- » hole in the wall
- » immigration
- » inter-cambio
- » languages
- » law
- » movies
- » music
- » news
- » Phil's favorites
- » photo of the day
- » photography
- » politics
- » residency
- » salsa
- » shop
- » site updates
- » SPECIAL REPORTS
- » sport
- » suggestions
- » tapas & raciones
- » teach english in spain
- » TEFL articles
- » TEFL Jobs
- » TEFL Lesson Plan
- » television
- » theater
- » uncategorized
- » videos
- » visas
- » weekend
- » wine
- » yikes, parents are in town!
- » architecture
- » art
- » articles
- » audio IDs
- » bar/pub
- » blogs
- » books
- » business
- » cheap
- » clubs
- » coffee
- » community
- » concerts
- » CONTESTS!
- » contribute
- » culture
- » dance
- » dj
- » drink
- » eat
- » economy
- » escape
- » exhibitions
- » fashion
- » features
- » festivals
- » flamenco
- » food
- » gay and lesbian
- » gifts
- » guiri dispatches
- » health
- » history
photo of the day
Madrid Neighborhoods: La Latina
La Latina is affordable, artistic and fun. By day it's a lovely barrio for a stroll, in the evenings a great place for nightlife, and on Sunday it erupts in to the "Rastro" one of the biggest flea markets in all of Europe. Photo by Quico López.
Travel in Spain: The Feria de Sevilla (Seville)
Travel in Spain: The Feria de Sevilla (Seville)
by Sean McNamara
The six-hour southbound bus ride passed quickly, as my anticipation for Sevilla’s famous spring Feria (Fair) grew and the monumental silhouettes of Andalusian bulls floated over the hills. Socibus, the company that shuttles travelers...
Terrazas in Madrid: Argumosa, "Café Street"
Terrazas in Madrid: Argumosa, "Café Street"
In Madrid, when does spring officially begin? For optimists it’s the budding of delicate leaves, for pessimists it’s the banging of annual construction. For the vast majority, however, spring is the beginning of terrazas (sidewalk cafes)...
Photo of the Day
Argumosa, the Street of Many Cafés
Calle Argumosa is lined with terrazas cafes serving juice, coffee, beer, wine and sangria. A couple of hours on this magical street will cure whatever ails you.
Shopping and Food: Intercultural Spring Market in Madrid
Shopping and Food: Intercultural Spring Market in Madrid
If jostling through the crowds on Gran Via has lost its charm and you are feeling a bit on edge, before you do something drastic, take a “time out”. Just behind this tourist trodden avenue is a little secret, Plaza Luna, a square that has...
Tapas and Raciones - Spain's Little Dishes
Tapas and Raciones: La Poza
When you're roaming the streets of Madrid late at night and looking for some cheap bar food, kebabs are often your only option. Well, not anymore, my fellow MAPistas! A drunken staple of the...
Hotels in Madrid: Five Star Hotels
Hotels In Madrid: The Westin Palace Hotel Madrid
The Westin Palace Hotel sits directly across from Madrid’s Ritz Hotel, just on the other side of the Neptune fountain. Even...
Bars - beer, tapas and raciones
Palentino - In U2 & Manu Chao's Favorite Madrid Barrio - Cheap Food and Drink
“You’re in for another type of experience,” says Ana. These were the last words I heard before I entered the mythic Bar El Palentino . Ana is...
photo of the day
The Cheapest Tapas in Town at Casa Tortilla
Casa Tortilla, with it's unlimited food and alcohol, is a magnet for merry-makers like those pictured. After sufficient sangria, you too might be inspired to reappropriate that checked table cloth and use it as a fashionable headband. See review.
food - Cheap Tapas in Madrid
Another Madrid Secret: Casa Tortilla, Unlimited tapas and drinks for 12 Euros!!!
by Andrew Poole
Believe it or not, tackiness is actually an admirable quality at Casa Tortilla. In a world...
Bars and Pubs - Belgium
Devil Dogs and Bitter Belgian Beer - Are You up for the Challenge?
by Ben Dornan
Tucked away behind the imposing Plaza Mayor on calle Cuchilleros you can find the Belgian Beer Café. If you're a fan of the arts of the Flemish master brewers then this place has to be a regular stopping-off point. They have an excellent selection of beers on tap and in bottles...
food - Brazilian
In Search of the Ultimate "Hole-in-the-Wall"
In spite of several frustrated buzzes, no one answered the doorbell. Why? Although it looked like an ordinary housing block, I was sure I had the address right – was there a secret knock? a password? a hidden video camera? Discouraged ...
food - culture, history
Spain - Land Of The Rabbits
No doubt about it, Spain is getting pricey. According to Que!, a local newspaper in Madrid, since the change from pesetas to euros the cost of daily items has increased significantly–most notably the price of bread, which has shot up 100% in cost. Of course, nothing hits the pocket harder than the holiday season; but above stuffing stockings...
escape - Segovia
Segovia - Close, Cheap, Great Suckling Pig - What More do you Want?
Once upon a time, there was a quaint little town by the name of Segovia, found deceptively close to the metropolitan city of Madrid. Perfectly preserved in its medieval splendor, the city of Segovia exemplifies the more traditional side of Spain. El Casco Antiguo of the city is where a majority of the historical sites are located, all of which can be found within walking distance of one another. This scenic walk begins at the ancient Roman...
La Latina - bars
Dragons in La Latina Bar?
Recently MAP Magazine discovered a rather awkward looking animal in a place where it was least expected. Apparently, a green dragon has managed to set up its home in a tiny, La Latina bar that’s already a contestant for the ”smallest place to drink your caña” prize. Experts are now investigating how the beast succeeded in wiggling...
Our Suggestions
Let the (MAP) Force Guide You!
The following will read like a crash course in Madrid culture. No matter what your concerns, questions or proclivities, we think you’ll be able to find something to suit your lifestyle in our medley of suggestions. As you read through the items, if you don't find what you need, check the search box at the right. If you still can't find what you are looking for, go ahead and drop us a line and we’ll try to help you out.
cafe/bookstore
Bacchus International Bookstore: Snug, Simple and Sociable
Named after a wine, there is nothing…umm… to whine about at Bacchus. A second hand bookstore and coffee shop, the place is warm, friendly and just plain comfortable. With its earth tones, cozy sofas, dim lights, great coffee and home-made (vegetarian) tostadas, its one of those places you just...
history - Tertulias (conversation cafes)
The Art of Talking - Tertulias in Old Madrid
Between the end of the 19th century and the middle of the 20th, Madrid’s favorite pastime - talking, talking, talking - was taken even more seriously than usual. Part of a proper bohemian life was engaging in tertulias, informal gatherings to chat about, of course, everything counter-cultural. The newly developed tradition of sitting down at a marble table...
cafes - N. del T.
N. del T.: A Good Café Deserves a Footnote
Nicely tucked away from the busiest streets in La Latina lies N. del T., a quiet and relaxed get-away from the neighborhood’s castizos. Good coffee (with a chocolate, hurray!), homemade cakes or a nice caipirísima will recharge your batteries and enable you to deal with any further exploration of this bustling part of Madrid. Somehow, N. Del T. just oozes tranquility and calmness. Is it the brick walls that are painted white? Perhaps the alternative, scarce furniture gives...
Unique Hamburger in Madrid
Bar Keffo: a tapas restaurant with one of the best hamburgers in Madrid
Madrid is an international city exploding with new, fusion restaurants. Keffo Food & Bar stands out as a unique restaurant and tapas bar offering not only a fantastic selection of international tapas - but man, they have one heck of a hamburger!
Get down!
Laydown Rest Club Madrid
It’s an age-old conundrum: should I languidly lie in bed or head out for a night of revelry? For many, too tired to go out but too restless to stay in, this constitutes a genuine conflict. Fortunately for the indecisive masses, there is now a brilliant compromise: a venue called “Lay Down” - or should that be “Lie Down”? Anyway, usage aside, this club/restaurant – provides an opportunity to do just that: relax in bed with friends while dining out and enjoying live performances and DJs...
Chinese Food Madrid
El Chino De Plaza España
So, when you hear speaking about the famous "Chino De Plaza España;" literally "The Chinese Dude Of Spain Square," be assured that they are not talking about an obscure Kung Fu film...
Food - Pan-Asian Vegetarian
Asian Food with a Trendy Twist
At lunchtime do you often find yourself stuck in the Center desperately searching for a restaurant that is quick, inexpensive, healthy and relaxing? Add this to your list of culinary options: Shi-Shang...
Cafes - Historical Teterias
La Teteria de Tu Abuela: The Teahouse of Your (Revolutionary) Grandmother
Here is reason 5,212 to fear the Starbuck’s revolution – beautifully authentic and genuinely historic cafes like this one could easily be driven to extinction. La Teteria de tu Abuela, started in the 1950s...
cafes - chill out
The Unwind Underground
So as summer is officially out and autumn is on its way in, you may be heading out to look for warm and cozy cafés. Our suggestion? Check out ‘Alqamaru – El Café De La Luna.’ If you’re in the Malasaña neighborhood, you’ll spot what looks like old sofas thrown around this Alqamaru place. Enter and you might feel like you are in a locale where everyone has left behind their laziness and moved on to bigger and brighter and places. The venue has the potential to be that groovy hang out that you all want to frequent deep down inside, but there is a rare staleness in the air that will probably turn you off – UNTIL...
Sweets - The Spanish Contribution
Roses are Red, Violets are… Purple
Apart from a bear hugging a tree, cocido madrileño and a football team, Madrid has also managed to find room for its own ‘typical’ sweet, the violetina: it’s purple and tastes like violets - I think. Because I have never eaten a real violet, I just have to assume the sweet resembles the violet somehow. On top of that, this quintessentially Spanish candy has a flowery shape to make sure you don’t miss out on the botanical connection. You can buy them in...
Blog
'Pipa' Culture
In Spain, people eat pipas - sunflower seeds. They have a cover that you need to crack open to get to the seed; the seed is miniscule and tastes like...umm...nothing...
Food
Moroccan Cuisine: Love at First Bite?
Of all the cuisines to come in and out of vogue – Japanese, Mexican, Thai, Indian, Ethiopian, etc, – it seems like Moroccan food has been sadly overlooked. Perhaps it’s time has come.
Gifts
Gift Giving for Dummies!
Hidden on the side streets of Lavapiés, La Antojá is someplace you aren’t likely to stumble upon, and, if you did happen past, chances of you entering are a bit slim. Furthermore, having entered you might be tempted to spin on your heel and exit – a potential mistake.
Mexican Food and Drink
La Catrina: Where Christ Comes Face to Face with Zorro and Godzilla
La Catrina restaurant in Malasaña is living proof that Mexican culture has officially perfected the art of clutter. This cozy space boasts more objects per square centimeter than any other establishment in the neighborhood!
Food
Pizza for Laborers
The origin of pizza is not as clear as you might think – some point to the Persian Empire, others to Ancient Greece and, of course, many to Italy. How pizza eventually found its way to Argentina is also not entirely clear according to the owner of Argentinean pizzeria Mastropiero, but what matters is that it tastes gooooood.
Gaudemus Café
A Heavenly Hole in the Wall
Like some appalling vision from the evening news, the large, church-like structure looks like it has been heavily shelled in some war-torn region of the world. The roof, for example, is missing and many windows are simply absent.
From our former site
Oskar Burger
So for those of you who think like me, that is, the definition of a good time is limited to two words–"cheap & good"–let me present you with one of Madrid's finest traditions in supreme culinary delight: Oskar.
From our former site
San Ginés - Madrid’s Church of Chocolate
The next time you are heading home after your run of weekend party rituals – standing in long lines to e...
From our former site
Maoz Vegetarian - A (Mostly) Pun-less Review
Don’t worry even though most people pronounce the name of the restaurant “mouth” we will avoid such bad puns as “It’s maoz watering!” - we simply aren’t that sort of publication. This non-pun-oriented restaurant is almost more of a hybrid restaurant/kiosk, but think cozy not cramped. It’s the place for every frazzled, Madrileño who’s short on time and money, but wants to eat healthily on occasion. If you are from a city that has entered the vegetarian realm a little more deeply than Madrid (for example, any place where “ham” isn’t classified as a vegetable)...
From our former site
EcoCentro
If you're not veggy lover, stay away from EcoCentro. EcoCentro is a chain of bio-friendly businesses operating a grocery store and a restaurant in Madrid. The grocery store is open between 10 AM and 10 PM, while the self-service restaurant is one of the few local eating places that is open during the ¨siesta¨ hours...
From our former site
The Pool At Lago - Where the Boys Are!
Daily - 11:00 to 20:45 Entrance: 4.10 euros The Pool at Lago Relax On The Soft Grass, Take A Dip In The Cool Pool... So your nights are reckless and wild, but what about your days? Add some balance to your life and make them relaxing and refresh...
mexican food
La Panza Es Primero - Mexican Food in Madrid
The Full-on Mexican Experience! La Panza (The Belly), whose logo is exactly that – a stomach bloated with food - delivers on its promise to fill your gut. And, not only will they fill your gut, they’ll leave all of your senses satiated. Merely entering the restaurant (the Chueca location) is an experience in and of itself...
Health - swimming pools
Outdoor Pools in Madrid Are Open!!!
Hey Kids! It’s officially summertime in Madrid – the pools open tomorrow! Even if you don’t consider yourself a “pool person”, you might want to check this out. In place of the typical concrete and deck chairs, many offer grass, trees, music and alcoholic beverages. Trust us, it can make for a perfectly lovely day...
From our former site
Ladinamo - Underground Cafe
Ladinamo Calle Mira el Sol, 2 Metro: Lavapiés, La Latina or Puerta de Toledo Tues-Thurs 17.00 to midnight, and Fri to Sun noon-midnight www.ladinamo.org The Pirate Network! Ladinamo is a cooperative cafe and cultural center that attracts the s...
From our former site
Feria de la Tapa 2007 - Really cheap Tapas!
Feria de Tapa, 2007 Thurs, May 31 to Sunday, June 3 noon to 16:30 and from 19h to 23h Avenida de Felipe II (no number) or Jorge Juan, 99 Expand Your Cultural Horizons! Hyper-Extend Your Stomach! Drink Lots of Little Beers! All While Saving Money! ...
From our former site
Three Great Restaurants - Glorieta de Montera, Bazaar & La Finca de Susana
Glorieta de Montera Caballero de Gracia, 10 Bazaar Calle de la Libertad La Finca de Susana Calle Arlaban, 4 Fine Dining For Less Glorieta de Montera along with its sister restaurants La Finca de Susana and Bazaar stand out on the Madrid scene by s...
health - Medina Mayrit
Medina Mayrit - Turkish/ Arabic Baths in Madrid
Medina Mayrit, Turkish bath and restaurant, ingeniously combines Madrid’s three major historical cultures: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. While, in many other restaurants, there is a disturbing tendency to Disney-ify cultures making them “user-friendly”, Medina has kept their cuisine and spa-facilities deliciously authentic. Before you disparagingly decide that such an experience is out of your budget, read on...
From our former site
The Retiro - Best Park in Madrid
image by Ilana Panich-Linsman Retiro Park Enjoy the Park, Beware of the Bushes... As nice as the water looks, you can’t jump in. For that you have to wait until the 28th of May when all of the municipal pools open – we’ll keep you posted. Until ...
From our former site
Restaurante Boñar de Leon - CHEAP tapas!
Restaurante Boñar de Leon Cruz Verde, 16 Metro: San Bernardo T. 91 531 00 30 or 91 521 26 02 Daily 9 AM – 2AM The Hallowed ground of Humungous Tapas Just when you thought tapas couldn’t get any bigger, any cheaper or any yummier… We bring you – Re...
From our former site
The American Store - Products from the US
Hankerin' For Home? The American Store is a small shop that supplies, as you might imagine, kitsch, necessities and even perhaps even a category called “kitsch-necessities”. OK, I know your friends don’t “need” Barbie-doll candles on their birthday cakes or Betty Crocker brownies, but then again “need” is a very relative concept - especially when living abroad...
From our former site
Calle de Argumosa - The Street of Sidewalk Cafes
Calle de Argumosa The Best Way to “Sunday” So, it's been another strenuous weekend of socializing in Spain’s topsy-turvy capital. After all the activity of the weekend subsides, there's no better place to recuperate and relax than Calle de Argumo...
Madrid Cafés and bars: Las Horas Cafes
Las Horas Café - A Clandestined Café
Las Horas Café Calle Magdalena, 32 Metro: Antón Martin While some cafes in Madrid give you the feeling of being seen, Las Horas Café provides you with the opposite sensation – that of being pleasantly clandestine. Lanterns and candles on the wall...
From our former site
Bambalam! A Soul & Funk Bar
Bambalam Calle de la Villa, 3 Wed to Fri 18:30 to 2:30 Sat & Sun 15:00 to 2:30 Metro: La Latina Bambalam is a bar as groovy as its name. With soul and funk as a theme, you can hardly go wrong and the owners haven’t held back one iota. ...
From our former site
Peggy Sue’s American Diner
Amaniel 20 Tel: 91 521 85 60 Tel: 638 04 64 85 Schedule: Tues – Thurs: 830PM – 1130PM, Fri – Sun: 2:00PM-5:00PM & 8:30PM – 11:30PM NON-SMOKING ONLY If you knew, Peggy Sue…. Then you’d be oh so hungry too! Uh, let’s forget I just did that; aft...
Bes Tostas in Madrid
Taberna Casa de Las Tostas
I won’t even post this as a review, it’s a downright challenge: if you can find a better tostas bar than Taberna La Casa de Las Tostas, send us the address...
Tapas in Madrid: Casa Julio
Casa Julio
Let’s face it, tourists love celebrity allure. As a result, a lot of bars in Madrid claim Ernest Hemingway as a former patron; after all, it’s a great way to turn a pub into a tourist attraction–and even if there’s no physical...
Tapas bars in Madrid: El Tigre, young international crowd and great tapas!
El Tigre - Tapas Bar
El Tigre Calle Infantas, 30 Metro: Gran Via Everybody knows that budgets can get rather tight at the end of a Madrid month. This predicament could send you down one of two paths: you could get more in touch with your spiritual side and fast for ...
Organic Food Madrid: A Salto de Mata
A Salto de Mata: Organic Food
If you’ve been looking for a health food connection in Madrid, A Salto de Mata is the...
Bars and cafes Madrid: Bodega del Águilera:
Bodega del Águilera: Bar and Restaurant
The newest addition to the La Latina scene looks very promising weighing in wonderfully balanced on all criteria: space - not too small; not too big; lighting – not too dark, not too bright; and music – not too ...
Food - Indian Tapas
Darbar: Tapa Transcendence
Are you tired of the humdrum world of tapas? At the terraza, do you find yourself weeding out the bruised and waterlogged olives as you dolefully sip your caña desperately thinking "there must be more to this existence"? If you are seeking "tapa transcendence" then Dar Bar is the place for you. Yes, you guessed it: Indian tapas - it had to happen sooner or later...
Cafés in Madrid: Café De Los Signos
Café De Los Signos
The most unique café to hit the scene in recent years, Café De Los Signos, caused a stir in Madrid by being the first café to cater to and be run by the deaf. However, it should be noted that all people regardless of their hearing status are more than welcome.
Cafés in Madrid Lavartebar
Lavartebar: cafe/bar
Lavartebar is a must-know for anyone living in Lava Pies. It looks small from the street, but entering ...
Cafes in Madrid: Jelly Fish Cafe
Jelly Fish Cafe
Jelly Fish Cafe Calle Pelayo, 60 Metro: Chueca T: 91 308 59 38 WEB: www.jellyfish-cafe.com Open every day noon – 2:00, closed Sun and Mon nights OK, promise that when I say “Ocean theme” your mind won’t conjure hideous images of Little Mermaid m...
Restaurants in Madrid: La Musa Latina
La Musa
La Musa Plaza de la Paja WEB: www.lamusalatina.com Mon-Wed 9:00am-5:00pm & 7:00pm-12:00am Thurs 9:00am-5:00pm & 7:00pm-1:00am Fri 9:00am-5:00pm & 7:00pm-2:00am Sat 1:30pm-2:00am Sun 1:30pm - 12:00am La Musa has always stood out as an e...
Kosher food in Madrid: Naomi Grill
Naomi Grill
Naomi Grill C/ Pensamiento, 25 Metro: Tetuan 91 570 69 23 WEB: www.naomigrill.com Hours: 13:00 to16:00, 20:30 to 23:00 Sunday to mid-day Friday Closed Friday evening and Saturday A trip to Naomi Grill, Madrid’s only Sephardic, kosher restaurant,...