Culture

The story of a no-frills Gran Vía Hotel run by 81-year-old Delfina from Galicia

Gran Via number 12, a splendid white building dating back to 1914, has seen many things in its 107 years of history, including the Spanish Civil War. But, at ground level lives the legendary Bar Chicote, once crowned the best in the world by MTV in 2004. Its bar top has seated a long list of personalities including Ernest Hemingway, Sofia Loren and Salvador Dalí, as well as royalty, sports, politics and intellectualism.

The House of Suitcases

"Is it busy out there?" asks Isabelle, owner of La Casa de Maletas in El Rastro. That day was the first day of the Rastro for eight months, since the pandemic shut Europe's largest open-air flea market down in the second week of March.

The Madrid No Frills Prints Collection

Madrid No Frills is finally selling prints! Orders processed within one day, prints available to collect within three days or posted to your home within one week!

The little pastry shop celebrating Madrid’s changing seasons

“The best pastelería in Madrid” is a bold claim, with the potential to spark messy cream fights. But a good argument can be made that El Artesano, a small pastry shop in Ventas serving the local community for over 50 years, is an honest contender.

Madrid’s Human Beehive

During lockdown, the nightly applause for healthcare workers here must have been epic. Thousands of people opened their windows onto their wide, windy boulevards and, for a few minutes, clapped as one giant entity within Spain's biggest human beehive.

Celebrating the voices of Barrio La Guindalera

La Guindalera's traditional high streets and beautiful no-frills bars set it apart from its upmarket neighbour of Salamanca, writes Suzanne McCullagh, a resident and advocate of the area.

Madrid’s golden age of commercial ceramic art

Welcome to the golden age of ceramic art that took Madrid by storm, until the dictatorship and renovation works meant that all these beautiful old works of art were covered, sealed up and entombed for a future accidental renaissance which is happening right now.