Austrias
The oldest part of Madrid combines the majestic Royal Palace with the popular atmosphere of Plaza Mayor and surroundings
Plaza Mayor, La Encarnación Monastery and Plaza de la Villa, with buildings erected in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries – Casa de la Villa (formerly, Madrid City Hall), Los Lujanes Tower, Cisneros House –, are the main architectural complexes built under the Hapsburgs. Another must-see landmark is the Descalzas Reales Monastery, a nunnery that was the royal seat of Charles I of Spain. In it, you can view the permanent collection, containing works of art from the sixteenth century on. Finally, the Santa Cruz Palace, built in 1629, is home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This part of Madrid, peppered with churches and crowned by the Alcázar (a huge building destroyed by fire in 1737), was chosen by the Bourbons to raise the Royal Palace. Nearby are Plaza de Oriente, La Almudena Cathedral, which has a museum that gives access to the dome, affording beautiful views of the sierras, and other buildings from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Some of these sights are the Collegiate Church of San Isidro (Madrid’s cathedral until 1993), the Basilica of San Miguel, the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande which has a large art gallery with numerous works, including some by Goya and Zurbarán, and the Teatro Real opera house. Located in the Plaza de la Armería, between the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral, the Mirador de la Cornisa viewpoint offers stunning views of the Campo del Moro and Casa de Campo Park.
In the surrounding area, there is also the Gaviria Palace, a luxury 19th century palatial building whose style is reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance palaces that have been refurbished in recent years to host different exhibitions throughout the year.
Having visited the area’s entire monumental heritage, we can take a stroll through the clipped hedges of the Sabatini Gardens, at the feet of the northern façade of the Royal Palace. Campo del Moro Park must not be forgotten, a fabulous English-style garden whose raised position was used to create the best views over Madrid and where t is possible to take a photo with peacocks.
You can choose to visit the gardens on foot or ride a segway, a tuk tuk or a bicycle, thanks to the extensive rental offer.
Experiencing the constant activity that characterises everyday life in the Plaza Mayor is possible, as there is a wide range of places to stay in the vicinity, from numerous hostels, boarding houses and traditional and modern two or three-star hotels, such as Room Mate Mario, to more luxurious establishments, such as the Petit Palace Posada del Peine –the result of the refurbishment of one of the oldest hotels in Madrid–, the Hotel Ópera or the Gran Meliá Palacio de los Duques. It is also worth highlighting the luxury four-star Pestana Plaza Mayor hotel, which has a terrace, patio and swimming pool. The VP Plaza España Design or Apartosuites Jardines de Sabatini hotels also stand out in the area with spectacular views of the Palacio Real from their exclusive terrace.
The San Miguel Market is a major culinary attraction in Hapsburg Madrid. With an iron and glass structure from 1916, the market sells fruit, fish, bread, tapas and sweets at some 30 individual stalls. By night, you can enjoy the ambience and have a drink. Experience something different any day of the week with the concerts, presentations or press rounds that take place at the market. Another good option for a drink and a bite to eat is Plaza de Ramales which has several options such as the Taberna de Ramales and Café de los Austrias.
When night arrives, it is a place for long drinks. Concerts, presentations or press conferences are other activities, beyond the purely gastronomic ones, that visitors can find on any day in this multi-space.
You can also visit Plaza Santiago, which has street level terraces, which is a good option when the good weather comes to the city.
Furthermore, the Habsburg neighbourhood has a wide range of bars and restaurants, such as Los Galayos or Cervecería Plaza Mayor, where you can enjoy some tapas and, of course, taste the traditional ‘bocata de calamares’ (calamari rings in batter served between bread) which is so typical of Madrid; and century-old cafeterias, such as San Ginés –specialised in chocolate served with “churros”.
They all alternate with other, more modern establishments, such as Dos Cielos Madrid by the popular chefs, the Torres Brothers, including take-away food, and the century old Casa Botín, famous for its stew, with the Galician Bread Museum or the home-made Sicilian ice-cream parlour, Mistura and the Sicilian ice-cream parlour, Zúccaru which serves its famous Sicilian brioche. To enjoy authentic Italian cuisine right in the heart of Madrid you can visit Trattoria Malatesta. And if you want to sweet souvenir, visit the Las Carboneras Convent.
The oldest stores in Madrid lie around Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace. They sell everything from homemade sausages and cakes and pastries to fashion, shoes and accessories.
Calles Mayor and Arenal offer more modern shops, whereas the arches of the Plaza Mayor and the narrow adjacent streets house businesses offering religious artefacts, stamps and coins, such as Numismática Mayor 25, - in fact the square holds a coin fair every Sunday morning as well as public holidays – or needlework ,such as the one hundred year old Almacen de Pontejos. Likewise, Casa Hernanz has been selling traditional footwear in Spain: espadrilles since 1840 in the same establishment in Calle Toledo. The Casa de la Panadería Shop offers keepsakes featuring Madrid made by local artisans, which are reminiscent of the traditions that are most deeply rooted in the city.
La Favorita hat shop and the El Kinze Barber’s shop are some of the area’s other emblematic places where it is possible to breathe the history of this legendary square.
The Habsburg neighbourhood is also a highly recommendable area to buy souvenirs of Madrid, as there is a wide variety of shops of this type. Spain has a deeply-rooted tradition of pork products, especially Ibérico ham, to make the flavours of Madrid linger on your mouth for a long time.
Every Sunday, the Plaza del Conde de Barajas hosts the Painters Market. The Cultural Association of Madrid Painters, Taller Abierto, organise this open air joint painting exhibition which includes the original works of around 40 artists.
Reading fans cannot miss out on visiting the bookshops in this neighbourhood, such as La Buena Vida, Librería de Mujeres and the children’s bookshop, La Mar de Letras.
The nightlife on the Habsburg neighbourhood revolves around the bet of the bel canto and the operas that are performed at the Royal Theatre, which also has its own restaurant. Furthermore, the sixth floor of the theatre boasts the new and sophisticated Papagena restaurant with chef, Ramón Freixa, at the helm.
The Café de Oriente has an extensive programme of live music at weekends, as well as many extremely original pairing dinners. Its terrace in Plaza de Oriente must also be mentioned, whereby there are many options to have a drink outdoors in the surrounding area and in Plaza de Ramales.
Another main feature of the night-life is Teatro Eslava, close to the Puerta del Sol, which offers leisure and entertainment with live music, clubbing sessions and a flamenco show-dinner; and the flamenco houses where flamenco shows and dinners can be enjoyed. This is the case of the Las Carboneras flamenco house, in Plaza Conde de Miranda.
For fans of jazz and DJ sessions until the early hours, head for Café Berlín Club Madrid and El Amante, an establishment for over 30s. Close to the Royal Theatre, there is La Coquette, one of the last blues temples in the city, with live performances every week.
Among the new evening tendencies, the neighbourhood offers bars and teashops, such as Yambala in Calle Coloreros, with an Arabic atmosphere.