International Student Accommodation - Go Live It

The City

Madrid is one of the world’s greatest cities and the capital of Spain.

The city centre is surprisingly small, with the majority of its main attractions within walking distance. The heart of the centre is called Sol. This can be considered as one of the main tourist attractions as it is classed as the very heart of Madrid’s old city. There is even a plaque on the floor which states you are stood in the centre of Madrid. It’s not hard to miss it as you usually see tourists having their picture taken or jumping up and down on it! All the main shops and department stores, such as El Corte Ingles are situated in the area of Sol. It is a very popular area during both day and night and never seems to be deserted; no matter what time you visit.

Gran Vía is only a few minutes walk away from Sol. It is a large street lined with theatres, bars, cafes and shops running from the Plaza de España up to the corner of Calle de Alcalá.

Plaza Mayor is a great place to visit when you tour the centre of Madrid. As the name suggests, it is the main square in Madrid and is extremely popular with tourists. The Plaza is lined with bars and restaurants as well as tourist shops selling a range of Spanish souvenirs. During the summer, the bars become very popular as the plaza is a great sun trap. However, as a warning, drinks can be pricey. A soft drink can cost up to 5€!

Salamanca is a very chic area of Madrid which is located at the north east of Gran Via. All of the famous brands have shops which are on Salamanca’s main street, Calle Serrano. The street is not only lined with shops, but when you look skywards, Madrid’s more wealthy inhabitants live in the apartments above the outlets. It is the most affluent area of Madrid where you are most likely to see the wealthy and famous faces from the world of sport, television and film roaming the streets.

Fuencarral is an area of Madrid where you can find all sorts of unique shops. Calle Fuencarral is situated just off Gran Via and you can often see students roaming the streets hopping from shop to shop.

“El Rastro” is a great flea market to visit on a quiet Sunday morning. It’s a typical busy Spanish market selling Spanish market goods with a great atmosphere. However, as a word of warning be extra vigilant with bags and belongings. It is advised not to take handbags or rucksacks as expert pick pocketers are in action.

Day Tripper

If you feel that you want to explore the suburbs of Madrid, there are many beautiful towns to visit which are ideal for day trips. The best way to see these areas is to travel on the train, the 'Renfe Cercanias' which leaves from the main train station in Madrid, “Atocha Renfe”. The train is very cheap, plus the services are very frequent and on time!

To the east of Madrid, a half hour train journey will take you to the small town of Alcala de Henares. This is a quaint town which is famous for its University and the birth place of the well known Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes.

In the south of Madrid, also a half hour train journey away from the centre, is Toledo. This city is packed with culture and is often known as “the city of three cultures”. This refers to the Christian, Jewish and Muslim influences which dates back to the middle ages.

El Escorial is another great place to visit, with the added bonus of being just an hour’s train journey north-west from Madrid. The Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo is one of the highlights and is well known due to its vast size. A short bus ride away from El Escorial will take you to the Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen) where a monument of General Franco stands.

If football is on the agenda, then Madrid boasts possibly the biggest Football club in the world, Real Madrid. Their stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu is a huge three tiered structure holding 80,000 spectators. Ticket prices range from 15€, for a seat in the gods to 70€ for a seat pitch side. Tickets are readily available for most games except the ‘El Derby’ where they face fierce rivals Barcelona. There are a range of outlets where tickets can be purchased but it is recommended to travel to the ground to buy them.

On a sunny day, whether that is winter or summer, Retiro Park is a lovely place to visit and relax. It is Madrid’s equivalent to London’s Hyde Park and has a peaceful atmosphere. In the summer months, the lake in Retiro Park gets very busy with tourists and locals alike, floating on the boats which you can hire out at a cheap price for 45 mins.

Transport

One of the main positives about visiting Madrid is the excellent public transport system. Getting around couldn’t be easier. Most attractions are within walking distance of each other, but for the less active the Metro is ideal. Cheap multi travel passes can be bought that enable you to travel around the underground and above ground on buses, up to ten times per ticket. The metro has 11 routes and covers the city centre and the suburbs.

The University

There are six main universities in Madrid. They are:

- Universidad de Alcalá (Situated in the city of Alcalá de Henares and is the former ‘Complutense’)

- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (situated 15km northern from Madrid)

- Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (situated south of Madrid, but connected by underground line MetroSur)

- Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Founded in Alcalá but then moved to central Madrid)

- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

- Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Also situated in the south of Madrid, connected by underground line MetroSur)

Food and Drink

The streets of Madrid are flooded with restaurants bars and cafes, all serving up a great mix of food ranging from typical Spanish cuisine to Indian and Chinese. You can often find the best restaurants away from the hustle and bustle, so head down the narrow streets and you’ll be sure to find a great restaurant.

Many restaurants in Madrid offer a “Menu del Dia” which is usually great value. For around 10€, you can get a starter, main course and desert with bread and wine included in the price.

If you fancy trying something unique to Madrid then choose the Cocido Madrileño. This is a stew of meat and vegetables prepared in a traditional pot by the fire. Everyone has heard of Tapas but it is something not to miss out on. They are little snacks which are eaten at any time of the day. There are usually a range of different tapas to choose from and the famous Jamón and Cheeses are usually on offer.

The Spanish are quite keen for “chocolate con churros”. Either late/early morning after a night out, or for breakfast, the Spanish head to cafes to have a cup of thick hot chocolate and a plate of Churros. Churros are long thick strips of batter, fried and coated in sugar and then intended for the use of dipping into the rich hot chocolate.

Out on the town

Madrid is a fantastic city which has nightlife to suit all tastes. In the summer months, it is popular for people to meet up in small cafes in the plazas and sip drinks until the sun goes down. Once it is dark, late night bars become livelier and the streets are packed full of people wanting to have a good time.

Sol (metro line 1&2) is a great area to go out at night, as well as areas such as Tribunal (metro line 1&10). In the Sol area, Dubliners is a popular Irish bar to visit which is usually full of other Students from the UK, America and Ireland. It is cheap and has a great atmosphere. However, if you fancy trying something a bit more authentic, then head to Calle Principe, just off Plaza Santa Ana (close to Sol). Here, there is a small bar called ´Sessamo’. The speciality here is jugs of Sangria, for a very good price. It is a small underground bar which has a lovely atmosphere and a live pianist playing throughout the night. The majority of bars are open till late. Usually till 2, 3 or 4 in the morning.

After bars, people tend to head to one of many great clubs in Madrid. Kapital is Madrid’s largest club. It has 8 floors and even a cinema. However, it is pricey to get in and drinks are expensive too. Expect to pay 18€ entry, with drinks costing as much as 11€ for a spirit and mixer. It is an excellent place to party though; with a great mix of music. Each floor has a different genre and anything from dance music to Spanish salsa is played through out the night. Kapital is at its best on weekends and is open till the early hours.

Another great club is Joy Eslava. Joy used to be a theatre but was then converted into this ‘discoteca’. It is situated just off from Sol. Entry price into this club is reasonable, and if you’re lucky enough to catch one of the PR people, you can even get free entry passes.

If you fancy something a bit different (and slightly more expensive!), the area of Salamanca is great. The streets are lined with trendy bars and trendy people too. Be sure to dress your best as entry could be refused if not smart enough!

Remember though, nightclubs as we know them in England are not called nightclubs in Spain. When you are heading out make sure you go to ‘discotecas’ because if you enter a ‘nightclub’, you could be in for a shock because in Spain they use that name for adult establishments.

The boring stuff

To view information about Bank Accounts & Money transfers, Internet & Telephone and Health, visit our Spanish homepage.

Guide written by Sarah Wilson, English exchange student Madrid, 2006/2007.

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