Every big city has its own peculiar area where the modern atmosphere and alternative fashion styles are the main characteristics: second-hand clothes, cupcakes shops, tattoo studios, bars and pubs with a ‘vintage’ design… in Madrid the neighborhood that represents theses features is Malasaña. Avoiding clichés, we are going to explain below why you have to visit this area.
Framed between Gran Vía and Calle Fuencarral, in Madrid you will find some streets that have become an attractive space for lots of young people, due to the revitalization of their establishments. We also need to say that being the neighborhood so demanded, the rents are becoming more and more expensive.
At Plaza del 2 de mayo, epicenter and meeting point of the neighborhood, every day you can see lots of groups of people, meeting there to kill time, and any day of the week – if the weather allows it – you will see the benches of the square and the bar terraces plenty of people. From there depart the main arteries of the neighborhood, in which any person with a special appreciation for culture and fashion will meet his/her own tastes and needs.
During the day you will see lots of fashion shops, most of them selling second-hand clothes that have a peculiar style you won’t find anywhere else in Madrid. Music also is an important presence, in fact you will easily see music and especially vinyl records shops.
Regarding its gastronomy, there is a huge variety of pastries and take-away restaurants, so that you can seat and relax in one of the squares, eating what they offer. Particularly, it is now in fashion a shop that sells artisanal ice creams (yes, also in winter), totally natural and with such a great variety of fruits and flavors that you won’t know what to choose.
This is what you can find during the day. However Malasaña is also very crowded during the nights, when its bars and pubs are filled up with people who want to party all night long. Whether you want to have a more quiet night talking to your friends, or if you prefer to see a concert and dance all time, this neighborhood won’t disappoint you, as it gives you all the options. Lots of its establishments have an authentic Madrilenian style but they have been modernized and some of the many concert halls are part of the music history of our country, as in a few of them started their career some popular Spanish bands.
Even in the streets, also full of people, you will live every weekend a festive atmosphere, so once you try Malasaña, you will surely want to repeat.
For this reason and much more, we recommend you to take a walk through this neighborhood to have a good time or just to buy something you won’t find in any other place in Madrid. Have you already been there? Is there a similar neighborhood in your city?
Fun things to do in Madrid
Fun activities you can do in Madrid with friends or by yourself if you are all bored or you just want to forget for a few hours of your work or studies.