SECRET PLACES IN MADRID TO ENJOY AND BE ENCHANTED BY
During your visit to the Spanish capital, we encourage you to discover and enjoy Madrid’s secret places. Beyond the essential and practically mandatory visits, like Plaza España, Puerta del Sol, Gran Vía, or Cibeles, we invite you to explore some of the secret places that can be found in the heart of Madrid.
The capital boasts a number of hidden treasures, available to all but enjoyed by only the few who are fortunate enough to know where to find them. In this article we invite you to discover some of Madrid’s secret places that you won’t hear about on a guided tour. Discover and be enchanted by the places we’ve selected just for you.
La Neomudéjar Museum
La Neomudéjar is a required visit for all lovers of the avant-garde and is a delight for those with a passion for secret places and urban-industrial ambiance.
The museum is an old railway facility that was once part of the Atocha Station and that has now been given new life as an arts centre. As with other more well-known options found in the capital, like La Tabacalera or La Casa Encendida, La Neomudéjar hopes to offer a space for the arts independent from the conventional arts circuit, exhibiting works in disciplines such as street art, robotics, video art, performance art, and many others.
For lovers of the most avant-garde art, Kikekeller in Malasaña, is a required visit. This is an art gallery with a hidden secret inside. At night, its back room is converted into a trendy clandestine bar where some of the capital’s best gin and tonics can be sipped.
Mercado de San Miguel
Located near the Ópera metro station, the Mercado de San Miguel is the only iron market hall that’s survived to the present day. Declared a site of cultural interest, a visit to this monument is worth a visit simply to see the beauty of the building itself.
It’s a visit that’s just as (if not more) enjoyable for your taste buds. In this historic building that’s been perfectly adapted to the present day, you’ll also find an extravagant, innovative local gastronomic offering.
Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España
Located in Moncloa, this building is an architectural jewel that few know about. The headquarters for the Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute, constructed by Fernando de Higueras and Antonio Miró in 1965, stands out because it’s shaped like a crown of thorns.
This building was recognised as a site of cultural interest in 2001 and is dedicated to the restoration and conservation of Spanish cultural heritage.
Desert City
Madrid even has its own desert, one that’s not bereft of charm. Desert City has its own cutting-edge greenhouse that makes a unique space for over 5,000 square metres of innovative botanic gardens.
This garden landscape is full of cactuses of all shapes and sizes. More precisely, Desert City has over 400 xerophytic species that are accompanied by many other plants, including species native to the Community of Madrid.
Another option that nature lovers are sure to enjoy is the rose garden found next to the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande, in the La Latina neighbourhood. The spot is a lovely secret that’s very peaceful and perfect for appreciating dusk in Madrid.
And we can’t leave out a recommendation for the tea garden housed inside the Museum of Romanticism. Here you can enjoy pastries and homemade cakes while taking a break from touring the museum, which boasts over 1,600 pieces dating from the Romantic period.
Barrio de las Letras
If you’re looking for enchanting secret places in Madrid, you can’t miss out enjoying a nice stroll through the Literary Quarter. This neighbourhood is where you’ll find our 5-star Madrid Gran Hotel Inglés and where you can experience the full essence of Madrid.
Home of celebrated authors from the Golden Age, like Miguel de Cervantes and Quevedo, the Barrio de las Letras offers both history and fun, along with other tourist attractions. Here you can find museums and fall in love with its historical facades.
You’ll also find a multitude of bars and restaurants to enjoy Madrid’s famous tapas and cuisine. You’ll love Calle Huertas, to have a drink after a day of exploring, or Plaza Santa Ana, with its terraces great for taking a break and planning your next visit to the rest of Madrid’s secret places that we’ve mentioned.
