If you're a first time visitor to Madrid, you might prefer a more touristy area, but if you're a solo traveler, a local neighborhood could be more interesting. Some areas have lots of things to do within walking distance, but the hotels may be more expensive. To give you a starting point for your trip research, we looked at what people say about neighborhoods and places to stay in Madrid.
The top mentioned neighborhoods and areas that people talk about in and around Madrid are: Madrid, Puerta del Sol, Chueca, Sol, La Latina, Santa Ana, Escorial, Ibiza, Moncloa, and Alcala de Henares.
Here's what Trippy members had to say:
"We stayed in Madrid last Autumn, in the Austrias district which was really lovely and within walking distance of Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol and La Latina It is also one of the oldest districts, full of history and very elegant buildings." See More
"It's walking distance from all of the hot tourist spots like Plaza de España, Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, but just far enough away to feel like you're not surrounded by it." See More
"I also really like Chueca and Alonso Martínez (both not far from Malasaña) for places to stay and do fun things." See More
"Chueca is Madrid's unofficial LGBTQ neighbourhood." See More
"I would not recommend staying in Chueca as it gets pretty noisy during the weekends." See More
"It was a great area, a short walk to the Plaza Mayor the La Latina Sol." See More
"We stayed in an apartment in the Austrias area which was very central - within walking distance of Plaza Mayor, Sol, La Latina but was pretty quiet at night and, I felt, very safe." See More
"Having said that I really like Austrias and La Latina which are both within walking distance of Plaza Mayor and Plaza Puerta del Sol and have lots of nice restaurants, tapas bars and Mercado de San Miguel" See More
Depending on the neighborhood you choose, you may want to research hotels in the area. If you'd rather start with the most recommended hotels in Madrid, here's a list to get you started.
Here's what Trippy members had to say about hotels:
"I would go to Barrio de las Letras(Radisson Blu Hotel, Madrid Prado, Vincci Soho, Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes) near museums, with interesting restaurants and lovely cafes!" See More
"We stayed at the lovely The Westin Palace." See More
"I personally recommend BEST WESTERN Hotel Los Condes, well located, cheap and very clean!" See More
Want to research more popular hotels in Madrid? Click the blue button below.
If you're open to researching even more areas, some suggestions that might be less common but interesting to explore are: Tres Cantos, El Viso, and Aranjuez.
Trippy is a great resource for planning your trip because you get advice from real travelers. We suggested neighborhoods and hotels based on the recommendations of the Trippy community. This gives you a quick overview, but if you're looking to do more research, here are some of the questions that we used to find this information.
Mei & Kerstin Travelwithmk.com from Larochette asked:
Where to stay in Madrid? (3 answers)
Amanda Morris from Atlanta asked:
Which neighborhood in Madrid is best for a family? (2 answers)
Leslie Duva from Belfast asked:
Best area in Madrid to stay for a young traveler? (7 answers)
peter forlano from Downtown Ithaca asked:
What are the most popular neighborhoods in Madrid? (4 answers)
Rose Cauchon from Gainesville asked:
Central location for a 1 night stay in Madrid (4 answers)
Jamey Lamar from Boise asked:
What is ONE thing I should do with 5 hours in Madrid? (8 answers)
Maybe you're looking for a happening area with lots to see and do, or you want to be walking distance from tourist attractions. Check out some of these places and see there's a hotel nearby.
Want to research more popular attractions in Madrid? Click the blue button below.
This page is just a starting point, to really get personalized advice from Madrid locals and experienced travelers, post a question on Trippy! You can start by browsing the questions other people have asked about Madrid.
If you've changed your mind and decided to go somewhere else, go to the main page and explore where to stay in any city.
Flying into Madrid? There are 2 alternative airports, so make sure you compare all your flight options. Find international, domestic, and local airports in Madrid.
