Location, Location, Location - Where to live in Madrid

Choosing a place to live in Madrid on your year abroad can get confusing what with all the different areas of the city on offer. In this post I'm going to list the various central barrios or neighbourhoods and give a short summary of their main characteristics which hopefully will help you choose where to start your flat search!

In my time abroad I lived in 3 different flats in 3 different barrios so have quite a bit of first hand experience. I won't be going into any great detail as to the price of rooms in certain areas as this can vary but I'll give you a heads up as to the most expensive/cheap areas.

Here's a map of central Madrid with the barrios clearly marked:

 

 

Puerta del Sol/Gran Vía/Callao

 

This is the very heart of the city; Gran Vía is the Spanish equivalent of Oxford street and is often packed with traffic and people. This is not a quiet neighbourhood though the noise is generally traffic related rather than due to clubs/music. Fantastically well connected all the shops/restaurants/bars/cinemas you could want are within walking distance and being right in the centre it's tricky to get lost. Despite its central location though I wouldn't really recommend living in this barrio; too loud and too busy!

 

Malasaña/Chueca

 

These are famously popular areas for young people/students to find a flat. Madrid's self-proclaimed "alternative" barrios Malasaña and Chueca are not for those who like peace and quiet. Malasaña defiantly holds on to the Movida Madrileña spirit of the 80s and is full of trendy bars and clubs. Brilliant independent shops can be found here and there's quite an arty/alternative vibe. Chueca is the city's gay barrio - but don't let that put you off! Sure there are plenty of gay bars etc but the atmosphere is distinctly inclusive with a pretty chilled vibe in the day time and everyone ready to party the night away! Flats here can vary in price (and quality) quite a bit as they're mainly occupied by students and other young people.

 

Colón/Alonso Martínez

 

This barrio links the more edgy Chueca with the more upmarket Chamberí and Salamanca. This is a great spot to live due to its central location and relaxed atmosphere. There are some lovely squares here with plenty of places to eat and shop. Great transport links are also another plus with a cercanías stop as well as metro. Rooms are generally quite cheap especially around Alonso Martínez. The Glorieta de Bilbao is a huge roundabout where several main streets converge; if you follow Calle Fuencarral downwards you'll be in Malasaña and then Sol in no time.

 

Las Cortes/Letras/Las Huertas/Paseo del Prado

 

These areas have more of a traditional/historic vibe. There are still plenty of restaurants and bars (Madrid's most famous jazz bar Café Central is here) but the atmosphere is calmer than Malasaña/Chueca. Unfortunately, though, their proximity to Retiro Park and the Paseo del Prado with its world famous Prado Museum means that these barrios are some of the most expensive in Madrid. Not many students or young people manage to find accommodation in these areas due to the price.

 

Operá/Palacio Real

 

This is the historic heart of Madrid where many of the oldest and most beautiful buildings are to be found. The royal palace is here surrounded by gorgeous gardens and cafes with terraces to sit out in the sun. The main theatre in Madrid is also here with world class drama and opera being performed throughout the year. Much more relaxed than the noisy Malasaña/Chueca but still very central these areas are only a 10 minute walk away from Sol and the Plaza Mayor. Not many students/young people live in these areas as their proximity to the Palace etc has pushed up the price.

 

La Latina/Austrias

 

A small, traditional barrio La Latina is perfect for eating out. The cobbled streets are full of tapas bars particularly Calle de Cava Baja which is famous for the best tapas in the city. Although still pretty close to more expensive areas like Operá this barrio is a little more affordable. One of the least touristy areas of Madrid, La Latina is a great place to witness true Spanish culture. In the day time this area is peace and quiet personified but in the evening it can get a little more lively especially along the more popular eating-out streets.

 

Puerta de Toledo/Lavapies/El Rastro

 

These areas are a bit further out from the centre but still very easy to get to in as little as 3 stops on the metro. Lavapies is the immigrant area of Madrid which can put people off but it's a great place to live for many reasons. Cheap accommodation, great multicultural food stores/restaurants and an interesting night life. In the daytime these areas are full of families and I often saw an African drumming group jamming away as I walked through. For the majority of my time away I lived in Embajadores, a smaller area within Lavapies, and absolutely loved it. El Rastro, Madrid's most famous flea market, is here which is also lovely to mooch around on a Sunday morning.

 

Moncloa/Arguelles

 

This area isn't actually labelled on the map above but it's the light pink section just to the west and north of Malasaña. Many of the students coming to study at Madrid's universities (eg. universidad complutense) lived here as it has such great transport links to the unis. This barrio has a really relaxed vibe with plenty of fresh air and green space; the Templo de Debod is a must see! It's also really close to Casa de Campo the huge green area to the west of the city which is great for walking/picnics etc.

 

Atocha/Retiro

 

These barrios are the closest to Retiro Park and as such are the greenest in the city. Though the majority of flats here are pretty expensive you can occasionally find a good deal. Having the fantastic park on your doorstep may be something you're willing to pay a little extra for! This is a more family focussed part of the city so if it's great nightlife you're after you might want to look elsewhere (though oddly Madrid's most famous club Teatro Kapital is here). Despite being further out of the city you can still hop on the metro and be in Sol in as little as 20 minutes. Atocha railway station is also useful to have nearby as it's where most trains that will take you to explore the rest of Spain will leave from. I lived here for a few months and although the park was right behind my apartment building the huge Paseo Reina Cristina was right in front. This meant that I couldn't really have the windows open because of the noise given off by 7 lanes of speeding traffic - something to think about.

 

Salamanca

 

Salamanca is without doubt the most expensive barrio in Madrid. Huge, wide streets are lined with luxury shops, restaurants and lounge bars. The people that live here are usually a little older having made a success of their careers and are now able to afford a swankier apartment. Also a very family oriented area of the city there are play grounds and designer kids shops dotted about. I was lucky enough to experience life here during my first month in Madrid living in my homestay and could see why it was so popular. Unfortunately, unless you've got quite a bit of money to spend, the rent on a flat here is likely to be just too much but with so many other great places to live in Madrid that's not anything to be disappointed about! 

 

I hope you've found this post useful; if you have any questions just comment below or tweet me @madridadrift. Once you've an idea of where you want to live check out my post on finding a flat which takes you through the process step by step.

 

Tips

• I focussed on the centre of Madrid for this post but there are plenty of other areas to choose from that are further out of the city.
• Have a think about where you're going to spend most of your time. If you only need to be in uni for a few hours a week you might not have to live right next door. In fact one of my friends was studying in another town, Alcalá, and chose to live in Madrid catching the train to uni a few times a week.
• If, like me, you want somewhere that is quiet at night so as not to lose out on sleep then make sure to check out the area you're thinking of on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night to see how loud it gets
• Don't get in a panic choosing between areas. Where you live isn't the be-all-and-end-all; think of your flat as a base from which to explore the rest of the city. Madrid is such a great place to live because although it's big enough to hold all the great shops/restaurants/museums/clubs etc. you could want it's still small enough to walk between them. If you find you end up living in an area that wouldn't really be your first choice it doesn't mean you can't experience the other barrios as they're often only a short walk away!

 

 

* The map of Madrid's barrios above was found on laurenonlocation.com

 

Finding a Flat - Accommodation in Madrid

 

One of the first major things we have to worry about when embarking on a year abroad is where we're going to live. It might seem very daunting to start with but the process of finding a new home is fairly simple and there are plenty of different types of accommodation to choose from.

I know it can seem tempting but something I really wouldn't recommend is trying to sort out a new flat over the summer while you're still in the UK. In order to make sure you have the best experience possible it really is a good idea to wait until you arrive in Spain/Madrid so you can visit the flat before you agree to live there and give it a proper once over. What is definitely an essential summer holiday task is organizing a place to stay for while you are searching for a flat during the first phase of your time abroad. If you're lucky this could be the home of a family friend or relative who already lives in the city you're heading to but if you're like the majority of us it will end up being a hotel, hostel or homestay. Each of these options has its pros and cons but the one I really would recommend is a homestay.

During my first 3-4 weeks of living abroad I lived in a homestay with a Spanish lady called Isabel. The advantages of this were enormous. Firstly, it can seem like you're in a desperate rush to find a flat at first and that you're wasting your time in a hostel or hotel. Being in a homestay meant that I knew I was going to be there for around a month and that I could use that time to search for flats in a more relaxed way while still having an "authentic" spanish experience. Secondly, it can be really lonely, not to mention expensive, living in a hotel room on your own whereas I always knew that there would be someone at home to chat to in Spanish. Isabel also proved really helpful as on my first day she took me to the city centre to show me round and I could ask her any questions I might have about living in Madrid. For some people a homestay may be exactly what they want for the entirety of their year abroad; there are many different types of "family" to take you in from middle aged couples looking to rent a room to full on families with several kids and accompanying pets. For me however, I knew that I wanted to live with a group of people my own age and so set about finding a flat.

Getting Started - What You Will Need

The first thing that you will need in order to get started on your flat search is a phone that is set up to work abroad. See my previous post: Getting Started With a Spanish Mobile

I know it may seem scary that in your first week abroad you'll be expected to start talking to random spaniards on the phone but trust me this is the only way you'll ever start making progress with your search. It really isn't enough to fire off a set of whatsapp messages hoping people will get back to you - phone them up and organise a viewing then and there! (See advice on this below)

After you've got your phone sorted you need to find some flats that you're interested in viewing. There are plenty of places you can look to find adverts for available rooms.

1. www.idealista.com - this was my favourite website for flat searching. True it has its limitations but it's free to use, has a filtered search option for prices etc and has a map of the city that allows you to search in specific areas.

2. www.easypiso.com - this website was less useful but many friends have said it helped them. You create a little advert for yourself telling people who you are and what kind of flat you're looking for and wait for people to get back to you. Be warned you will be BOMBARDED with emails!

3. Paper Adverts - In Spain when people have an available room in their flat they often stick up little paper adverts on notice boards or lamp posts with a few details and their phone number to tear off. If you're studying at uni check the student notice boards regularly and, if you know whereabouts in the city you want to live, go for a wander through the streets noting down any adverts you find to call later.

4. Your "Network" - Make use of EVERYBODY you know when looking for a flat. You might be thinking that in the first couple of weeks you're unlikely to have a huge bunch of friends but I'm not just talking about your bosom buddies. Slip it into casual conversation with everyone you meet at work, uni or in social situations; a quick "I'm looking for a flat at the moment, do you know of any available ones in this area?" could prove very fruitful.

Contacting People

Once you've found a flat you think looks good and have a phone number you're itching to call, it can be helpful to write out a little script just to help you feel a bit more confident (I hope you don't think this next section is a little patronising but all I can say is that when I first arrived I would have liked a bit of help with this)

When Spanish people answer the phone they are likely to say "Sí", "Díme" or "Digame" and wait for you to speak.

First confirm who they are by saying something like "Hola ¿estoy hablando con ...........? once they've confirmed who they are just go straight in with explaining why you're calling, don't wait for them to say anything else...long phone pauses are awkward and dispiriting....

I've found a good phrase to begin with is -  "Hola, te llamo porque he visto tu anuncio para una habitación en idealista.com ¿la habitación todavía está disponible?

If it is, organize a viewing with something like "¿puedo venir a verla? or ¿podemos organizar una visita?

They'll often ask you your name and how long you're planning on being in Madrid (or the city where you are) so it's a good idea to have an answer prepared for general questions like this.

If you have any make or break questions for them this is the time to ask them, before you travel all the way to the viewing.

Viewings

Try to go with someone you know when viewing a new flat but often this is impossible or just not practical. If you go alone make sure you tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back.

Flat viewings are often pretty brief affairs, sometimes you can turn up at 5pm and be done by 5.10pm. This means it's perfectly feasible to organise several viewings in the same day to maximise your search.

Bear in mind that sometimes online pictures can be a bit deceiving. Don't be disheartened if you get to a flat you thought would be amazing and it turns out to be less than great - there are plenty more flats in the sea!

Contracts and prices etc.

In Spain finding a flat is a much more casual affair than in England. Some landlords don't have a contract for you to sign and ask for the rent each month in cash. This may seem pretty dodgy but it's fairly normal and it's up to you to decide whether you want to do this or not. Other landlords will ask you to sign a contract for however many months you're planning on being abroad. This is often fairly flexible though and as long as you tell them a month in advance that you're planning to leave (i.e. if you find a better flat or just don't like it there anymore) then you'll be able to get your deposit back and get out before the end of your contract. Some contracts are not this flexible, however, and it's up to you to make sure you ask before you sign to make sure you understand what you're getting into.

Personally I would not recommend signing a contract that you are unable to get out of with your deposit intact. You really don't know someone until you live with them and if after a couple of months you're not enjoying your situation it can be a bit of a blow to have to leave without your deposit (which is usually a month's rent).

In terms of prices there's something for everyone. I know that madrid is a capital city but at the moment I'm paying 300 euros a month plus about 25 euros of bills on top of that. True this is exceptionally cheap but on average you can expect to pay anything between 350 and 450 euros a month. There are more expensive rooms out there though for those with more luxurious tastes!

Your Flatmates

I know that the year abroad dream is to live in a flat with a group of lovely natives and become fluent in Spanish (or whatever language you study) in the shortest time possible. If you manage to find a flat like this then you're all set. If you don't, however, it really isn't the end of the world. Obviously it is a good idea to live with at least one spanish person to get some practice in but if the spanish dream is proving elusive it really is ok to live with other European or English students. All this means is that you're going to have to put a bit more effort into your free time. Go to language exchange groups, organise one on one intercambios, chat with your colleagues or uni students over coffee etc. If you really TRY to speak Spanish you will and the fact that the people you say "hey" to in the kitchen every morning are English won't make much difference.

And lastly.....

Things to note:

The spanish are fairly lax in their use of the words "chica" and "chico" which in our minds would suggest a person round about our own age or younger. Just be aware that a flat of 4-5 "chicos" could mean that some or all are over 30 (which may not be a bad thing - don't dismiss a flat just because the people are older they may be really nice!)

Be prepared to spend most of your free time in those first few weeks looking for a flat. Apparently the average time spent searching in Madrid is 18 days but this can stretch to much longer if you're only organising a viewing every couple of days.

If after some time in your new flat you've unfortunately decided that you don't like it and want to move, make sure you've sorted a new place before you tell your landlord that you want out. I cannot describe the sheer stress of the frantic search that you're forced to take on once you've got a deadline after which you would theoretically be on the streets (or more realistically in a hostel or hotel for a bit). JUST DON'T DO IT!! :)


I apologise for the length of this massive post! As always if you have any questions regarding accommodation or anything else to do with year abroad or Madrid feel free to leave them in the comments below.

My First Night In Madrid

After 10 months of paperwork, 2 days of frantic packing and a bleary-eyed 4am start I am finally here in Madrid! I arrived early this morning and by 10.45am I was in a taxi, nodding and smiling at everything the taxista said, hurtling towards my new home for the next few weeks. I decided back in England that I wanted to live with a Spanish family in a homestay at first so that I'll have time to find my feet in the city and have the chance to practice my Spanish before starting work. Isabel, the lady whose flat I'm staying in, met me in the street with kisses and smiles and we lugged my suitcases into the lift to the second floor.

Also staying in the flat is an Austrian girl called Christina who's very friendly and is here on an exchange programme from Paris. At lunchtime Isabel took us both on a trip to the plaza mayor to try un bocadillo de calamares in a teeny tiny bar which was packed to the rafters with madrileños shouting and laughing. We wandered round the streets of La Latina in the sunshine just soaking everything in. 

Isabel agreed that I could eat with her this evening if I paid her a little extra so I waited...and waited...and waited...until 11pm. I can see that it's going to take me a while to get used to the timings here. Isabel is lovely and eager to help me in any way she can but after that dinner of courgette pureé, microwaved tinned sausages and an incredibly salty fried egg I think I'll be cooking for myself from now on! 

It's now very late at night and I'm sitting in my new room:

Although I'm in Spain the rain is drumming on my window and has turned the road outside into a river!

I'm looking forward to the next few weeks with a mixture of excitement and (I'm not going to lie) fear. For a first day though I don't think I could have asked for more: a lovely host and flatmate, a guided tour of the centre and a comfy new room.

My Street - Paseo De La Habana

I've been here a few days now and I thought I'd go on a little photography spree in the local area just to show you what it's like where I live. My street, Paseo de la Habana, is in an area a little to the north of the city centre called El Viso. It's a very built up area but still manages to be quite open and green.

We're right next to the world famous football stadium Santiago Bernabéu which is also what my nearest Metro station is called.

Santiago Bernabéu is on metro line number 10 and it's only 4-5 stops right into the centre of Madrid. It takes as little as 20 minutes to get to Gran Vía.

Paseo de la Habana runs into Paseo de la Castellana which seems to be the main roadway from the centre and is packed with traffic. You can catch the bus from the opposite side of the road to the metro station and it's a straight run into town. Paseo de la Castellana is lined with huge business towers and offices:

This area is really great to live in as it's so easy to get into town and yet is quite quiet and full of supermarkets and cafés. I'm going to catch the bus for the first few days to get to work in the Museo Sorolla but I'm hoping to get a flat that's a little closer in the Chamberí area for the rest of my time here.