Madrid

Neighborhoods

Madrid is often called Los Madriles because of its distinctive neighborhoods. La Puerta del Sol (Door of the Sun) is the heart of the city, a large crescent-shaped plaza that is the starting point for all roads in Spain. Eight roads converge there in a massive junction surrounded by shops, restaurants, and apartment buildings. Some of Madrid's most important streets begin there, meandering their way through colonial neighborhoods before ending in the far reaches of suburbia. Some of Madrid's most fascinating neighborhoods are clustered near La Puerta del Sol.

Lavapiés is one of the oldest, and poorest, neighborhoods. It is often said that Lavapiés is the most representative neighborhood of the city, the most "Madrileño." Residents like to bring chairs out on the sidewalk and sit for hours into the night, sharing stories with neighbors. The neighborhood has many restaurants, small shops, and markets, and has a lively art scene. Atocha lies next to Lavapiés. It is home to the Reina Sofía museum (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía), and the bustling Atocha train station. Many art galleries are located here.

City Fact Comparison
Indicator	Madrid	Cairo	Rome	Beijing
	(Spain)	(Egypt)	(Italy)	(China)
Population of urban area1	4,072,000	10,772,000	2,688,000	12,033,000
Date the city was founded	1083	AD 969	753 BC	723 BC
Daily costs to visit the city2
Hotel (single occupancy)	$119	$193	$172	$129
Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)	$55	$56	$59	$62
Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.)	$14	$14	$15	$16
Total daily costs	$188	$173	$246	$207
Major Newspapers3
Number of newspapers serving the city	11	13	20	11
Largest newspaper	Marca	Akhbar El Yom/Al Akhbar	La Repubblica	Renmin Ribao
Circulation of largest newspaper	4,74,405	1,159,339	754,930	3,000,000
Date largest newspaper was established	n.a.	1944	1976	1948
1United Nations population estimates for the year 2000.
2The maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning.
3David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999.

Closer to the heart of the city is cosmopolitan Chueca, which remains one of the most important meeting places for Madrileños who enjoy night-life. Chueca is a hive of activity, especially during weekend nights. Large numbers of people take over sidewalks and streets, and restaurants are full at midnight. Residents party well into the dawn hours. Nearby is the more sedate Huertas neighborhood, which also

attracts its share of night owls. Huertas has many small restaurants and pubs, old mansions, hotels, and crowded streets.

Paseo del Prado, home to the Prado Museum, is an upper-class neighborhood defined by the large mansions along the streets. Salamanca, north of the Parque Retiro, is a wealthy and conservative enclave. Many of the city's expensive boutiques are here.

Even with 1.2 million housing units and low occupancy rates, Madrid suffers from inadequate housing. Most Madrileños live in apartments because they can't afford to buy homes. Especially in the old neighborhoods, apartments are small and lack basic necessities like heat. In the summer, cramped quarters become hot. In some of the poorer neighborhoods, people are forced to share communal baths.