MNF > Articles by: Madrid No Frills

Madrid No Frills

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The hidden realities and quiet resilience of migrant domestic workers in Spain

In a quiet restaurant in Barrio Quintana, Annelis sits across from me filling out a survey on gender-based violence. Her chipped nails a silent witness to the relentless hours she’s spent scrubbing floors and bleaching bathrooms. When her employer recently complimented her manicure while backhandedly suggesting she must be earning too much – Annelis quietly corrected her. The truth is she painted her nails herself a few days ago, and already the polish is peeling, worn down by domestic labour invisible to most and often dismissed by those who benefit from it.
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Stop squirting tourists with water pistols and look at the real issue: a lack of affordable hotels

Tourists aren’t inherently bad, and they shouldn’t be told to go home. But after coordinated anti-tourism protests across Europe last weekend, it’s easy to feel uncertain. With headlines blaming visitors for everything from overcrowding to housing shortages, even the most conscious travellers may start to wonder if they’re no longer welcome. But this growing backlash, while rooted in real frustrations, doesn’t tell the whole story.
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A day in the life of Spain’s Great Power Cut

Some of us were stranded on trains, trapped in lifts or stuck in traffic jams — but the emergency services never failed. At Atocha station, thousands endured what might have been the worst day of their year, while others managed to find small moments of joy: catching up on journaling, entertaining their kids, making the best of an unexpected end to their holiday in Madrid. Traffic lights were out, but cars didn't speed. Drivers slowed and pedestrians crossed in an unspoken agreement of safety.
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Madrid’s bin strike explained

Since Monday, you might have noticed we’ve been dealing with a growing rubbish crisis as bin collectors have gone on an indefinite strike.
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Portrait of a 500-person Iftar inside Lavapiés’ largest mosque

It’s the rainiest March Madrid has seen in decades, but the downpour hasn’t stopped the steady stream of people heading toward a small mosque near Calle Mesón de Paredes. Just before sunset, the doors of Mezquita Baitul Mukarram open. Umbrellas close, shoes come off and Glovo bags are left by the entrance. Inside, the blue carpet is soft and warm, and the barrio’s chaos fades into a quiet rhythm of prayer and preparation.
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Photographers of the Future 2025 course enrolment now open!

- Affordable in-person Photography course in the heart of Lavapiés, Madrid - Three 2.5-hour evening classes over three consecutive weeks - All levels welcome, no professional equipment needed - Language: English - In-house drinks and networking after every class - Early-bird price until 31 March
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Giant abandoned bodega in Valencia set to become brand-new barrio

An abandoned winery the size of a football stadium stands on the coast of Valencia in the northern area of Alboraia. Built in 1969 during the region’s industrial heyday, this redbrick complex once held up to 32 million litres of wine. It was among the first Spanish wineries to export abroad and, at its peak, a quarter of all wine leaving Spain passed through here.
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Photos of Paiporta four months after the catastrophic Valencia floods

I've seen very little on the news about progress in the flood-hit areas of Valencia, so I was curious to head back there to report on this myself. The clean-up operations by volunteers and public services have been incredible. At first glance, life appears to have resumed to relative normality but Paiporta so quiet.
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The hidden crisis of ‘Invisible Evictions’

Across Spain, we're facing an undeniable affordable housing crisis, where rent hikes consistently outstrip salary increases. More households than ever are struggling with housing costs, spending over 30% of our income on rent. In the whole of Madrid Centro, this is the case, yet national rent regulation laws aimed at high-tension areas are not enforced here as our regional right-wing government has opted out.
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New Year’s Eve Portrait of the Oldest Bakery in Madrid

Just around the corner from Sol, Antigua Pastelería El Pozo, on Calle Pozo, has been serving traditional pastries since 1830. The very frills bakery has kept its original frilly decor this whole time and the pastry chefs continue to use artisanal techniques.
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“If being homosexual was not a crime in Africa, we would not be in Spain”

Author and photographer: Sou Harris At the age of 10, Ali Useni, who prefers to be called Alex, was forced out of school so as not to “infect” his classmates. He had told his aunt, who he lived with after his mother passed, that when he grew up, he would like to marry a man. This confession would be the beginning of years of physical and psychological abuse that pushed him to embark on a dangerous journey from Cameroon, across North Africa and the Mediterranean, until arriving in Spain in search of safety. Cameroon is one of 64 countries that, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), criminalises homosexuality – almost half of these countries are in Africa. Prison sentences can vary between six months and five years for those who have consensual sexual relations with another person of the same sex. While Sudan repealed...
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Celebrating the Crisp Factories of Madrid

Madrid’s fábricas de patatas fritas are the savoury version of Willy Wonka’s sugary realm. Shop windows are piled high with golden crisps, and neon signs and retro toys mingle with ornate ceramic tiles and vintage fonts. These shimmering potato mountains catch the attention of every passerby as they crisp up further in the sun-soaked window display.
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Photographs of Valencia’s two historic floods: 1957 vs 2024

Going through the archives of Valencia's 1957 DANA, I realised I'd taken hauntingly similar photos just last week in Paiporta, so I decided to make direct comparisons by placing the images next to each other. What this compilation demonstrates is that the same mistakes have been made twice. Predatory urban planning ignoring the limits of our planet, combined with institutional incompetence has led to the destruction of thousands of lives, again.