Vibrant Flavours: Modern Tastes and Everyday Life

For something more vibrant and current, I think of places like SAU Taberna. One of the most interesting recent openings, it evokes the coast, putting the product at the centre, and somehow makes you feel close to the sea while still in the heart of Madrid. In one of the city’s most dynamic neighbourhoods, it’s my favourite weeknight spot - for friends, a good bottle of wine, a glass of champagne, and, of course, oysters.

Tapeo, of course, is essential in Madrid - part of the city’s DNA. Classic spots like La Ardosa or Casa Macareno always work, but I have a particular affection for Bar La Gloria Carabanchel. Everything happens standing up - cold beer, plates constantly moving, overlapping conversations - a controlled chaos that perfectly defines Madrid. It’s where I feel completely at ease.

I also enjoy places slightly off the expected path, like Persimmons, for traditional Georgian cuisine in a refined, characterful setting. Dinner begins around nine, and as the evening unfolds, the light grows warmer, interiors more intimate, and the city shifts into a different rhythm - though never a quiet one. Madrid is never quiet.

Walking the City: Neighbourhoods and Hidden Corners

Madrid is, above all, a city to be explored on foot - and ideally without a defined plan. I love going out for a walk and running into friends in the street, almost as if it were a small village. 

I like getting lost in neighbourhoods like Justicia - where I’ve lived since I first arrived in Madrid fifteen years ago - where the rhythm constantly shifts and something unexpected is always happening: a familiar face, a conversation, a detail on a façade. 

There are routes I repeat almost as rituals. Walking from Retiro Park towards the Salamanca district in the late afternoon, when the light softens and everything feels slower. Stopping for a glass of wine at Jurucha and a slice of tortilla - what could be more Madrid?

Where to Stay: Hotels and Neighbourhoods That Define Madrid

Where you stay in Madrid is, in many ways, a decision about how you want to experience  the city. Each neighbourhood has its own rhythm, its own energy. For a balanced stay, I usually recommend areas such as Salamanca, Almagro or Salesas - central, elegant, yet still connected to everyday life. 

When it comes to hotels, I’m particularly drawn to those with a strong sense of identity. Without a doubt, Hotel Santo Mauro stands out: refined, calm, with a more residential and discreet atmosphere, almost like a private home. 

Hotel Orfila is a quiet jewel in the very centre of the city - effortlessly elegant, with a  sense of calm that is difficult to find in Madrid. Its classical character and attention to  detail make it a perfect refuge for those seeking a more intimate and carefully considered experience. 

For something more dynamic and contemporary, more connected to the pulse of the city, places like Casa de las Artes Meliá Collection or Brach Madrid offer a more vibrant, central experience, where design, energy and social life are an integral part of the hotel itself.