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.
Mealtimes in Madrid
What are typical mealtimes in Madrid? Mealtimes in Spain can drive you crazy, especially if you arrive at a restaurant ravenous, only to find the kitchen won’t be open for an hour yet. As Madrid is always full of tourists, there will be places willing to serve you lunch at 12pm. Unfortunately, these are often tourist…
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…
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…
A Romantic Weekend in Madrid
Madrid is a city where romance thrives: from rooftop bars with breathtaking views, to passionate flamenco performances, to hidden gardens steeped in history. This guide to a romantic weekend in Madrid has everything you need, whether planning a surprise proposal, celebrating an anniversary, or just looking to escape together. From charming inns to candlelit dinners to…
Neighbourhood Guides
Trying to work out what parts of the city to explore? These posts will guide you through Madrid’s neighbourhoods.
Where to Stay in Madrid: A Local’s Guide to the Best Neighborhoods
Originally published 8 December 2025 As a tour guide and Lonely Planet guidebook writer, I’ve been pounding Madrid’s streets for more than a decade, exploring not only its busy grand boulevards but also its charming quieter corners. So I’m a good person to ask about accommodation options if you’re a first timer with only a few…
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…
The Insider’s Guide to Usera: Madrid’s Cultural Melting Pot
Welcome to the second instalment of my three-part series about Usera! In the first episode, I introduced the fascinating history of Usera and touched on some gentrification challenges. Today, we’re diving into what you can actually DO in the neighbourhood. As a resident of the area, I’m thrilled to share this lesser-known side of Madrid that’s…
New Audio Tour of the City’s Muslim Origins
Think you know Madrid? Think again. Beneath the grand boulevards and baroque palaces lies a city with a very different origin story—one that’s largely hidden from view. My new audio tour with Voicemap, Medieval Madrid: A Guide to the City’s Muslim Past, peels back the layers of time to reveal a forgotten history that begins not…
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: Campo del Moro
Nestled below the royal palace lies one of the city’s most beautiful and overlooked treasures: the Campo del Moro gardens. One of the destinations in my new book Quiet Madrid: A Guide to the City’s Third Spaces and Hidden Places, these stunning gardens offer both tranquility and a fascinating glimpse into the city’s medieval past. A…
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…
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….
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…
Popular Madrid History Posts
A history buff’s guide to the forces that have shaped Spain’s capital.
How Paris Has Shaped Madrid
Bonjour à tous! This latest missive from The Making of Madrid comes to you from Paris. Summer in Madrid is way too hot for me and my Guardian opinion piece on the destruction of trees in Madrid has made things even hotter! My critique of the local government’s policy seems to have stirred up a small…
Key Moments in Madrid’s History: For Whom the Bell Tolls
San Pedro el Viejo and Madrid’s Muslim past Legends about Madrid’s dark past have long echoed through the city’s medieval streets, giving us flashes of insight into the city’s collective psyche. One of these legends involves a church nestled in the heart of historic La Latina. San Pedro el Viejo (or San Pedro el Real) sits…
The Bear and the Strawberry Tree
Why a bear and strawberry tree? Visitors seeking an Instagrammable picture of themselves in Madrid often head to the statue of the bear and strawberry tree in Sol. It’s an iconic symbol that appears all over the city from manhole covers to public bins, to the logo of the much-maligned Atlético de Madrid – Madrid’s other…
Street Signs in Madrid: a Brief History
The beautiful tiled street signs in Madrid are one of the city’s most distinctive features and reproductions of them are sold by the bucket-load to tourists looking to take some souvenir of their stay back with them. But did you know that these iconic tiles only date as far back as the 1990s? What might surprise…
Watch or Listen to the Podcast
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Recent blog posts
Your Complete 3-Day Madrid Itinerary
Visiting Madrid for the first time? Then this is the post for you! In it, I’ll present a three-day itinerary that’ll give you a flavour of the city and hopefully leave you coming back for more! As everyone is different, it has lots of options for you to adapt it to your needs. On day one,…
A Guide to El Rastro: Madrid’s Legendary Flea Market
Tumbling down the hill in downtown Madrid, El Rastro flea market is chaotic, historic, and endlessly entertaining. So if you’re planning a trip to Madrid, I’d put it right up there alongside the Prado as one of those experiences you absolutely can’t miss (for more on getting the most out of a short trip, check out…
Where to Stay in Madrid: A Local’s Guide to the Best Neighborhoods
Originally published 8 December 2025 As a tour guide and Lonely Planet guidebook writer, I’ve been pounding Madrid’s streets for more than a decade, exploring not only its busy grand boulevards but also its charming quieter corners. So I’m a good person to ask about accommodation options if you’re a first timer with only a few…
Saving Madrid’s Trees AmyJo Doherty
Madrid suffers from one of Europe’s worst heat island effects, and the situation is getting worse. Rather than tackling this problem by planting trees, the local government has been doing the opposite—scrapping plans to add greenery and actively removing mature trees from key public spaces like Plaza Santa Ana and Arganzuela Park. I spoke with musician…
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
