quality buildings in the city of Madrid and major shopping areas, the supply of apartments amounts to 1800 and the price of these is around 22 euros per square meter. This is an area that offers a lot of advantages to all those who decide to live in it, among these we find the following:
- Salamanca is an area with an excellent distribution by public transportation, being able to reach any part of Madrid from there.
- In Salamanca we can get a great variety of offer in the furniture section, mainly due to its size.
- Having a large size, within the area you can get a wide variety of places to visit and shop, all with quite competitive prices.
- Within Salamanca are some of the most important historical areas of Madrid.
- In much of Salamanca we can get fairly new buildings which reflect the most avant-garde part of Madrid.
- Salamanca is a fairly important commercial area but this, unlike other areas such as Chamartin, is not an impediment to various types of services such as traffic.
But in Salamanca we can also get some disadvantages that can make the final decision about living in this area can change, among these disadvantages that we get in Salamanca are the following:
- Salamanca, being such a popular area with so many important places, tends to have higher than normal housing prices.
- Within Salamanca we can get buildings with a lower quality than others due to the fact that part of this area has not yet been remodeled.
- Although there is a large supply of furniture in Salamanca, many areas are for sale only, especially those houses of the chalet type.
- Most of the rentals in Salamanca are 2-bedroom apartments, studio and 1-bedroom rentals are quite scarce.
In Salamanca we can get a huge amount of interesting places to explore and make life in this area much more enjoyable, among these places of interest we get the following.
Sports centers in Salamanca
In Madrid sport is very important and in Salamanca we have several sports centers that make this very clear, some of the most important in this area are the following:
- Wizink Center (Jorge Juan, 99)
- Torrespaña Basic Municipal Sports Facility - Fuente del Berro (Alcalde Sáinz de Baranda, 94 (with M-30))
- Basic Municipal Sports Facility Breogán Park (Av. Brasilia, 2)
- Fuente del Berro Municipal Sports Center (Elvira, 36)
- Eva Duarte Basic Municipal Sports Facility (Doctor Gómez Ulla, 9)
- Alcántara Municipal Sports Center (Alcantara, 26)
- Boston Basic Sports Facility (Boston, 1)
- Gimnasio Moscardó Municipal Sports Center (Pilar de Zaragoza, 93)
Museums and Art Galleries in Salamanca
Salamanca also has a very important historical part not only for Madrid but for the whole country, in honor of this we get several museums of great importance in this area, in addition to this we can also find important Art Galleries, being Salamanca one of the districts with greater diversity in these 2 aspects, among these we get the following:
- Guillemo de Osma Gallery (Claudio Coello, 4, 1º izq.)
- Juan March Foundation (Castelló, 77)
- The Fresh Gallery (Conde de Aranda , 5)
- Kreisler Art Gallery (Hermosilla, 8)
- David Bardia Art Gallery (Villanueva, 40)
- Herrero de Tejada Gallery (Hermosilla, 49)
- Marita Segovia Gallery (Lagasca, 7)
- David Bardia Art Gallery (Villanueva, 40)
- Jorge Alcolea Gallery (Claudio Coello, 28)
- Álvaro Alcázar Art Gallery (Ferrer del Río, 5)
- Fernando Pradilla Gallery (Claudio Coello , 20)
- Carlos de Amberes Foundation (Claudio Coello, 99)
- Fernández-Braso Gallery (Villanueva, 30)
- Parra & Romero (Claudio Coello, 14)
- Concha Barrios Gallery (Villanueva, 27)
- National Library Museum (Paseo de Recoletos, 20 - 22)
- Casa de La Moneda Museum (Doctor Esquerdo, 36)
- Lázaro Galdiano Museum (Serrano, 122)
- National Archaeological Museum (Serrano, 13)
Schools in Salamanca
Salamanca is a fairly large area but compared to other areas of Madrid does not have a large number of schools, but still has a total of 15 schools, including 11 bilingual, Spanish - English, of these 3 schools are public, 2 schools are private, and there are a total of 2 institutes.
For more specific information on the educational centers located in Salamanca you can visit the following link of the Community of Madrid.
Parks in Salamanca
In Salamanca we get many interesting areas for entertainment, in addition to these areas there are also parks which offer not only a section for entertainment, but also for contact with nature. Although we must emphasize that inside Salamanca there are not many parks, this in comparison to other zones, the most important ones that we get are the following ones:
- Fuente del Berro Park (Peñascales, s/n)
- Eva Duarte de Perón Park (Doctor Gómez Ulla, 9)
It should be noted that also within Salamanca is the famous Retiro Park, but it also belongs to another district of Madrid, the same border between the 2 districts and is often visited by tourists how by the same inhabitants of Madrid in general.
Theaters and cinemas in Salamanca
In this district of Madrid as we mentioned above we get a huge variety of entertainment centers of all types, among these we get theaters and cinemas of great importance. Among the most prominent places in this area we find the following:
- Tribueñe Theater (Sancho Dávila , 31)
- Conde Duque Cinemas - Goya (Goya, 67)
- New Alcalá Theater (Jorge Juan, 62)
Cultural centers in Salamanca
Salamanca is a very diverse area with a lot of culture, that is why within this area we get important cultural centers that are worth knowing and visiting constantly if you decide to live in this important area of Madrid, some of the most important cultural centers of Salamanca are the following:
- Guindalera Space (Martínez Izquierdo, 20)
- Student Residence (Pinar, 21 - 23)
- Casa de América (Plaza de Cibeles, 4)
- Fernán Gómez Centro Cultural de la Villa (Plaza de Colón, 4)
- Arab House (Alcalá, 62)
- China Cultural Center in Madrid (General Pardiñas, 73)
Commercial areas in Salamanca
This is a very important commercial and residential district, so we also get different types of commercial areas of great importance, among them we get the popular and well known "Golden Mile", one of the most exclusive shopping areas of Madrid where we can find international luxury brands of all kinds.
In addition to this we also find another shopping area of great importance to the city which covers the streets Goya and Conde de Peñalver, here we can get a variety of stores of all kinds with varied prices, some much more affordable than in other parts of Madrid, this despite how expensive it can be Salamanca.
Is it worth living in Salamanca?
Salamanca is a fairly important area within Madrid which makes it an ideal place to live although being so close to the center of the city itself can become a little expensive, but this gives the advantage of being one of the best connected areas of Madrid in which you can get to any point of the city quickly and without any loss.
Salamanca is an area especially recommended for those who have a family of no more than 3 people, it is also highly recommended for university students due to the great mobility within it, although the lack of studio apartments can make it difficult and expensive for students to stay in this area.
Chamberí
Among the different places to live in Madrid Chamberí is considered by many as one of the best because of how varied it is, how well located it is as it is in the heart of Madrid, and also has many iconic places of the city of Madrid.
In this district you can get classic buildings with very attractive housing offers, important commercial areas and many connections not only to move in the city, but also to get out of it easily because in Chamberí is the access - exit by road to the west of Madrid.
In turn we get that Chamberí is divided into different being one of the most popular Vallehermoso, Almagro and Arapiles. Within this area we can get a number of advantages to take into account if you decide to move, among these are the following:
- Chamberí is an area with an enormous cultural diversity due to the large number of tourist sites within it.
- In Chamberí there is a great variety of people living and being such an attractive area it is usually very busy in terms of sales and work.
- In this area we get different cultural buildings that make touring Chamberí enjoyable at any time.
- This being an area located in the center of the city usually has many types of celebrations held within it, making its cultural life quite striking.
- As it is an area very visited by tourists, it usually has accessible prices in a great amount of products.
But Chamberí also has some important disadvantages to take into account before moving, these can affect more than one making the option of living in Chamberí not as feasible as for others, among these disadvantages we get the following:
- Chamberí is a highly demanded area which makes it quite expensive in terms of rent.
- This is a very important cultural area and the supply of residential places for rent is not as extensive as in other districts of Madrid.
- Chamberí has a great distribution and mobility in its streets but this can be confusing for mobility on foot.
- Within Chamberí there are many tourist places making this the influx of people is greater than in other parts of Madrid.
Within Chamberí there are approximately 1000 apartments available for rent, a little less than other areas of Madrid, among those the most abundant are 2 bedroom apartments making it ideal for small families.
In addition to all this Chamberí also has a great variety of places of interest that are worth visiting. Among these we get the following.
Cultural centers in Chamberí
Chamberí has a great cultural life being this one of its biggest attractions when visited by tourists, within this district we get important places within this branch, some of these are the following:
- Conde Duque Center (Calle Conde Duque 11 28015 Madrid): This is an important cultural center where you can find important exhibition halls, as well as a theater and an auditorium where large-scale shows are held.
In addition, the Conde Duque Center is home to the Archivo de la Villa, the Historical Library as well as the Memoria de Madrid Digital Library and the Municipal Newspaper Library.
This building was once a barracks of great importance for the city of Madrid and dates from the seventeenth century, it is considered the last great example of Madrid architecture before the introduction of the Italian style which has been dominant since the construction of the Royal Palace of Madrid.
- Galileo Cultural Center (Calle Galileo, 39 28015 Madrid): This cultural center is located in a striking nineteenth century building which still retains much of its old structure, also offers important courses and activities to the public. Finally, one of its main attractions is the theater where important plays are regularly presented.
Sports centers in Chamberí
In Chamberí, as well as in the rest of Spain, great importance is given to the sports section of the public, for this reason there are several sports centers of great renown and importance within the city. Among these we get the following:
- Chamberí Futsal Club (Bravo Murillo, 16 - 28015 Madrid)
- Vallehermoso Municipal Sports Center (Avda. Filipinas, 7 - 28003 Madrid)
- Club Sala de Armas de Madrid (Avda. Filipinas, 40 - 28003 Madrid)
- Canal de Isabel II Sports Facility (Avda. Filipinas, 54 - 28003 Madrid)
- Basic Sports Facility Municipal Fencing Hall (Avda. Filipinas, 7 - 28003 Madrid)
Theaters and cinemas in Chamberí
Chamberí offers a large section of theaters and cinemas for the enjoyment of both tourists and those who live in the area, some are considered some of the most important in Madrid. Some of these are the following:
- Group of Canal theaters (Teatro de la Abadía, Teatros Luchana and Teatro Amaya).
- Palafox Cinema.
- Small Studio Cinema.
- Conde Duque Verdí Alberto Aguilera Cinemas.
- Verdi Bravo Cinemas (in its original version)
- Conde Duque Santa Engracia Cinema.
- Cine Paz.
- Cine Proyecciones located in the mythical Fuencarral Street, formerly popularly known as "Calle de los Cines".
Museums and Art Galleries in Chamberí
Chamberí as we have mentioned stands out, besides other things, for its excellent cultural and historical section, this is reflected in the important museums and art galleries that we can get within this district. Among these we can get the following:
- Marlborough Gallery (Orfila 5 - 28010 Madrid)
- Platform 0 (Plaza Chamberí s/n - 28010 Madrid)
- Canal Isabel II Hall (Santa Engracia, 125 - 28003 Madrid)
- Civil Guard Museum (Guzman el Bueno, 110 - 28003 Madrid)
- Marcelo Jorissen Mine (Ríos Rosas, 21 (ETS de Ingenieros de Minas de Madrid) - 28003 Madrid)
- Geominero Museum (Ríos Rosas 23 - 28003 Madrid)
- Sorolla Museum (General Martínez Campos, 37 - 28010)
- ABC Museum of Drawing and Illustration (Amaniel, 29 - 28015 Madrid): This is one of the most important museums of its kind in Madrid. It has 2 exhibition halls, a restoration laboratory and the popular Espacio Edelvives bookstore.
Parks in Chamberí
Chamberí in addition to its interesting cultural and historical section also has very interesting natural places to visit, among these we get the following:
- Santander Park (Avenida de Filipinas, 1128003)
- The area of the Plaza de Olavide located in Trafalgar which has several terraces, a place where many locals usually meet.
In addition to this Chamberí has a large number of outdoor playgrounds that are easily accessible to the public. These are located mostly in Fuencarral street, between Quevedo and Bilbao, here you can find the Pista Pump Track in the Jardines de José Luis Sampedro in Galileo street nº 33, it is a circuit for bicycles divided in several zones and suitable for all public.
Commercial areas in Chamberí
Chamberí is a very popular area but not as commercial as other parts of Madrid, in every street there are usually small stores and the most important commercial area is in the Calle Princesa which is also popularly known as the "Silver Mile", this in response to the "Golden Mile" of Salamanca.
In addition to this, it is worth mentioning the area adjacent to the Centro district, which also has several commercial areas of great importance for Chamberí.
Schools in Chamberí
Chamberí is a less residential area compared to other areas of Madrid, but still with a great variety of academic institutions, here we have a total of 6 public schools, 3 private schools, 3 high schools, 10 charter schools and a total of 10 bilingual Spanish-English schools.
To learn more about the section of schools located in Chamberí, you can visit the official website of the Community of Madrid.
Is it worth living in Chamberí?
Chamberí is a very ideal area to live in Madrid as it is one of the most important areas of the city, mainly because of its location in the center of Madrid, as well as the ease with which you can access and leave it, as well as the city. In addition to this, one of the biggest attractions of Chamberí are its cultural areas, as many of these are iconic not only for the city but for all of Spain.
This district is one of the most recommended to live in, especially for those who have a large rental budget, since it is such a demanded area and with so little rental offer compared to other parts of Madrid, these are usually a little more expensive than the average.
Chamberí is ideal for students, especially if they decide to share rentals since the supply of studio or one-bedroom rentals are not as abundant as places with 2 rooms. Also a plus of Chamberí is the attention to their services that are usually one of the best due to its location in the center of Madrid.
Retreat
In Madrid we get different types of areas each with different offerings for all types of audiences, many of them are usually easily adapted to the demands of anyone and among them we get the Retiro area. This is a very popular area in Madrid which revolves mainly around the Retiro Park, a very important park for the city of Madrid being the largest urban park in the city.
This area has different neighborhoods and many of them are usually very different from each other, something quite characteristic of this area, among the best known neighborhoods of the Retiro we get Ibiza, Jerónimos, Pacífico, Niño Jesús and Estrella.
This is a very varied area in terms of the housing offered, this being one of its strongest points. Rental prices usually vary according to the Retiro Park, the closer and better view you have of it, the more expensive the rent tends to be. Among the most recommended areas to live we get the following:
- Jerónimos: Within this area we get affordable prices compared to other areas of the Retiro but with interesting places like the Prado Museum, the Botanical Garden, the Church of the Jerónimos and many of its buildings are classics with high quality and very spacious homes.
- Ibiza: Ibiza is part of this district and is one of the best places to live as there is a great offer of housing, although most of them tend to be small. Many of these buildings are old but renovated, this gives a more striking touch to each house due to its contemporary look.
- Baby Jesus: As a last recommendation we have Niño Jesúsm, in this area most of the buildings are from the 70 ́s and the houses are very spacious, here we can get many student residences but outside of this the offer for small houses is not much.
This is a very popular area to live and for this reason many people choose it to live, among the main advantages that we get from living in the Retiro we have the following:
- Retiro is a very popular cultural area and for this reason there are many tourists in the area making it a place where there can be a great variety of job offers.
- Being an area so frequented by tourists, it is usually very well connected to all public transportation in the city.
- Retiro has quick access to other areas of Madrid without the need to take different means of transportation.
- In Retiro many stores tend to have very competitive prices compared to other areas of Madrid.
- In terms of housing, one of the most striking attractions of Retiro is the old style of each of its houses. Although this may seem a disadvantage, many of these homes are renovated to avoid problems.
El Retiro is an area in high demand for housing and rentals but it also has different disadvantages when it comes to take it into consideration to choose as a place to live, among the main disadvantages of living in this area we get the following:
- Retiro being a very popular area has quite high prices in rents, being some places considered the most expensive compared to others in Madrid.
- Being an area so frequented by tourists usually has a large influx of people compared to others in Madrid.
- Retiro is not a residential area and has many commercial areas making it a noisy area compared to others in Madrid.
Retiro is an area that has a great variety in rental offers, most of the houses that you get are apartments where the most abundant are 2 and 3 bedrooms, prices usually range from 500 euros and up, this is mainly due to the large number of striking places within Retiro. Among these we get the following.
Cultural centers in Retiro
Retiro is a very important cultural area, so it has an interesting variety of cultural centers, some of them very well known in Madrid. Some of these are the following:
- Casa de Vacas Cultural Center (Paseo de Colombia, 1 (inside El Retiro Park)).
- CentroCentro (Plaza Cibeles, 1 (City Hall building)).
Sports centers in Retiro
In Retiro we have important sports centers dedicated to all the public, among the most outstanding ones we have the following:
- La Chopera Municipal Sports Center (Paseo Fernán Núñez, 3)
- Daoíz y Velarde Municipal Sports Center I (Avenida Ciudad de Barcelona, 162)
- Municipal Sports Center Retiro Pond (Paseo Colombia, 2)
- Daoíz y Velarde Municipal Sports Center II (Alberche, 21)
- Real Canoe Madrid Club (Flying Fish, 30)
Theaters and Cinemas in Retiro
Within the cultural section offered by the Retiro we get a wide variety of theaters and cinemas for the enjoyment of all audiences. Among the best known and most important are the following:
- Retiro Puppet Theater (Avda. Mexico, 4 (inside the park)): This is one of the most important theater institutions aimed at children's audiences within Madrid, it is free of charge and usually has performances every weekend of the year.
- Renoir Retiro Cinema (Narvaez, 42)
Museums and Art Galleries in Retiro
In Retiro we get a huge variety of important museums and Art Galleries in Madrid, some of them well known in much of Spain, among the most important places in this area in Retiro we get the following:
- National Museum of Decorative Arts (Montalban, 12)
- Prado Museum (Ruíz de Alarcón, 23)
- National Museum of Anthropology (Alfonso XII, 68)
- Casón del Buen Retiro (Alfonso XII, 28 (belongs to the Prado Museum)).
- Madrid Stock Exchange (Plaza de la Lealtad, 1 (Palacio de la Bolsa)).
- Ansorena Art Gallery (Alcalá, 52).
- Naval Museum (Paseo del Prado, 5)
- EFTI International Center for Photography and Film (Fuenterrabía, 4)
- Royal Tapestry Factory (Fuenterrabía, 2)
- Crystal Palace (It belongs to the Reina Sofia Museum, it is inside the Retiro Park, Paseo República de Cuba, 4).
- Velazquez Palace (It belongs to the Reina Sofia Museum, it is inside the Retiro Park, Paseo Venezuela, 2).
- Royal Spanish Academy (Philip IV, 4)
- Pantheon of Illustrious Men (Julián Gayarre, 3).
- The Neomudejar (Antonio Nebrija, 1)
Parks in Retiro
Retiro is a very popular area for its parks, but the most attractive one is undoubtedly the park that bears the name of the district, the Retiro ParkThis is the most important green area in the center of Madrid, it has gardens of different styles, architectural elements and stories of great importance for Madrid as well as different types of fountains and sculptures. It is located at Plaza de la Independencia, 7 - 28001 Madrid.
In addition to the part of the Retreat, we also find the Royal Botanical Garden The Retiro Park is considered, along with the Retiro Park, one of the best areas to enjoy nature in the center of Madrid, it is a place with a lot of history which spans more than 2 centuries, it can be visited every day of the year except Christmas and New Year.
Schools in Retiro
El Retiro is a very commercial area but also has important educational centers, in this district there are a total of 7 public schools, 4 private schools, 2 institutes, 14 charter schools of which 12 are bilingual, Spanish - English.
For more information regarding all the academic institutions that El Retiro has, you can consult any pertinent information in the link of the Community of Madrid.
Commercial areas in Retiro
El Retiro, being an area frequented by tourists, also has important commercial areas. Where you usually find the largest commercial offer is around the streets Ibiza and Naváez, these extend to the area of the Corte Inglés de Goya in the Salamanca District.
Narvaez street crosses the entire neighborhood of Ibiza, it is also a popular area for strolling, terraces but above all it is an important commercial territory of Retiro. Here you can find the main chains of young fashion, children's fashion, shoe stores and more.
Is it worth living in Retiro?
Retiro is a highly recommended place to live if you decide to settle in Madrid, mainly because of the great importance of this area for the city of Madrid. Within Retiro the most striking is the famous Retiro Park, well known in Madrid and in much of Spain, although it usually directly affects the price of rents because the closer you are to it, the higher the prices will be.
Another great attraction of Retiro is that being such a popular area is also connected in an excellent way with all public transport in Madrid and usually has quick exits to different areas of the city and outside it.
One of the most negative points to take into consideration when choosing Retiro as a place to live are the prices of their rents as well as the small supply of rental housing compared to larger areas of Madrid and much more residential. This is a recommended place mainly for families since the offer in 2 and 3 bedroom homes is usually higher compared to studios and one-bedroom apartments.
Arturo Soria
As we have already seen Madrid has different districts of great importance, each of them with important things to offer, another one that has to be considered when we are looking for where to live in Madrid is the Arturo Soria district. This is not directly a district but a union of 3 districts that we have joined as they all have many aspects in common being the most significant of all the Arturo Soria street, there is why the choice of the name by the people of Madrid.
These districts besides having in common Arturo Soria street have each of its streets and neighborhoods quite different from each other, most of them are outside the central core of Madrid and outside the M-30 but each of them is communicated in an excellent way through public transport with different medical centers, schools, museums and much more.
As for the main topic, housing, these 3 districts tend to be a bit complicated to look for housing since many real estate agencies do not usually include the exact addresses of the rentals in this area. Although with a walk around you can get many ads with affordable prices.
This area offers many interesting advantages to consider if you are planning to choose it as a place to live. Among the best advantages of this style we get the following:
- This is an area that due to its location is very well connected to Madrid and the center of the city.
- Prices in these districts are not usually as high as in other areas of Madrid.
- It has all kinds of accesses and a great variety of buildings where there is usually a great availability of apartments for rent.
- New projects have been developed in these districts to add a larger residential section to the area thus increasing the amount of available rentals.
- It is an area in constant growth that offers a great variety of commerce among the 3 districts, all with very accessible prices.
- In this area is one of the most recent urban developments in Madrid where various services are included and since 2005 has the Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid (Real Madrid Sports City).
But it's not all great news as Arturo Soria may have some important disadvantages to take into consideration:
- Although there are a total of 3 districts that we include, they do not have a large number of housing offers available.
- Within this area there is a large percentage of villas and family homes with up to 4 bedrooms. The offer of apartments with fewer bedrooms is much smaller.
- Starting prices for basic rentals are usually more expensive than normal, but for rentals larger than 3 rooms there are usually better prices due to the abundance of rooms.
- In Arturo Soria we get neighborhoods with quite old buildings with a medium - low quality in its construction. Although in these places the rental prices are usually more affordable.
In this set of 3 districts there are some small urbanizations with villas, among the most recommended neighborhoods to live in are Colin, Atalaya and San Juan Bautista in Ciudad Lineal, Pinar del Rey, Piovera and Canillas in Hortaleza, and Canillejas in San Blas.
In addition to this, in this area we can find a large section of places of interest very striking for both tourists and residents of the city. Some of these are the following.
Cultural centers in Arturo Soria
In the districts that we get in Arturo Soria we get a great cultural section very interesting to know, among the main places for this purpose we have the following:
- La Elipa Cultural Center (Santa Felicidad, 39)
- Siena Sociocultural Center (Siena, 52)
- Joaquín Turina Music Center (Dalia, 4)
- Prince of Asturias Cultural Center (Institución Libre de Enseñanza, 14)
- Islamic Cultural Center. Madrid Mosque (Salvador Madariaga, 4)
- Open air auditorium. Calero Park (Jose del Hierro, 3)
- Ciudad Lineal Sociocultural Center (Poeta Blas de Otero, 81)
- San Juan Bautista Cultural Center (San Nemesio, 4)
- Carmen Laforet Auditorium (Jasmine, 46)
- Santiago Apostle Integrated Center (Carrión de los Condes, 73)
- Federico Chueca Cultural Center (Benita Avila, 17)
- Carril del Conde Cultural Center (Carril del Conde, 57)
- Hortaleza Cultural Center (St. Virgilia, 15)
- Huerta de la Salud Cultural Center (Antilles Sea, 8)
- Sanchinarro Cultural Center (Princesa de Éboli, 29)
Sports Centers in Arturo Soria
In the districts that we find in Arturo Soria we get different sports centers of great importance in Madrid, some of them of great importance in the city. Among these we get the following:
- Dreams Ice Palace (Silvano, 77)
- San Juan Bautista Municipal Sports Center (Treviana, 1)
- Pueblo Nuevo Municipal Sports Center (Francisco Rioja, 14)
- Los Prunos Municipal Sports Center (Petunias, 30)
- Hortaleza Municipal Sports Center (Hortaleza Station, 11)
- Concepción Municipal Sports Center (José del Hierro, 5)
- Luis Aragonés Municipal Sports Center (El Provencio, 20)
- La Almudena Municipal Sports Center (Nicolás Salmerón, 8)
Theaters and Cinemas in Arturo Soria
In Arturo Soria we get different places to go to be entertained in different ways, each of its districts has different attractions and some quite popular cinemas and theaters in Madrid, some of the most striking are the following:
- Café Teatro Serendipia (Germán Pérez Carrasco, 21)
- Artesiete Alcalá Cinema (Alcalá Norte Shopping Center - Calle de Alcalá, 414)
- Cinesa Manoteras 3D (Manoteras Shopping Center - Av. de Manoteras, 40)
- Mk2 Ice Palace (Palacio de Hielo Shopping Mall)
Museums and Art Galleries in Arturo Soria
As in much of Madrid, in Arturo Soria we get different sites of great cultural and historical interest for the city, many residential buildings have an interesting past due to its antiquity, but in addition to these we also find museums and art galleries that reflect in a great way the historical past of these 3 districts as well as part of Spain, some of these are the following:
- St. Mary Magdalene Russian Orthodox Cathedral (Gran Vía de Hortaleza, 48)
- Almudena Cemetery (Avenida de Daroca, 90)
- Hortaleza Silo (Antilles Sea, 14)
- African Museum (Arturo Soria, 101)
Parks in Arturo Soria
Being Arturo Soria a union of 3 districts here we can get several parks of great importance which give all visitors a pleasant visit to a small natural touch in the busy city of Madrid, among the most popular and popular parks in this area we get the following:
- Valdebebas Forest Park-Felipe VI (Avenida de las Fuerzas Armadas, 11)
- John Paul II Park (Machupichu, 1)
- Antonio Pirala Park (Antonio Pirala, 8)
- El Calero Park (José del Hierro, 1)
- Jasmine Garden (Roquetas de Mar, 10)
- Salvador de Madariaga Park (Salvador de Madariaga, 9)
- Los Tilos Park (Nicolás Salmerón, 1)
- Pinar de la Elipa Park (Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, 26)
- El Cedral Park (Arturo Soria, 233)
Commercial Zones in Arturo Soria
In all 3 districts that make up Arturo Soria we can get a variety of neighborhood stores in different residential areas. In addition to this we can also get important shopping centers within this area, some of these are the following:
- Alcalá Norte Shopping Center.
- Palacio de Hielo Shopping Center.
- Arturo Soria Shopping Center.
- Sanchinarro English Court.
- Gran Vía de Hortaleza.
Schools in Arturo Soria
Arturo Soria is composed as we have explained of a total of 3 districts making the whole area quite large, because of this in the whole area of Arturo Soria we can get a lot of academic institutions available.
Here we can find a total of 30 public schools, 16 private schools, 5 high schools, 40 charter schools of which 45 schools are bilingual, Spanish - English. To learn more information about these academic institutions you can click on this link of the Community of Madrid.
Is it worth living in Arturo Soria?
Arturo Soria is a highly recommended area to live, mainly due to the wide range of prices in rents, mainly in houses with 3 bedrooms or more. It has a large residential area for families. This same area is not highly recommended for single people or those looking for 2-bedroom apartments because they are scarce and where there are usually available are places with quite old buildings where their quality leaves to be desired.
Apart from this, it is an excellent area to live thanks to its interesting section in the cultural and sports area. Additionally, it has interesting shopping areas with stores that usually have a wide variety of products and quite competitive prices compared to other areas of the city.
Finally, a great advantage of this area is that being easily connected between its 3 districts you can move easily between them and also get quickly to the center of Madrid as well as to other places in the city.
Center
Within Madrid we get many interesting places to live, all of them connected in a great way, but one of the best connected is and where are most places of great relevance to the city is the district of Centro de Madrid. This is one of the 21 districts that make up the city of Madrid being the same also the most historic and monumental area of the Spanish capital.
This is a bustling area full of life, tourists and passersby, here we get a great cultural and gastronomic diversity. In this district we get some very important neighborhoods such as Chueca - Justicia, Palacio, Malasaña - Universidad and Sol. Here is some information about them:
Palace: In this area we get the Royal Palace of Madrid, from here comes mainly its name, in addition there is also the Almudena Cathedral, the Plaza de Oriente and the Royal Theater. This is a part of the city with a very bohemian touch and interesting qualities. It is not a very high area since most of the buildings are low and old, mainly to preserve its important historical facade.
Chueca - Justice: This is currently one of the most fashionable areas in Madrid, here we can find important art galleries, the most popular international fashion brands as well as some of the best bars and restaurants in the city. Additionally Chueca is one of the most recognized gay neighborhoods in the world and it hosts every year the biggest Pride parties in the world receiving thousands of visitors every year.
Sol: Here we can find the Plaza Mayor of Madrid, the famous Puerta del Sola, the Town Hall and the famous San Migue Market, as well as the Madrid de los Asturias, an area that developed and prospered during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries and still has many remnants of this iconic past.
Malasaña - University: In this part of the center we get the old University of Madrid which was in this area until the first half of the twentieth century. Malasaña is also known for being one of the neighborhoods that "unofficially" promoted the "Movida" in the 80s.
The downtown area is very popular and is usually one of the most sought after for rentals and housing, among the main advantages of living in this area we get the following:
But not everything in the center are advantages because the same area offers several disadvantages that should be taken into account when choosing how final place to live, some of these disadvantages are the following:
Each of the neighborhoods in Centro has its own personality which can be seen in each of its streets and buildings. Here there are mostly studio apartments and 1 or 2 bedroom apartments, ideal for students or single couples without children or small families. Currently in this area there is a supply of more than 2200 homes being one of the most housing for rent.
In addition to this in the downtown area we get a huge variety of places of interest that are worth knowing if you will live in this area, many of which make the center even more attractive. These places are the following.
Museums and Art Galleries in Downtown Madrid
The center of Madrid is one of the most visited areas by both tourists and residents of the city, this, among other things, by the large number of places of interest to know, among these we get to the museums and art galleries, some of them quite important for both Madrid and Spain. Some of the most popular are the following:
- Museum of Romanticism (St. Matthew, 13)
- Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum (Paseo del Prado, 8)
- Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Santa Isabel, 52)
- Museum of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando (Alcalá, 13)
- CaixaForum (Paseo del Prado, 36)
- Casa de Alba Foundation - Liria Palace (Princess, 20)
- Royal Palace of Madrid (Bailén, Plaza de Oriente)
- Telefónica Foundation Space (Fuencarral, 3)
- Lope de Vega House Museum (Cervantes, 11)
Cultural Centers in Downtown Madrid
Downtown Madrid is also known for its great cultural and historical section, here we can find very important iconic places for the history of the city, among the most emblematic places where you can learn a little more about this we have the following cultural centers:
- Lavapiés Sociocultural Center (Olivar, 46)
- La Casa Encendida (Ronda de Valencia, 2)
- La Corrala Cultural Center (Carlos Arniches, 3 and 5)
- Clara del Rey Social and Cultural Center (Palma, 36)
- Medialab - Prado (Alameda, 15)
Sports centers in the center of Madrid
In Spain the sport has a great relevance and in Madrid this has special importance but in the Center we do not get as many sports centers as in other parts of the city, this mainly because this area stands out mainly for being tourist. But still in this district we get some quite relevant sports centers, these are:
- San Antón Schools Municipal Sports Center (Pharmacy, 13)
- Barceló Municipal Sports Center (Barceló, 6 - 4th floor. Mercado de Barceló)
Schools in the center of Madrid
The Center of Madrid offers a great diversity in terms of academic institutions, but the most important section at this level are the Universities, but still in the Center we have a total of 10 public schools, 7 private schools, a total of 5 institutes, 16 charter schools of which 13 are bilingual, Spanish - English.
For additional information about all the academic institutions in the Madrid Center you can access the relevant information from the following link in the Community of Madrid.
Theaters and Cinemas in the Center of Madrid
In the center of Madrid there are a lot of interesting places to be entertained, among other things this area is well known for its nightlife and also for the fact that there are many places that stay open until late at night. In this section dedicated to entertainment we get the Theaters and Cinemas in Madrid, some of them very popular and important, both inside and outside Madrid. Among the best known are the following:
- Comedy Theater. National Classical Theater Company (Prince, 14)
- Royal Theater (Plaza de Isabel II)
- María Guerrero Theater. National Dramatic Center (Tamayo y Baus, 4)
- Zarzuela Theater (Jovellanos, 4)
- Arlequín Gran Vía Theater (San Bernardo, 5)
- Flamenco Tablao Corral de la Morería (Morería, 17)
- Flamenco Tablao Casa Patas (Cañizares, 10)
- Gran Vía Small Theater (Gran Vía, 66)
- Spanish Theater (Prince, 25)
- Flamenco Tablao Café de Chinitas (Torija, 7)
- Cofidis Alcazar Theater (Alcalá, 20)
Parks in Downtown Madrid
In Madrid we get some pretty iconic parks known even outside the country, being one of the most relevant the Retiro Park, but in addition to this in the center we find important parks and green areas that are worth knowing. Some of these are the following:
- Gardens of San Francisco el Grande (Gran Vía de San Francisco, 29)
- Tropical garden Estación de Atocha (Glorieta de Carlos V)
- Royal Botanical Garden (Plaza de Murillo, 2)
- Campo del Moro (Paseo Virgen del Puerto s/n)
- Sabatini Gardens (Bailén, 2)
- Gardens of the Plaza de Oriente (Bailén, 17)
Commercial areas in the center of Madrid
There are many things that make the center of Madrid stand out and one of the most striking are its important shopping areas, each of them differentiated from each other by what they offer. Here we get the "Rastro de Madrid" the most traditional street market which takes place every Sunday in the street Ribera de Curtidores and surrounding areas.
Besides this, the "Gran Vía" is one of the most important axes of the city as well as one of the liveliest. Here we get some of the most important theaters, cafes and restaurants in Madrid. Among the most important commercial areas in the center of Madrid we have the following:
Lavapiés: It is a busy commercial area where you can find a lot of traditional stores. Here we can find African handicrafts, electronics stores, as well as food stores typical of Asian countries such as India or Pakistan.
Las Salesas: This is one of the most interesting shopping areas located in the center of Madrid, here there are stores with very curious custom designs, plus the area has a striking urban and avant-garde style, something that usually attracts many tourists every day.
The Letters: This part of the city stands out for the historic stores that are found in it, here many stores are linked to important artists and creators of different important disciplines.
Sun-Precious-Carmen: Finally in this area we got the famous Puerta del Sol, one of the most visited places in Madrid, we also got the pedestrian area of the Puerta del Sol which was the first outdoor shopping center in Madrid, here there are a variety of offers in books, fashion items, shoe stores and more.
Is it worth living in the center of Madrid?
The center of Madrid is one of the best areas to live since it is one of the places with more job offers in the whole city, in addition to the fact that most of the public transport passes through it and all its streets are well known and with a lot of movement, although this can be annoying for some people, for others it is a great advantage.
An important point to take into account when choosing this area to live is its rental prices because being such a required and important area it has the highest rental prices in Madrid, but in case your budget can adjust to this it is undoubtedly the most ideal area to live in Madrid because being so important it has the largest and most important commercial areas of the city very close.
As a last point to consider when living in this area is that it also has some of the main government headquarters and this can help in mobility when carrying out any type of procedure since the downtown area is usually the first to benefit in this regard.
Moncloa - Aravaca
Among the different areas to live in Madrid Moncloa - Aravaca is one of them. This is one of the 21 districts in which this city is divided, it is a very varied district where you can find iconic places like "La Casa de Campo", the most important public park in Madrid, the shopping street Princesa, the old town of Aravaca among many others.
Among the most important and recommendable neighborhoods to live in this district are Aravaca, El Plantío, Valdemarín and Ciudad Universitaria. Below we will tell you a little about them:
Aravaca: Aravaca belongs to the old town of Aravaca and has quite narrow and old streets being one of the most natural residential areas of Madrid because of this. Most of the buildings are modern apartments and the houses that are usually there have older cuts. The rents in this area are quite cheap and adaptable to many different budgets.
University City: This is the most urban area of this district, here we get many areas of general interest and a large supply of rentals which usually have excellent views of Madrid due to its location, although this can also lead to an increase in the price of such rent.
El Plantío: This is an important neighborhood through which you can access the Carretera de la Coruña, although it can be confusing because of its location it belongs to the municipality of Madrid being considered on many occasions as a border with the surrounding municipality. In this area the rents are quite expensive since there are many villas but some buildings usually have quite affordable prices since most of the buildings in the area usually have 1 or 2 bedroom apartments.
Valdemarín: This is an area where the most recent buildings are about 4 to 5 floors high and with common areas that usually have swimming pools. Rents in this area tend to be slightly higher and most of the apartments have 3 to 5 bedrooms.
The area of Moncloa-Aravaca is usually very attractive as a choice to live in Madrid, it is one of the areas that manages the best rental prices for apartments from 1 to 3 bedrooms, among the main advantages of living in this area we get the following:
- Moncloa-Aravaca is a fairly residential area so the supply of apartments is quite high compared to other areas of Madrid.
- It is quite well located and has quick exits to important areas of the city.
- It is an excellent family environment with a large and important historical section.
- The Moncloa-Aravaca area has some of the most important supermarket chains in Spain, all with affordable prices.
- It offers varied enjoyment areas and events for all audiences.
- Being a mostly residential area, it does not usually have a flow of people as large as in other more touristic areas of Madrid.
In addition to this we must also consider some disadvantages of living in this area of Madrid which may affect the final choice when choosing housing in Moncloa-Aravaca, some of these disadvantages are:
- It is an area that is not fully connected to public transport as is the case with more popular areas of Madrid.
- It is mainly a family environment and therefore you will not usually find a large supply of 1 or 2-bedroom rentals.
- Prices for small sites tend to be quite high due to the scarcity of these sites.
- In some areas of Moncloa-Aravaca, traffic is usually heavy and complicated due to the narrow streets.
- Some buildings in the area tend to be deteriorated due to their age.
The vast majority of homes we get in Moncloa-Aravaca are apartments with 4 bedrooms or more making it ideal for large families, also the rental prices for these are usually cheaper compared to other parts of Madrid. One of the biggest attractions of Moncloa-Aravaca are its areas of general interest, among the most important places we get the following.
Cultural centers in Moncloa-Aravaca.
Moncloa-Aravaca is a very important area with a lot of culture and a very important history for Madrid, part of this history can be seen in the different cultural centers in the area, some of the most popular and important are the following:
- Aravaca Cultural Center (Bramble, 20)
- Moncloa Cultural Center (Plaza de Moncloa, 1)
Museums and Art Galleries in Moncloa-Aravaca.
This cultural section of Moncloa-Aravaca is usually completed by its museums and Art Galleries, some of the most important that we should know when visiting this area are the following:
- Casa de Campo Fairgrounds (Avenida de Portugal, s/n)
- Cerralbo Museum (Ventura Rodríguez, 17)
- AMYC Foundation - Fuente Del Rey House Museum (Fuente del Rey, 11)
- Casa de Velázquez (Paul Guinard, 3)
- Hispanic Pharmacy Museum (Plaza de Ramon y Cajal s/n | Faculty of Pharmacy)
- Museum of America (Avenida de los Reyes Catolicos, 6)
- Costume Museum (Avenida de Juan de Herrera 2)
Sports centers in Moncloa-Aravaca.
Throughout Spain sport is something quite important and that is why sports centers can not miss, in Moncloa-Aravaca not find a wide variety as other areas of Madrid but if some of great importance, among these are the following:
- Casa de Campo Municipal Tennis Sports Center (Camino Príncipe, 2)
- Puerta de Hierro Sports Park (Road to La Coruña, s/n)
- Municipal Sports Center Alfredo Goyeneche (Arroyo de Pozuelo, 99)
Theaters and Cinemas in Moncloa-Aravaca.
The entertainment section is something that is well covered in Moncloa-Aravaca, its nightlife is usually not so bustling and is mainly family, but has interesting places to visit, among these its main cinemas and theaters. Among the most popular and important we get the following:
- Sanpol Theater (Plaza de San Pol de Mar 1)
- Summer Cinema (Parque de la Bombilla, Avenida de Valladolid)
- Renoir Cinemas (Martín de los Heros, 12 and another located at Princesa, 3).
- Cinesa (Principe Pio Shopping Center, top floor)
- Golem Cinemas (Martin de los Heros, 14)
Parks in Moncloa-Aravaca.
Moncloa-Aravaca, being a mainly residential area, is also a very quiet area and many of its parks tend to reflect this, here we get an interesting variety of parks which are worth visiting. Some of the most striking are the following:
- Madrid Zoo Aquarium (Casa de Campo, s/n)
- Mountain Park, Temple of Debod. (Irun Street)
- West Park (Paseo Moret, 2)
- Dehesa de la Villa Park (Dehesa de La Villa Road 1)
- Casa de Campo (Paseo de la Puerta del Angel 1)
Commercial areas in Moncloa-Aravaca.
Moncloa-Aravaca has important commercial areas that make this district even more attractive. The main commercial center of the area is located at the end of Princesa Street, which has come to be called the "Silver Mile".
In addition to this in this district we get large stores such as El Corte Ingles, some of the major young fashion chains and a variety of smaller shops. The areas with less stores are the more residential areas such as La Puerta de Hierro or Valdemarín.
Schools in Moncloa-Aravaca.
This is a mainly residential area as we have seen and the number of academic institutions in this area reflects this, here we have a total of 10 public schools, 11 private schools, 3 high schools, 15 charter schools and 20 of the total number of schools are bilingual, Spanish-English.
For more information about the academic institutions in the area you can visit the following link of the Community of Madrid.
Is it worth living in Moncloa-Aravaca?
Undoubtedly Moncloa-Aravaca is one of the most recommended areas to live, mainly in family due to the large supply of large homes in this area, most of these at quite affordable prices. In addition to this the area of Moncloa-Aravaca usually has an excellent public transport system with which you can reach various parts of Madrid without problems, and although it is not as connected as other areas of the city this is usually not a big problem.
Something to consider is that in this part of the city there is not usually a large supply of 1 or 2 bedroom homes, only in specific places of Moncloa-Aravaca so it is something to take into consideration if you are looking for a small place to live or if you have a tight budget because being little supply of this type of housing, those that are usually found with these characteristics tend to have prices above the average compared to other similar districts of Madrid.
Passion for Madrid captured in stories that masterfully intertwine tradition and modernity.