Madrid is a city of neighbourhoods, and choosing yours shapes your whole trip. The centre is compact and easy to explore on foot, and the metro covers the rest. The real question is the mood you want: busy squares, literary lanes, museum avenues or elegant shopping streets.
The quick answer
- First trip: Sol and the Gran Vía, or the Barrio de las Letras.
- Art lovers: the Paseo del Prado.
- Romantic break: the Barrio de las Letras or Habsburg Madrid.
- Families: near the Retiro or around the Plaza de España.
- Shopping and calm nights: the Salamanca district.
Sol and the Gran Vía
Puerta del Sol is kilometre zero of Spain’s roads, and the Gran Vía is Madrid’s great avenue of theatres and shops. Everything is on foot – the Plaza Mayor is five minutes away – but the streets are busy day and night.
The Barrio de las Letras
Between Sol and the Prado, the literary quarter of Cervantes and Lope de Vega has quotes set into the pavements, the lively Plaza de Santa Ana and some of the city’s best tapas bars. Charming, central – and noisy at weekends.
The Paseo del Prado
The avenue of the great museums: the Prado, the Thyssen and the Reina Sofía, with the Retiro Park just behind. It has some of Madrid’s grandest hotels and calmer nights than Sol.
The Salamanca district
North of the Retiro, the Salamanca district is a grid of elegant 19th-century streets with designer shops on Calle Serrano and excellent restaurants. It is quieter and residential, ten to fifteen minutes by metro from the old town.
Plaza de España and the Royal Palace
At the end of the Gran Vía, the Plaza de España has big hotels with rooftop terraces and pools, ten minutes on foot from the Royal Palace and the Templo de Debod, where locals watch the sunset.
Tips for choosing a hotel
- Light sleepers should ask for an inner-facing room in Sol, the Gran Vía or the Barrio de las Letras.
- A pool is a real plus in July and August, when Madrid is very hot; most are open in summer only.
- Check the nearest metro station: Sol, Gran Vía, Banco de España and Plaza de España serve most sights.
Ready to choose? See the 5 best hotels in Madrid and the 5 best family hotels in Madrid, and plan your time with Madrid in 3 days.
