Dear readers,
Chueca
Last week I wrote about the most interesting places of the neighborhood Salamanca, one of the richest areas in Madrid. This week I am going to write about a total different neighborhood in Madrid: Chueca! Chueca is very famous about their Gay-scene area. There are a lot of different opinions about Gay people, but one thing is for sure, taste do they have!
When you enter the Chueca area you directly see that this is an Amsterdam look-a-like neighborhood, and of course I am not talking about the canals. Both boys and girls are walking hand in hand. If you walk trough the area you can feel and see people watching you, so if you have a low-confidence level, just walk trough this part of Madrid and you confidence level directly gets a boost!
You said they have taste? Tell me more!
Chueca is different than other neighborhoods. Where a lot neighborhoods in Madrid still have the classic restaurants, tapas bars and shops, Chueca is very trendy, hip and modern. Shops which are settled here are not the standard and famous shops such as Zara or Tommy Hilfiger, unless you walk trough Calle Fuencarral (nearby Chueca), no Chueca has different stores, both trendy and classic, appropriate for all kinds of people from young to old. Prices for clothing merchandise is in general not very cheap but the quality is far above average. Even more, the clothing in the stores are not mass focused. Often only one or two clothing peaces are available which offers you the probability on a unique outfit.
But what about the best restaurants and bars?
For me, although I am heterosexual, Chueca is one of my favorite neighborhoods to have a drink and have dinner. One place you definitly should visit is Mercado San Anton. Where Mercado San Miquel (nearby Plaza Mayor) is very touristic, San Anton is crowded with tons of Modern and hip Spanish people, both hetero- as gaysexual. The atmosphere in this 3 floor building reminds me of the American serie ''Orange Country''. Everybody is beautiful and enjoying life is priority number one! The first floor is a market where fresh meat, fish and vegetables are being offered. When you take the stairs and go to the second floor you see all kinds of small modern tapas bars, from sushi till oysters. The second floor has some tables and seats where all the people are having a glass of wine and eat a small bite. After you enjoyed the atmosphere over here I recommend you to go to my favorite part of San Anton; the third floor. The third floor is a combination of a restaurant and a lounge. For the restaurant you often have to make a reservation in advance. They have a extensive menu where they offer al kinds of dishes; both modern as classic tapas, fish, meat, vegetables etc. The plates are served very creative. I have to admit the tastes vary per dish. Some I like, others are too salty for me. The prices for the plates aren't very cheap (for Spanish meanings). You pay for a main course around 16€ - 20€.
Back to the lounge part of San Anton. The lounge part is outside the restaurant. During the winter period the lounge is heated which give a cozy and intimate athmosphere. People are sitting outside and having a wine or a beer. People of all ages appear here but they all have in common that you can see they are dressed hip and trendy. In the summer San Anton is even better to go. You can enjoy the sun while having one of your favorite cocktails. The terrace/lounge has al kinds of furniture where you can chill. Getting a drink at the bar is a bit cheaper than if you order it at a waiter. For a bottle of wine you pay around 15€, a beer is around 3€ and a cocktail is relative expensive (9€). Music is being played at low level on the background. If you want to have a good and enjoyable drink with hip and trendy people I definitly recommend you to visit the third floor!
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| San Anton roof terrace I |
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| San Anton market overview |
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| San Anton tapas |
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| San Anton roof terrace II |
Or take a look at the following short-movie:
You definitely convinced me Casper! But what do you recommend more?!
Well, Chueca is more than San Anton. Nearby San Anton there is square called Plaza de Chueca. This is a square where people are drinking and eating at all kinds of different restaurants, while enjoying the sun. Just a good place to take your relaxing moment.
More specific places
Other favorite places which I like to visit for instance for having a lunch or for a dinner is 'Bla Bla Bla'. This restaurant is established in Calle Prim. A restaurant where classic and trendy is combined. The food is relatively expensive but served well and has fine taste. Service in this restaurant is above average and the saxophonist playing romantic songs at the background makes this a perfect place to have a dine with your beloved one.
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| Bristol furniture |
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| Bristol food |
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| Bristol restaurant |
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| Bristol champagne |
Behind Calle Prim there is a street which also has a good restaurant/bar, this street is called: Calle Almirante. Here you can find the Bristol Bar. The Bristol bar looks like a English fashion upper class restaurant/bar. The red colors, nice furniture and their posh look give the restaurant/bar an expensive appearance. Although the prices are relatively high its not unaffordable. Besides, the Bristol Bar has something special. They are specialized in the spirit Gin. With a collection of more than 60 different Gins they distinguish itself from others in this area. You can order your own personalized Gin cocktail exactly how you would want to see it. Furthermore they have every month different Gin offers. If you want to do posh and want to have a good Gin than you know where to go!
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| Bristol restaurant |
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| Bristol Gin collection |
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| Bristol furniture |
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| Bristol bar |
From the Bristol Bar were are going to Oscar (Plaza Vazquez de Mella). Oscar is a trendy and fasion hotel. If you are looking for something different, established in the center, and you have some money to spend, go to hotel Oscar. This seven floor building with swimming pool on the roof provides all the necessary accessories that a hotel should offer. The furniture is very colorful and gives a futuristic feeling. If you go to the highest floor, you can enjoy of a perfect view of Madrid. The seventh floor has a small swimming pool on the roof where you can cool down if you can't stand the heat anymore. A normal drink costs here around 6 euro (view included). Breakfast is until 12:00 so if you had a rough night you can still be on time for some delicious food.
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| Oscar outside |
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| Oscar furniture |
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| Oscar roof and swimming pool |
In Chueca there are a lot of places I would like to show and recommend you, but if you want to visit Madrid you need have some adventure left and therefor I am arriving at my final recommendation: Diurno! The interior of Diurno is the combination of Madrid and Paris. It is the perfect place for having a lunch, a cup of coffee or just for take away. Diurno is settled in Calle San Marcos and accounts normal prices for their products. From the inside of the cafe you feel the relaxed atmosphere. Some people are drinking coffee and just talking a bit, while others are relaxing or reading a book.
Diurno provides also the opportunity to borrow DVD's and watch these inside of the cafeteria. They have a big collection of al kinds of (recent) movies, from comedies to horrors. Diurno has few service because inside of the cafe you can choose and pick your own meal/lunch. After you have made your choice you pay at the cash desk. One tip: Diurno has fantastic (irish) coffee! This cafe is one of my favorite places to go for having a quick lunch or just to sit down and study my lectures. The quality of their products; sandwiches, pies, yogurts, coffees is extremly high comparing to prices they are asking.
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| Diurno interior |
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| Diurno outside |
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| Diurno sandwiches and shakes |
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| Diurno furniture |
This was it for today! Next week I am going to write about the center of Madrid, everything around Sol in particular! Although this area attracts a lot of tourists I have some inside information about great places. You definitely don't want to miss that!
See you next week.
Cheers
Casper
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