The Brooklyn
of Madrid is
Malasaña.
Malasaña is the coolest neighborhood in Madrid for 2pm vermouth, Pez Tortilla cañas, and vintage shops off Plaza del Dos de Mayo.
Malasaña runs on its own schedule. Coffee at noon, vermouth at 2, dinner at 10, out until 5am. The streets around Plaza del Dos de Mayo smell like fresh tortilla and spilled cañas. Every door on Calle del Pez leads somewhere good. It's Madrid's permanent counterculture, aged into something comfortable but never boring.
Malasaña is dense with bars - many of them open since the 1980s Movida and still going strong past 4am.
Other cool neighborhoods in Madrid.
Lavapiés
Lavapiés is rawer, louder, more interesting at street level. South Asian restaurants next to flamenco tablaos next to community gardens. The real multicultural heart of the city.
Chueca
Chueca is Madrid's LGBTQ+ epicenter with better restaurants than it gets credit for. The Mercado de San Antón rooftop at sunset is a move.
Carabanchel
Carabanchel is where Madrid's working-class soul meets new energy. Warehouse studios and cheap menú del día spots. Give it five years.
Where to go in Malasaña.
Malasaña runs on its own schedule and you should too, which means staying close enough to walk.
The correct order in Malasaña: a yayo at Casa Camacho before 8pm, the best tortilla española in Madrid at Pez Tortilla, serious cocktails at 1862 Dry Bar on Calle del Pez, and whatever the night decides after that.
Plaza del Dos de Mayo is the neighborhood's living room - grab a couple cañas from a nearby bar and sit under the trees like everyone else does on warm evenings.
Malasaña, corner to corner.
The Malasaña guide.
Good to know.
The boring numbers that decide whether you stay three days or four.
| Currency | EUR |
|---|---|
| Language | Spanish |
| Cost level | $$$Moderate to expensive |
| Best months | May and October, also June |
| Local time | UTC+2 |
| Plug type | EU plug · 230V/50Hz |
| Emergency | 112 |
Order a yayo at Casa Camacho before 8pm, then walk Calle del Pez end to end. That's your whole night sorted.
If you like Madrid, try one of these.
How does Madrid stack up?
Things to know about Malasaña.
What is the Brooklyn of Madrid?
What is the coolest neighborhood in Madrid?
Where should I stay in Malasaña, Madrid?
Is Malasaña in Madrid safe at night?
Is Madrid expensive?
When is the best time to visit Madrid?
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