Madrid and barrio de los Austrias. This is going to be one of the last posts of the “Neighbourhood” column and we have decided to begin this last round up of posts with barrio de los Austrias. Actually, we have indirectly talked about this neighbourhood several times: it is central and it hosts some of the most important attractions of Madrid.
Before walking through the streets of barrio de los Austrias, we would like to provide the newcomers with a brief overview of the column and a brief explanation of the reasons that have compelled us to write these blog posts. The “Neighbourhood” column has begun more than one year ago with a post that described Malasaña, one of the most popular areas in Madrid. We have kept writing about few others neighbourhoods and, being the topic interesting, we have decided to start the column. Together with our readers, we have walked around some of the most important “barrios”: Malasaña La Latina, Lavapies, Chueca, Las Letras, Salamanca, Sol, Moncloa and Arganzuela. Many other walks are waiting for us, starting from this one.
Switching to our aim, helpMadrid wishes to provide students and young workers who decide to move to Madrid with a quick overview of the city and its neighbourhoods. Therefore, we have divided the post into small sections: the first one with a brief description of the district; the second about the museums and monuments and whatever can entertain you from a cultural point of view; the third with some free time tips; and the last section, with the services at your disposal.
Once you have all this information about several neighbourhoods, you should be able to look for your shared flat in the location perfect for you. The locations of the flat is important! This is why helpMadrid is here to help you. Why a shared flat? Well, we answered this question several times, but let’s refresh our memories. Unlike other accommodations, shared flats do not require a high budget, they will let you meet new people from all over the world and you will learn new things. Shared flats will improve every single aspect of your stay in Madrid.
It is time to talk about our beloved “barrio”de los Austrias. This amazing neighbourhood on the banks of the Manzanares is the area that better pictures the ancient history of Madrid. The Cathedral, the Royal Palace, the old little streets with ancient buildings, the squares. Everything recalls the ancient beauty and charm of this European capital. Always animated by tourists and students, this neighbourhood preserves a calm and relaxed atmosphere, an atmosphere that we will discover together during our walk…
This neighbourhood is full of great monuments that make everyone fall in love with this barrio. First on our list is the Royal Palace: it doesn’t matter if we have to wait ages in line, the beauty of this palace is worth it. Right in front of it, there is the Cathedral. Needless to say that a walk inside this impressive church is a “must”. Besides these two monuments, there are two other important squares, the Plaza de la Villa and Plaza Mayor. Many other buildings will take your breath away, the only thing you have to do is getting around.
Talking about “getting around”, it may be a good way to spend your free time. Just enjoy Madrid and appreciate all the beauty that this city treasures. We have plans for the lazy, too. If it is a sunny day (maybe not during summer ahahah), you can go and chill in the Sabatini Gardens. If it is a rainy day, you can have a cup of coffee in one of the bars close to the opera or a hot chocolate in the historical café San Gines. Talking about opera, you can enjoy a ballet performance or an opera in the Teatro Real. No way to get bored in this amazing neighbourhood.
We have talked about leisure; now, it is time to talk about daily life. The location of a shared flat is important not only for the activities offered by the area, but also for the services. Pharmacy, banks, ATM, grocery shops… useless to keep listing them. Once you will arrive in “barrio” de los Austrias, you will realize how many services are at your disposal. Public transports? They will not be a problem neither. Besides several metro stations (Callao, Opera, Gran Via, Sol and many others), you can easily get around Madrid with electric scooters, bikes or by foot.
Have you enjoyed our walk through barrio Austrias? We believe that this neighbourhood could become your new home away from home. You surely like this neighbourhood, but we understand if you would like to live “far from the madding crowd”. This is the reason why helpMadrid have described you some calm and central areas, such as barrio Salamanca or Arganzuela district. Once you will find a shared flat in one of these areas, your stay in Madrid will be awesome.
Time flies and we must say goodbye. We will meet again in a month, but you can keep following our blog and our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles. No way to miss helpMadrid, we constantly update our pages with nice contents and beautiful pictures. Dear readers, stay tuned!