Malasaña: complete guide to Madrid's alternative neighbourhood

A neighbourhood shaped by Madrid's history

Administratively, Malasaña corresponds to the barrio of Universidad, in the Centro district. In the 19th century it was known as the Maravillas neighbourhood, after a nearby convent. It was a working-class area of craftsmen and small shopkeepers, built up with four- or five-storey apartment blocks.

Manuela Malasaña and 2 May 1808

On 2 May 1808, the people of Madrid rose up against Napoleon's troops. At the Monteleón artillery park, in the heart of the neighbourhood, captains Luis Daoíz and Pedro Velarde held out alongside civilians before being killed. Manuela Malasaña, a 17-year-old seamstress who lived on calle de San Andrés, died during those days. Accounts differ on the exact circumstances, but she became the symbol of popular resistance, and the neighbourhood bears her name. The nearby streets also honour the two officers: calle de Daoíz and calle de Velarde.

The Movida of the 1980s

After Franco's death in 1975, a very free music and art scene developed in Madrid: the Movida. Malasaña became one of its centres, with bars such as La Vía Láctea, opened in July 1979 at number 18 calle Velarde and still running today. Pedro Almodóvar and the photographer Alberto García-Alix were regulars. The neighbourhood then went through harder years before becoming, from the 2000s onwards, one of the most sought-after parts of the centre again.

Plaza del Dos de Mayo

The square stands on the site of the former Monteleón artillery park. It was laid out in 1869, when the remains of the barracks were cleared. All that is left is the brick entrance arch, which frames the sculpture group of Daoíz and Velarde made by Antonio Solá in 1822. The statue moved several times before arriving here in 1932.

Today it is the neighbourhood's main square: playground and benches in the morning, terraces in the afternoon, crowds sitting on the steps on summer evenings. In early May, the Dos de Mayo festivities bring concerts and events to the square.

Streets to explore

The neighbourhood is best discovered on foot, without a fixed route. A few streets hold most of the interest:

• Calle de Velarde: between Fuencarral and plaza del Dos de Mayo, with La Vía Láctea and second-hand clothes shops.
• Calle del Espíritu Santo: vintage shops, record shops, cafés and small restaurants, along its whole length.
• Calle de San Andrés: the street where Manuela Malasaña lived, starting from plaza del Dos de Mayo. At the corner with calle San Vicente Ferrer, the facade of the former Farmacia Juanse keeps its 1925 ceramic advertising panels.
• Calle de la Palma and calle del Pez: bars, taverns and newer venues, in the southern part of the neighbourhood.

The Farmacia Juanse facade

The azulejo panels, made in Enrique Guijo's workshop in 1925, advertise medicines produced on site. After the Civil War they were covered with plaster to avoid a tax on outdoor advertising, then uncovered again in 1960. The facade is now protected. Other shops in the neighbourhood have kept similar ceramic decorations: look at the shopfronts as you walk.

Madrid history museum and Conde Duque

The Madrid history museum occupies the former Real Hospicio de San Fernando, at number 78 calle Fuencarral. Its baroque doorway, designed by Pedro de Ribera in the 18th century, is an example of Madrid's Churrigueresque style. The collections trace the history of Madrid since 1561, when the city became the seat of the royal court. The best-known piece is the model of Madrid made by León Gil de Palacio in 1830, which shows the city street by street. Admission is free. The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 10am to 8pm (10am to 7pm in summer); it is closed on Mondays and some public holidays (including 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 24 and 25 December). Free guided tours by volunteers run Tuesday to Friday at 11:30am and 5:30pm, except during holiday periods; sign up at the front desk 15 minutes before.

The Conde Duque centre

West of the neighbourhood, the former Conde Duque barracks, built in the early 18th century under Philip V to plans by Pedro de Ribera, has become one of the city's contemporary culture centres. The building, restored in 2011, houses exhibition halls, a theatre, an auditorium, libraries, the municipal archives and the hemeroteca (newspaper library). Temporary exhibitions are free. They open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2pm and from 5:30pm to 9pm, and on Sundays and public holidays from 10:30am to 2pm; closed on Mondays. From 15 June to 21 September, the halls close at 1:30pm in the morning and at 8pm in the evening. Address: calle del Conde Duque 9-11, 28015 Madrid.

Vintage shops, cafés and bars

Malasaña is still Madrid's vintage neighbourhood. Second-hand shops line calle del Espíritu Santo, calle de Velarde and the surrounding streets, with clothes sold by the kilo or by the piece, vinyl records and objects from the 1970s to the 1990s. Most shops only open in the late morning: come in the afternoon instead.

For coffee, Café Comercial, on the glorieta de Bilbao, opened in 1887. A meeting place for literary gatherings after the Civil War, it closed in 2015 and reopened in 2017. Around the neighbourhood, many cafés serve breakfast and brunch, especially around calle del Espíritu Santo and plaza del Dos de Mayo.

In the evening, the action is concentrated between plaza del Dos de Mayo, calle de la Palma, calle del Pez and calle de San Vicente Ferrer. For an aperitif, Casa Camacho, at number 4 calle de San Andrés, run under this name by the same family since 1929, serves its "yayo", a mix of vermouth, gin and soda water. La Vía Láctea, on calle Velarde, remains the neighbourhood's historic rock bar.

Where to eat in Malasaña

The neighbourhood has plenty of small restaurants: tapas, world cuisines, burgers and vegetarian places. Two handy options for a quick meal:

• Mercado de San Ildefonso, calle Fuencarral 57: a street food market on three levels, with counters serving varied cuisines and two terraces. Open Sunday to Thursday from 1pm to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 1pm to 1am.
• Mercado de San Antón, on the other side of Fuencarral, in the neighbouring district of Chueca: fresh produce stalls and tapas counters.

In Madrid, lunch is late, between 2pm and 4pm, and dinner starts from 9pm. On weekdays, many restaurants offer a menú del día at lunchtime. At weekends, book for dinner.

Triball, between Malasaña and the Gran Vía

South of the neighbourhood, Triball (short for Triángulo Ballesta) is the triangle bounded by the Gran Vía, calle Fuencarral and the Corredera Baja de San Pablo. Long run-down, this area of about twelve hectares has been the subject of a renewal project led by local shopkeepers since 2007: dozens of empty premises have been taken over by fashion shops, galleries and bars. Calle de la Ballesta, which gives the area its name, is its main street. The atmosphere is more mixed than in the northern part of the neighbourhood.

A half-day walking route

Allow about 3 to 4 hours, including visits.

1. Metro Tribunal: start with the Madrid history museum, at number 78 calle Fuencarral (1 hour).
2. Calle de Velarde: walk past La Vía Láctea and the vintage shops to plaza del Dos de Mayo.
3. Plaza del Dos de Mayo: the Monteleón arch and the statue of Daoíz and Velarde.
4. Conde Duque: about 10 minutes' walk west for Pedro de Ribera's doorway and the current exhibition.
5. Calle de San Andrés: head back to the square, then walk down the street to see the Farmacia Juanse facade and take a break at Casa Camacho.
6. Calle del Espíritu Santo: vintage shops and cafés, as far as plaza de San Ildefonso.
7. Mercado de San Ildefonso: a drink or a meal on calle Fuencarral.
8. Triball: walk down calle de la Ballesta and the Corredera Baja de San Pablo to the Gran Vía.

The route easily extends into Chueca, on the other side of Fuencarral. To fit it into a longer stay, see our Madrid in 3 days itinerary.

Summary table

Getting to Malasaña and staying there

Four metro stations serve the neighbourhood: Tribunal (lines 1 and 10) and Bilbao (lines 1 and 4) to the east, Noviciado (line 2) and San Bernardo (lines 2 and 4) to the west. From the Puerta del Sol, allow 15 to 20 minutes on foot. To the south-west, Plaza de España and the Temple of Debod are about ten minutes from Conde Duque.

Staying in Malasaña puts you in the centre, close to bars and restaurants. The downside is the noise in the evening, especially at weekends and around plaza del Dos de Mayo: ask for a room facing the courtyard. To compare with other areas, read our guide on where to stay in Madrid.

Further reading

To keep exploring the central neighbourhoods, read our guide to the Barrio de las Letras, then spend a Sunday morning in La Latina and at the El Rastro flea market.