Holiday Apartment In Madrid - How To Choose The Right Location.

This article will help you to find the right place for you holiday apartment in Madrid. There’s an ‘at a glance’ guide to some of the city’s best areas to stay, which will help you save time, especially if you’ve never been to Madrid before. You will also find advice on noise levels and traffic.

Finding The Right Area For Your Holiday Apartment In Madrid

The different neighbourhoods or ‘barrios’ in Madrid are not easily distinguishable. In some Spanish cities it will be quite clear when you have walked into the ‘Gothic quarter’ from the main square, for example. In Madrid it’s a bit more haphazard, as there are several central squares, several main streets and you can end up feeling like you’re in a bit of a maze and easily loose sense of direction!

So my advice before you decide where you want your holiday apartment in Madrid to be, is, to arm yourself with a good map of the city centre, and look for the places listed below.

Popular Places To Find A Holiday Apartment In Madrid

Barrio Las Letras

The street of Las Huertas has some beautiful buildings

This is a central, yet quaint old area with narrow streets and beautiful old buildings. The main through street is Las Huertas. The barrio is where many old writers and poets such as Cervantes used to live and work, and it has a peaceful antique feel to it. You’ll find it crammed full of intricate little book shops, art galleries and tapas bars. It’s also within 2 minutes walk of Plaza Santa Ana, which is filled with excellent tapas bars.

Things to check out first if you want a holiday apartment in Madrid, that is in this area, are that firstly there aren’t too many building works nearby. The area is undergoing a lot of renovations due to its upcoming popularity. Also, the main street of Las Huertas is full of bars that get very busy at night, so bear that in mind.

Plaza Santa Cruz And The Plaza Mayor

Both squares are very central and within walking distance of countless excellent bars and restaurants. Around the Plaza Mayor it gets a bit more touristy, so prices go up a little. The plus point is that much of this area is made up of pedestrian streets and is consequently quite peaceful. The buildings in this area are some of the most attractive in the city centre.

Around Retiro Park

A holiday apartment in Madrid that benefits from peace and quiet could be found in the vicinity between Retiro Park and the Paseo del Prado. I’d avoid the other sides of Retiro Park, as there are major roads passing by. If you’re between the Paseo del Prado and Retiro, you’ll benefit not only from less road noise, but also you can walk to the park or the Prado museum.

Chueca

This barrio is very central, and is just off Gran Via road. Chueca attracts the gay crowd, but that doesn’t mean it’s closed to everyone else. It is a charming area, jammed with bohemian, arty and unusual bars and restaurants. During the day it has a pleasant buzz about it, and at night it’s where the coolest Madrileños hang out. I absolutely love it because it feels safe, and there’s so much to see there.

The Moorish Quarter

Plaza de la Villa leads through into one of the most picturesque barrios

Madrid’s Moorish quarter is well hidden, and I’m sure many people come to the city without even seeing it! There are some squares that have bars that pick up at night time, but if you’re staying in your holiday apartment in Madrid on one of the old streets you should feel quite safely tucked away!

To find the Moorish quarter head down the Calle Mayor from the Plaza Mayor in the direction of the Royal Palace. Turn left into the Plaza de la Villa and get lost in the maze of streets behind there! You are still central and well connected by bus and metro.

Atocha And Embajadores

If you want a very cheap holiday apartment in Madrid you might try these two areas. They are not the prettiest places, and you should be vigilant at night, but you will definitely find something cheaper here and you are still well connected by metro to other parts of the city.

The Busy Areas Of Madrid

The rough guide to the busiest, and therefore noisiest streets below, should help you to choose your holiday apartment in Madrid. If you’re worried about noise, then try to get a room on a high floor and check that the windows have double glazing.

Gran Via
Calle de Alcala
Paseo de la Castellana
Calle del Doctor Esquerdo
Calle de Serrano

This page has given you details about different areas that are good to find a holiday apartment in Madrid. We’ve mentioned some areas that are busier than others and given the pros and cons of each part of the city centre. Once you’ve decided on the area you want to stay, you’ll need to know how to go about finding an apartment to rent.

Click here to read our guide to Madrid apartment rental

Related Pages

Apartment Rental Overview
How to choose the right location for your Apartment Rental in Madrid
Costs for Renting an Apartment Rental in Madrid
Tips on How to choose an Apartment Rental Agency
ApartHotels in Madrid - Apartment units inside hotels

Hotels in Madrid
Accommodation in Madrid - Overview to finding the right type of accommodation

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