The Making of Madrid
Your guide to Spain’s capital
Insider Tips for Visitors to Madrid
First time in the city and don’t know where to start? This info will help you get oriented.
Madrid for Foodies
Madrid’s culinary scene is constantly evolving, and there’s no better guide to the city’s food than Joy, a tour guide and Instagram star who has spent years exploring its markets, restaurants, and tapas bars. I recently interviewed her for my podcast, which you can listen to below but if you’re short on time, here’s a roundup…
A Guide to Madrid’s Festivals
Madrid pulses with festive energy throughout the year, offering visitors and locals alike a window into the city’s rich cultural tapestry. From solemn religious processions to raucous street parties, the Spanish capital maintains a packed festival calendar that showcases the city’s spirit and traditions. While Barcelona and Seville might get more attention for their celebrations, Madrid’s…
How to Survive Summer in Madrid
Updated 31 May 2026 You’re coming to Madrid in August for your summer holidays, hombre, are you crazy? – would be the typical response a Madrileño would give you if they heard your travel plans. They know from bitter experience that this delightful city turns into a furnace during summer. Anyone in their right mind ought…
Madrid’s Most Overrated Attractions
What’s Not Worth the Hype (and Where to Go Instead) Madrid is a stunning city brimming with history, art, and culinary delights, but let’s be honest—not every so-called “must-see” spot lives up to the hype. In my recent podcast, which you can listen to by clicking on the audio below, I explain why these overpriced and…
Neighbourhood Guides
Trying to work out what parts of the city to explore? These posts will guide you through Madrid’s neighbourhoods.
Midstream Madrid Itinerary: the Hidden Heart of Old Madrid
Looking to escape the crowds in Madrid’s historic center? Just steps away from Plaza Mayor lies a peaceful neighborhood nestled between two ancient hills, where Madrid’s original streams once flowed. This hidden gem offers tranquil gardens, hushed churches, and authentic local spots that most tourists never discover. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJFCdwg6Xtk&t=2s The Secret Valley Between Two Hills Madrid’s original…
Guide to La Latina
In the heart of old Madrid and yet a world apart from the touristy mayhem surrounding the royal palace, La Latina is the perfect place to base a stay in the city. For me, the steeply sloping squares and cobbled streets of the barrio (neighbourhood) offer a tranquil retreat into historic Madrid. By contrast, the bustling…
Hidden Corners of Malasaña
Filled with bars, vintage clothes shops, and artisanal emporiums, Malasaña is hands down Madrid’s hippest neighbourhood. Throbbing with activity way into the wee hours, its heart is indisputably Plaza dos de Mayo. But there’s so much to see besides this: dive down any street and you’ll find the barrio full of hidden corners worth exploring. Here…
Pontejos: stitching together Madrid’s past and present
In the heart of Madrid, where narrow streets tell tales of centuries past, lies an area that weaves together the story of Madrid’s 16th-century guilds, a visionary mayor, and one of the city’s most beloved literary characters. Welcome to Pontejos, a district that captures the essence of Madrid’s rich historical tapestry. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6k8IJQCvYuxpwIDj0x2lrN?si=FW7Gwe4MQJy1t1p2cbV3cg The Street of the…
Hidden Gems
My guide to Madrid, away from the crowds. For more on the city’s tranquil side, check out my book Quiet Madrid.
Hidden Gems: Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares
Madrid’s Lavapiés neighborhood is home to one of the city’s most overlooked cultural treasures: the Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares. While this hidden gem lies off the beaten tourist track, offering a peaceful retreat from Madrid’s busier attractions, be warned that on a Sunday, you’ll find it closed when the bustling Rastro market takes over….
Madrid’s Hidden Gems: The Manzanares River, with Clare Starkie
A deeper look at the Manzanares River Visitors to Madrid often leave the Manzanares River off their itineraries in favour of the Prado, the Royal Palace and Retiro Park. That’s not to say it isn’t popular. Ever since a €4 billion rewilding project was completed in 2011, the river has become a haven for locals taking…
Hidden Gems: the Hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida
Goya’s Hermitage: an ode to the majo Tucked away beneath the palace by the Manzanares River, the Hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida stands as a testament to Francisco de Goya’s artistic genius – a place where 18th-century Madrid comes to life and where the artist himself finds his final rest. Goya’s frescoes transform the…
Madrid’s Most Underrated Attractions
Madrid is full of world-famous attractions, but if you only stick to the big hitters, you’ll miss out on some of the city’s most fascinating spots. For every overcrowded tourist trap, there’s a dusty but delightful museum waiting to be discovered. It’s a topic I tackle in my latest podcast, which you can listen to by…
Popular Madrid History Posts
A history buff’s guide to the forces that have shaped Spain’s capital.
A History of Violence in Madrid
This particular episode is about the history of violence in Madrid and it was inspired because one of my most popular blog posts is called Gangs of Madrid, Is Madrid a Safe City? The following is a transcript of the podcast. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ex8WYnzwyptn4ebxwdD0f?si=JBTfWozqQ0q3Y1kXj42OKw Transcript When I lived in London as a young woman, I used to go…
Why are true Madrileños called gatos?
What is a gato? Gato means cat in Spanish but in Madrid, it also refers to someone who can count their ancestry back two generations within the city. This means that both their parents and grandparents were born and raised here. While there’s a little bit of debate on whether this should be on both sides…
A History of Chocolate and Churros
Updated 10/2/2026 A crunchy deep-fried churro dipped in a gloopy cup of chocolate is one of the most decadent and divine culinary pairings in history. It’s a calorific breakfast that can be enjoyed in churrerías throughout Madrid setting any tourist up for the busy day sightseeing. Surprising then that while both churros and chocolate have a…
A brief crawl around Madrid’s most historic bars
There’s a reason why Madrid’s most historic bars are still in business. After finding the right formula for success, these places have stuck to doing what they know best. Sometimes it doesn’t do to change with the times! Casa Labra There are some bars that, rather than advertise their existence, seem to actively discourage new clientele….
Watch or Listen to the Podcast
Prefer to listen to content? Then check out The Making of Madrid podcast.
Recent blog posts
How to Get the Best Out of the Prado
The Prado is at the top of most people’s itineraries on a first visit to Madrid, but with visitor numbers to this enormous museum increasing, it can all feel a little overwhelming. That’s why a bit of planning is essential to get the most out of it. In my recent podcast, I covered tips and tricks…
Madrid´s Rebellious Side with Linda Jaivin
To coincide with the launch of her book “The Shortest History of Madrid”, Linda Jaivin sat down with me to discuss the history of Spain’s capital. It’s a great episode of the podcast that touches on the fearless women, wild fashion trends and popular uprisings that have shaped the city’s history across the ages. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3D5maVsDM4AtV7ZiTGnKKS?si=a93132765dd447f6 Linda…
Hemingway in Madrid with Stephen Phelan
If you’ve ever wondered how Ernest Hemingway’s love affair with Spain shaped his writing, you’ll want to tune into my latest podcast interview. Stephen Phelan is a journalist who also leads a Hemingway-themed tour in Madrid that offers a vivid, no-nonsense take on the writer’s time here. Whether you’re a literature buff, a history geek, or…
Interview with Luke Stegemann
There’s a particular kind of authority that only comes from decades of showing up somewhere — not as a tourist, not even as an expert parachuted in for research, but as someone who has genuinely lived inside a place’s contradictions. Luke Stegemann has that authority with Madrid. He first arrived from Australia in the mid-1980s, when…
Journalism by Felicity Hughes
Felicity Hughes has written about Madrid for major publications, including Lonely Planet, the Guardian, the Financial Times and Time Out. Here are a few examples of her work:
Tours
Felicity Hughes can be hired as a guide to the city. Check the guided tours page to see if she’s available. Or consider getting one of her Voicemap audio guides.
Tour Reviews
