My Guide to Madrid
A complete list of everything I loved while living in Spain's capital city, with tips on what to wear if you're headed there this summer.
In the spring of 2025, my family and I moved to Madrid. My husband Marc was directing a movie there, and our children, then ages 3 and 6, were young enough to finish the academic year abroad without disruption. ‘Why not?,’ we thought, enrolling them at The American School. ‘Three months in the central capital of Spain? With its flamenco, croquetas, and fabulous museums?’ It wasn’t hard to convince me to go.
Many of you followed along as I shopped for sneakers1, experimented with wearing more colorful accessories, and confronted the differing safety standards of Spanish car seats.2 It was, overall, a phenomenal experience for my family, one that brought us closer together, and also forced each of us to grow as individuals. We even learned a little Spanish (the kids more than anyone. Their spongey brains soaking it all in!). If you’re new here, I welcome you to read some of the letters I wrote from Madrid – this one about the city’s street style3 is still one of my most popular – as each one expresses more of the challenges, revelations, and daily observations specific to my brief life overseas.
Recently, friends and friends-of-friends have started asking for my Madrid tips and recommendations en masse. Someone new every week, it seems. With summer travel on the horizon, and so many Americans getting wise to the city’s elegant, kid-friendly way of life, I figured it’s time I wrote a comprehensive list of the places I frequented, relied on, and loved…
Quick note: This is a long one, so you’ll want to click “view entire message” above so as not to miss the good stuff at the bottom.
THE BASICS:
My family and I lived in Chueca on Calle del Barquillo, a popular street for shopping and restaurants that intersects with the city’s main thoroughfare, Grand Via. We rented a furnished apartment through Luxa Home, which provided housekeeping and a dedicated rep whom I could reach via WhatsApp whenever the apartment required maintenance. Luxa Home does long and short-term stays. They’re a good alternative to Airbnb, if you prefer a homier accommodation.
Our kids attended The American School of Madrid, which is a 30-minute drive north west of the city centre in Pozuelo de Alarcón. The drive was easy and worth it, and I loved the school’s sprawling campus and diverse, international student body. Families from more than 60 countries make up the ASM community, and the faculty did an incredible job making my kids feel welcome from day one. We all made friends we still keep in touch with today.
Madrid is not like most cities in Europe where it’s easy to get by without speaking the local language; few madrileño/as speak English. I, myself, arrived knowing next-to no Spanish, and left with little more than the ability to engage in conversational pleasantries and order a glass of wine at a restaurant. The language barrier, for me, was the hardest thing about living in Madrid. (Everything else – getting around, acclimating to a new school, finding a good yoga studio and dry cleaner and taco place – was relatively easy.) If you don’t speak Spanish and you are staying in Madrid for a while, I recommend taking an immersive language class at The International House. I did a beginners intensive – 4hrs/day for two weeks – and though it did not make me fluent, it definitely helped.4 And it was a cool experience.
HOW TO PACK:
Winter in Madrid is mild (compared to London and New York), and summer is scorching. Things start to heat up around mid-May, and by August it’s hard to even be outside. If you’re visiting Madrid this summer, I recommend packing lightweight pull-on or drawstring pants, and buying a pair of alpargatas (more on that below) when you arrive. The rope soles of these classic Spanish slippers have a wonderful cooling effect (if not a ton of arch support). This is some of what I wore last summer:
I’ll be returning to Madrid in late June and have already started planning the updates to my summer uniform. I’m bringing Ace tanks in every color, camisole-type tops, and these linen paper bag pants, plus the Miu Mius I’ve been wearing since March. Pricey, but they are the most comfortable walking sandals in the world. (I know some of you have bought them and agree.) Imagine it all with a red bag – something spacious and free of branding: A tote like this or Kallymeyer’s Brunch style is perfection.
The women of Madrid dress so beautifully. I was most impressed by how the older Spaniards coordinate their clothing with colorful shoes, handbags, and sunglasses that pop. Less at war with their age than me and my fellow Americans, many of them wear their grey hair in messy bobs and French buns. Have they even heard of Botox? They look incredible.
From what I observed, the truly stylish madrileñas do not carry designer handbags. Instead, they wear leather cross-bodies and no-name totes; small, made-in-Spain purses from places like Lacambra. (I’m telling you, that Kallemeyer one would be a hit.) What a joy to see women wearing bags that are so personal and functional and void of logos. Without any signaling, their individual fashion sense and status comes through so clearly.
MY REGULAR SPOTS on and around Calle del Barquillo:
Calle del Barquillo, which is where we lived, is the kind of street that’s both a thoroughfare for residents and a destination for tourists. Brand-name stores like Veja, Jimmy Fairly, and Scotch & Soda sit next door to authentic, made-in-Spain designer boutiques like BF by Beatriz Furest and Mercules. The Only You hotel – quaint and full of character – is located right in the center of it all. This street is where I typically send friends to glimpse local life, do some shopping, and get a snack. The neighborhood is a little hipper than nearby Barrio Salamanca, and the small streets surrounding Calle del Barquillo are great for wandering and discovery.
• Cora – Artisanal gelato and excellent brunch bowls. This pretty café is family-friendly and frequently busy with NYU students. (The NYU campus is a few block down the street and, as a Gallatin alum, I loved being around them.)
• Colmando de Bienes – A chic supermercado ecológico steps from my apartment, where I did the bulk of my grocery shopping.
• Petramora – The epitome of a Spanish deli, with cured meats in the refrigerator and delicious sides and sandwiches at the counter.
• La Duquesita – The prettiest coffee shop sells specialty bonbons, tarts, and pastel-colored marshmallows called nubes, which translates to ‘clouds’ in Spanish.
• Barquillo Yoga – Instruction is in Spanish and classes are advanced. They fill up quickly, so book on the app beforehand.
• Dandelion – Dandelion is owned by Elliott Vera, a visionary florist making his tiny corner of the city a singular sight to behold. Focused, intimate, and artisanal-feeling, it’s a perfect example of the special kind of businesses that makes Madrid so wonderful.
WHERE TO EAT:
Dinner service in Madrid doesn’t start until 8:30PM, which is very late when you are an American and/or parent of small children. In time, I got used to it. I’m not a food critic, nor did I take notes when I was eating at these restaurants, but I liked them all and feel confident recommending them.
I didn’t eat at Lhardy, the legendary salon on Carrera de San Jerónimo, but I did have coffee there with Marc one morning, and it wouldn’t be a Madrid guide without a mention of this place where “much of Spain's history has unfolded within the elegance of these walls, beneath its lamps that evoke the etiquette and solemnity of Romanticism, and around its tablecloths that continue to underscore the most exquisite gastronomic refinements.” (To quote the website.) I did peek at the private dining rooms behind the bar with my friend Giulia one day. They are utterly gorgeous.
You may notice this post is void of any mention of Spain’s famous jamón. I don’t eat pork, but if you go anywhere in Madrid, you’ll find it.
• Roostiq – Poultry-focused and always packed, this restaurant was frequently recommended by moms at the school when I pressed them to tell me where to eat. Sit at the bar and order light.
• Charrúa – If Westeros had a Michelin-starred restaurant, it would look like this. A giant wood-burning hearth centers a bar lined with sherpa-covered benches; the table cloths are white and the candelabras are drippy. It’s stunning and smells smokey. Charrúa’s speciality is meat, but they have beautiful fish options, too.
• Mazûl – This elegant Mexican restaurant is run by a female chef who worked in Los Angeles for a time, so the food has a fresh, SoCal quality. The room is moody, twinkling with candlelight and always full of beautiful people. My husband and I had so many great meals here with friends and each other. The guacamole with the taquitos is delicious. So is the Mulli (creamy rice with chicken mole).
• Llama Inn – A clubby Peruvian restaurant steps from Charrúa. The bar gets crowded, but if you go at 8-ish, you can eat dinner downstairs and it’s chill.
• Botin – This is the oldest restaurant in Madrid. The food is so-so, but who cares because the music is live and the aesthetic is heartbreakingly authentic.
• El Paraguas – The special-occasion standard in Barrio Salamanca and one of those places that everyone – literally, everyone – recommends. Including me!
• Casa Macareno – Very hip and very Spanish, this place might be a little hard to navigate without a local to assist, but try. It was the best classically Spanish lunch I had during my entire stay. I even took a picture of it (something I never do):
• Kappo – The interiors of this restaurant in the posh Chamberi neighborhood are divine. The sushi is good enough (I’m a spoiled-by-amazing-sushi L.A. native).
• El Ray de los Tacos – These are really, really, really good tacos. Marc and I would eat at the one on Horteleza, but I imagine they’re all great and open very, very late.
• Honest Greens – Basically the Sweetgreens of Madrid, only better, with fresher meat and more flavor diversity. It gets really busy at lunchtime. I frequently ordered it for dinner via…
**FOOD DELIVERY:
Madrid’s version of a Postmates or UberEats is called Glovo. It’s great. I used it for household stuff (El Súper de Glovo stocks all the essentials), and meal delivery. The food from these four restaurants travels well and is so delicious. I miss it, and would recommend dining-in at any of these semi-casual spots, too.
• Mune – Such good Lebanese food! The fatush was my favorite. Marc liked the frike.
• Onoé – Another wonderful Lebanese restaurant. Try the shawarma tacos.
• Tepic – Delivered to be assembled at home, everything always tasted so fresh. Chicken tinga tacos and Tepic salad were a perfect dinner for one (which I ate often when Marc was shooting nights or on location in other parts of Spain).
• Honest Greens – This mainstay lunch spot is also on Glovo.
WHERE TO SHOP:
Madrid shopping is such a joy, in part because of the breath of independent designers that all seem to be thriving there. A lot of stuff is made in Spain – shoes and clothing in no small measure; hello, Zara! – and many of the country’s designers and makers keep a footprint close to home, filling Madrid’s shops with merchandise that I, for one, had never seen before. It’s fun! It forces the eye to consider actual preferences (without the influence of brand-name recognition). Who cares if the Barcelona-based brand Tiny Big Sister, for example, isn’t for you (it’s not for me). It’s still exciting to see something new with a point of view.
Of course, Madrid has all of the luxury shops, on Serrano Street, mostly, and it has Loewe, which is headquartered there (with design offices in Paris). But the heart of Madrid’s retail beats in the little boutiques in and around Barrio Salamanca and Justicia, from Malasaña to La Latina. Even the national department store, El Corte Inglés, will surprise you. Look closely, you’ll see.
• La Californie – This showroom/shop owned by mother-daughter designers Susana Beltrán and Elena Ayuso is loaded with antique furniture and eclectic accessories for the home. Tucked inside a private corridor in Barriro Salamanca, it’s fantastically colorful. It was the first store I found and fell in love with, so it’s first on this list. A must-see, even if you don’t buy anything (though they do ship internationally).
• Optica Tosacana – Incredible eyewear from allover Europe. The antique apothecary drawers are their own spectacle.
• Mott – I discovered Spalwart sneakers at this shop (the Marathon style is still my favorite and comes in a flight of gorgeous colors), and always loved popping in to look at dreamy, boho brands I’d never seen before, or since.
• Pez – The resort-like feeling of this store has a lot to do with the accessory selection, which favors straw bags, grand, floppy hats, and slip-on sandals made of all-natural materials. To me, the jewelry was always the most eye-catching, and relatively affordable. Here, I discovered Montse Esteve nugget bracelets and the romantic, carved coral necklaces by Jirula.
• Pequeña Inglaterra – Oh my god, I love this store. The glassware. The table cloths. The handblown Murano tumblers and hand-sewn cotton cocktail squares. Shop here then get a coffee or matcha at Friends in Common across the street.
• Cayumas – A little out of the way, in the posh Chamartín neighborhood, this shoe store has the most beautiful designed-in-Madrid but made-in-Italy friulanes and other Venetian slippers for women and girls.
• Zara Home – If you read this letter, you know I don’t link to Zara, but I make an exception for Zara Home. If I could buy all the cotton sleepwear and bring it back with me, I would. The kids section is completely irresistible, as well.
• Carmina – I own quite a few pairs of Carmina shoes that are now more than a decade old and still in excellent condition. And I love this shop in Barrio Salamanca with its rich, red carpet and smoking-room vibes. The sales people all wear waxed cotton aprons; there’s a cobbler in the corner doing repairs. It’s so proper. Although a pair of Carmina loafers may not be the epitome of hip, they’re the ultimate in old-lady chic to me.
• Hoff – Playful made-in-Spain sneakers with a clever design sensibility. I like the ones in-store now with gingham laces and would 100% wear them if I lived in Madrid.
• Aunty B – I’ve linked to this store before because I love the cotton block print pants. Indian imports and the highest quality pashminas fill this store with the most charming colors and patterns. The travel bags are especially tempting for travelers.
• Despacio – This is an interesting, design-driven concept shop in Chueca (just up the hill from Calle del Barquillo and around the corner from Pez). It’s fun and gifty, with Hay-type homeware, artsy clothing, and retro sneakers and eyewear for guys.
• Cocol – In La Latina, this shop specializes in traditional Spanish pottery, cookware, and accessories. It’s a curated mix. Not too fuddy-duddy. “The most authentic crafts of Spain, as well as a selection of objects made by small local producers and designers.” A must-see if you want the real deal with a fashionable feel.
• El Corte Inglés – The third largest department store chain in the world, El Corte Inglés is the mothership of Spanish retail and a great place to go to discover local brands. In my experience, any significant visit to Spain will, at some point, require a trip to El Corte Inglés for some essential you suddenly need. It’s chaotic, but it has everything. My personal favorite is the one on Serrano Street, which is a little smaller and more upscale than the Preciados-Callao and Princesa locations.
• Maty – Technically a dance emporium, it also sells costumes and headpieces of every kind. Go if you want to see real flamenco dresses up close. They’re heavier than they look! How could I resist?
**EL RASTRO:
The city’s famous flea market is surrounded by antique shops of all eras. Charlotte Parker wrote a fabulous post about shopping at El Rastro that I wish I'd had when I was there.
WHERE TO BUY ALPARGATAS:
I’m giving the classic Spanish espadrille it’s own section because buying them is a unique experience and a must if you visit Madrid. Were you even there if you don’t return home with a pair of classic rope-soled alpargatas? Keep in mind, sizing for alpargatas is typically true, and they should fit snuggly at first because they’ll stretch a whole size up when you wear them.
• Casa Hernanz – Mecca. Go early. In the summer, the line starts forming before the store opens at 9:30AM. Pro tip: If there is a line, browse the store’s selection in the windows while you wait and take photos of the style(s) you like so that when you get to the counter you can show the clerk exactly what you want to try. There are hundreds of options! I like the Berto (for men), the Campin Serraje (suede, for fall), and the Aladino (if you prefer a slide).
• Antigua Casa Crespo – A low-key classic that sells all the essentials, plus cool desert shoes called Botines, and the best and softest zapatillas de casa (house slippers); I have three pairs.
• Calzados Lobo – This glossy-red zapatería and alpargatería was founded in 1897 and stocks traditional espadrilles as well as Ibizan avarcas and Venetian friulanes. I had the most luck finding shoes for my kids here.
Here’s the whole story…
Alpargatas for Jeans (and Other Pants)
Spring sneaker season is giving way to summer now in Madrid, which means it’s time to buy a pair of alpargatas, the Spanish version of espadrilles. This post spotlights three of the city’s most beloved alpargaterías, each of which is an all-out buffet of traditional rope-soled slippers, stocking hundreds – maybe thousands – of easy slip-ons and wedges in every color under the sun. I had so much fun with this story. And bought many shoes (averaging €45 each). I hope you find something you love in this mix I’ve put together today.
THE ANTIGUAS:
Madrid is rich with traditional antiguas, historic shops that have been in business for more than a century, and are dedicated to making and selling highly specialized goods – capes, hats, textiles, trimmings; the alpargaterías (above) fall into this category. Most of the goods sold in these antiguas are made and sold by the shop’s proprietors, exclusively and for generations.
El Ayuntamiento de Madrid (The Madrid City Council) honors businesses like these with commemorative bronze plaques, which are placed in the sidewalk at the stores’ entrances. Made at Capa Esculturas, the plaques celebrate the city’s cultural legacy of craftspeople, and are utterly charming and fun to find. Once you start noticing them, you’ll see them everywhere. Stopping to take a look in any store bearing a plaque is always good idea. Here are some of my favorites…
• Almacén de Pontejos - A historic haberdashery founded in 1913, this is where local ladies and gents buy notions and ribbons, knitting yarn, buttons, trims, tassels, underpinnings, mending tools, the works. Even if you don’t sew, it’s worth seeing. To purchase something at Pontejos you order it from a station clerk, who then gives you a ticket which you take to the cashier who will hand you your goods once you’ve paid. (Had I not been there with my local friend Giulia, I would not have figured out this system.) It’s a step back in time. For fashion and craft lovers, I can’t recommend it enough.
• Sombrerería Medrano – Milliners since in 1832, the shop manufactures and sells hats of all styles, from felt clochés for women, to dapper fedoras for guys. I now regret not buying one of these when I was there.
• Casa Silverio and Lucio J&M – These are fabric shops. The former is about the size of a broom closet, stocked to the ceiling with swatches of stripes, linens, ikats, and more. The latter is a warehouse packed with rolls of colorful florals and plaids. My advice: Buy a few meters of something that speaks to you and decide what to do with it when you get home. (And if you need ideas, DM me.)
• Calero – Encuadernacion Artesanal Calero is the oldest bookbinding workshop in Madrid. The machinery is all visible from the till, which makes it an especially fun place to shop.
• Casa Seseña – Capes so gorgeous they’ll make you gasp. It was never open when I walked by (how Spanish), but even in the windows, they’re wonderful to ogle at.
• Javier S. Medina – Javier is part of a new generation of artisans in Madrid using traditional methods and tools to create more modern decorations for the home. Javier, who has worked for brands like Loewe and Zara, is most known for his ‘ecological trophies,’ like the bull’s head below, which had waitlist of almost 2 years when I visited last year. Workshop hours are irregular, so call in advance.
WHAT TO DO WITH KIDS:
Most days in Madrid, I would take the kids to Parque del Oueste or the playground in Plaza de la Villa Paris, a small but elegant square around the corner from our apartment and next to the city’s Supreme Court. We got around using scooters, though this isn’t as popular in Madrid as it is in places like London or New York (maybe because the sidewalks are so narrow?). Most restaurants welcome (well-behaved) children, and it’s common to see kids at dinner at 10 or 11pm at night. Some Ubers refused to drive our kids without car seats, but the taxis were generally accommodating on short trips.
• Museum of Illusions – It’s wacky, they love it, but I don’t, so they mostly went with our babysitter. If you can stomach a lot of stimulation, go forth.
• Faunia – Not to be confused with the Zoo Aquarium de Madrid (avoid! avoid!), Faunia is a fabulous interactive animal park just 40 minutes outside the city centre. Not a must if you are only visiting for a few days, but if you have the time, it’s spacious and cute.
• La Pajarita + Museo Arqueológico Nacional – I put these things together in this section for two reasons: 1.) Because they’re across the street from one another, and 2.) Because they work in tandem to insure fun for the whole family. La Pajarita is a bomboneria that makes the most exquisite hard candies and chocolates. Meanwhile, the archeological museum is full of incredible treasures we all wanted to see – Roman mosaics for me; mummies for the kids. The deal was – museum first, sugar second. It almost always worked. Pro tip: Boxes of La Pajarita’s wrapped candies make great souvenirs.
• El Retiro Park – There’s so much to do here, with or without kids. The Real Jardín Botánico, the Temple of Debod, and El Estanque (the Great Pond), are bucket list locations, but one of the best things we did in Retiro as a family during our stay was rent a motorized Breg kart. There’s a place just outside the park’s NE corner with many, many orange-canopied karts parked out front. You can’t miss it. Get a motorized vehicle (or you will regret it, I promise), and hold on. My kids loved every minute, and it’s a great way to see all of the park’s vast pathways and gardens.
**FLYING TIGER COPENHAGEN
This chain, which is kind of like a mini Ikea marketplace, has locations all over Europe, with three in Madrid. It was a godsend when I needed cheep and cheerful toys and things. Kites. Bath toys. Mini packs of markers and notepads to bring to dinners out. Stickers and squeezy things to keep busy hands and brains occupied. Everything is pretty low-quality and won’t last long, but it’s enough to do the trick while you’re in town.
PARQUE DEL OUESTE:
If I could snap my fingers and go back to one place in all of Madrid, it would be this park. Often upstaged by the flashier Retiro Park, Parque del Oueste is, in my opinion, the city’s best secret (not that it’s a secret, but it’s rarely at the top of the travel lists and I met quite a few locals who’d never even been). This is where I’d walk after dropping the kids off at school; where I’d go when I felt homesick or overwhelmed. There’s a creek with frogs and a million daisies in the grass in the spring; the tree-lined gravel paths are as idyllic as they come. If you get lost (and I recommend you do), just Google maps your way to the Moncloa metro. There are taxis lined up outside the station to take you anywhere you want to go.
That’s everything. Not a lot of jeans, but a lot to see and do. I love Madrid and I know you will, too. Please like and share this link with anyone who may need it. Thank you for reading, and as always, Denim Forever.
Jane
More related links…
You probably want to bring a pretty hat. I’m partial to straw ones with chin straps. This one from Janessa Leone would look so right in Madrid.
Toiletries: SuperGoop does a sunscreen travel set with all my favorites. And Oak Essentials makes their body routine in all the right packable sizes. (The Dew Body Oil is the best!)
I just got a Camp Snap camera and I can’t wait to use it.
Surprise Sneakers for Jeans
I’ll get to all of the great Spanish zapatillas in a sec, but first, look who came to town – Alex Mill’s creative director somsack sikhounmuong, writer of the ever-clever Somstack Substack and maker of my absolute favorite jeans for guys.
Jean-Adjacent: March
Madrid was never on my list of places to live. But as my husband’s new film started looking more and more likely to shoot here, I began to think seriously about joining him with the kids.
Seeing More Than Jeans
Steps from my flat in Madrid’s Chueca neighborhood is a shop I walk by every day called BF by Beatriz Furest. In the windows, one mannequin wears a slim trench over a polo tee and putty-colored corduroys; another is in pleated, rose-hued gauchos and a loose-knit striped cardigan. Nice, but these clothes were never of interest to me. Until yesterday, when for whatever reason and suddenly, they were.
'Vaqueros' is Spanish for Jeans
I’m fresh off a five-day Spanish language intensive and basically fluent en español now. Just kidding. I can barely count to 100. But what an experience. Want to hear about it? (Si si, por favor, you say because if you just say, Si, it means “Yes, but not really.”)
What a sumptuous deep dive….thanks so much for taking us w/you!
This is a fantastic guide !! Thanks for including my bit about El Rastro—truly the best antiques 😌