Neighborhood Guide: Malasaña

Malasaña is Madrid’s most bohemian neighborhood, and it has tons to offer by day or night. Once the epicenter of la movida madrileña, the 1980s countercultural movement that symbolized a reawakening of the city after four decades of dictatorship, the neighborhood continues to be Madrid’s hippest neighborhood, full of lively bars, casual restaurants, and vintage clothing stores. Immortalized in the films of Pedro Almodóvar and the music of Manu Chao, Malasaña’s character represents the essence of Madrid, a place where old and new mesh together with an infectious energy. Read on for a guide to some of the best places to get to know the neighborhood.

Plaza del Dos de Mayo

This plaza is the cultural and geographic center of the neighborhood, always full of people in the square and sitting outside on the terrazas of the bars that line it. The plaza occupies a central part in the history of the city: it was here, on May 2, 1808, that the people of Madrid rose up to fight back against the French army, who under the command of Napoleon had occupied the city for months. The monument in the middle of the plaza honors Daoíz and Velarde, two army officers who helped lead the uprising, while the name of the neighborhood itself is an homage to Manuela Malasaña, a young seamstress who was executed by the French soldiers.

The terrazas of the bars here are a great spot to grab a drink and people-watch in the afternoon and evening. The plaza is also a popular site for botellónes––large, outdoor drinking sessions akin to street parties frequented by Spanish youths––just be sure to keep an eye out for the police, who sometimes hand out fines here for drinking in public.

La Vía Láctea

Just off Dos de Mayo, you will find one of the neighborhood’s most emblematic bars, La Vía Láctea. This space-themed bar, whose name translates to ‘the milky way,’ was one of the hotspots of the Movida, hosting concerts and DJ sets for some of the emerging rock bands of the 1980s. The bar continues to be one of the best nightlife spots in Malasaña today, and has made for many memorable nights for locals and visitors alike.

TupperWare

TupperWare is another spot that plays a central role in Malasaña’s nightlife. This bar is famous for its unique interior, with large murals and kitschy 1980s decorations scattered throughout. The bar spins mostly rock and indie records and is extremely popular with locals and visitors.

La Manuela

This seated bar has been a neighborhood staple since it first opened its doors in 1979. Styled after the literary cafes of the early 20th century, La Manuela was a focal point of the Movida as a meeting place and performance space for artists and intellectuals. Today, the bar is a laid back place to get together with friends, with a large collection of board games to play and works by local artists showcased on the walls.

Casa Camacho

This bar, right around the corner from La Manuela, has been serving up vermouth on tap since the 1920s. The house speciality is the yayo, a lovely concoction of vermouth, gin, and soda water that goes down very smoothly. Put back a couple with some tapas to go with them, and you will be feeling ready to start your night bar-hopping around the neighborhood.

Freeway

This rock-themed corner bar is a great place for drinking and dancing. If you feel like talking, try to secure a spot in one of the booths on the main floor; if you feel like moving, check out their dance floor downstairs.

Ojalá

This restaurant, located on the lively Plaza Juan Pujol, is a good spot for a drink either outside in the plaza or downstairs in their sand-covered basement.

Casa Macareno

This lively restaurant is the perfect combination of old and new, making it one of the best places in the city for traditional Spanish fare. With its tiled interior evocative of the quintessential tabernas of old, the menu here is filled with classic Spanish dishes but with a modern twist that gives them a welcome breath of fresh air. Stop in for a pre-dinner drink in the front bar or, better yet, reserve a table in the back dining room to enjoy a memorable meal. Particular highlights include the patatas bravas, salmorejo, burrata de búfula, and huevos rotos con gambones al ajillo, but the menu is filled with delights from top to bottom.

Casa Julio

This classic neighborhood tasca, open since the 1920s, is famous for its rich and delicious croquetas. You can try a wide variety here, from the classic jamón to spinach, mushrooms, bonito, or blue cheese, as well as other tapas like patatas bravas or their delicious albóndigas (meatballs).