Bluesnapper
Player Valuation: £10m
The centre of Barcelona is Placa Catalunya/Ramblas, does anyone know the area which is the centre of Madrid?
Make sure you have 'a relaxing cup of cafe con leche in Plaza Mayor'.
It's a big place with more than one lively district but anywhere beween Puerta del Sol and Plaza Santa Ana is jumping with bars and restaurants. You could also try the bars on and around Calle de las Huertas - there's loads of them.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@40.4159979,-3.7034659,18z
If you go north of Gran Via (about half a mile north of Sol) you'll find Chueca with lots of lively and funky bars. Expect to see patrons of the Lisbon in this area. Another lively (less "colourful") area next to Chueca is Malasaña. Again, dozens and dozens of bars.
South of Atocha and Plaza Mayor are Lavapies (more bohemian and "real" - great vibe) and La Latina (loads of great tapas bars on Cava Baja and surrounding area).
How long you there for, mate?
Wont be any longer than a week.
Went to Barcelona last year for a week and stayed just off the Placa Catalunya and it was an excellent spot for bars, restaurants, the metro and getting to/from the airport which is why I am looking at their equivalent.
Excellent. I much prefer Madrid to Barcelona - probably my favourite city, in fact. Plenty of great museums too, if you like that osrt of thing.
A word of warning: no one really uses the official names for Madrid barrios. Not sure why. Sol is officially "Centro" for example, but no one really uses it. Huertas is officially "Barrio de las Letras" etc etc. Lonely Planet guide is good for sorting the confusion, though - they use the colloquial names not the official ones.
When are you going?
The space between the d and the r mate.The centre of Barcelona is Placa Catalunya/Ramblas, does anyone know the area which is the centre of Madrid?