Insider’s Guide to Madrid

What makes Madrid such a great place to live?
The city has an incredible climate – which enables a lifestyle where you can spend a lot of time outdoors, particularly when it comes to socialising. We have magnificent parks such as the 125-hectare El Retiro and great public spaces that include the 15th-century Plaza Mayor, where cafe culture is thriving. Madrid is a highly sociable city and offers an excellent quality of life in beautiful surroundings.

Which are the best areas to buy in?
The prime neighbourhoods in Madrid are mostly within the M-30 road, which wraps around the city. Perhaps the most exclusive are Barrio de Salamanca, especially the Recoletos area close to El Retiro Park, and Jerónimos, right in front of it – buyers love the elegant architecture and green space. Chamberí has an aristocratic past and is famed for its wonderful buildings and wide avenues. And Justicia is trendy with a lot of youthful energy.

What kind of property can you find?
Madrid has everything from elegant villas with magnificent gardens and pools to modern city-centre apartments that offer incredible views of the skyline from the roof terrace. Watching a city sunset from up high is one of the great pleasures of living here. Properties in the best locations tend to go quickly, whether that’s high-end modern apartments or grand 19th-century houses. Branded residences are becoming increasingly popular in the city too.

Who’s buying in Madrid?
About 7% of buyers in Madrid are from overseas, with a significant interest from the Latin American market, thanks to lower costs and a shared cultural heritage: many are choosing Madrid over Miami, particularly the elegant Barrio de Salamanca, Jerónimos and Chamberí areas, but also increasingly trendy Justicia.

In the prime market, we’re seeing a large domestic presence – not just buyers from Madrid, but from all over Spain. Many consider property in the city as a safe investment. If they don’t live in it, their children can use it later if they decide to study at any of our prestigious universities.

What’s new in the city?
Soho House is coming to Justicia soon, but the exact location is still under wraps. Two buildings with a connecting courtyard are being combined into this seven-floor members’ club. The recent €1.76 billion refurbishment of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium has also made it a high-profile events venue, not only for football, but concerts too.

We’ll be hosting Formula 1 in 2026, when the Spanish Grand Prix comes here – it will be a huge event, with entertainment way beyond the race itself. And Stage is to open its third state-of-the-art venue in the city, as a venue for large-scale musicals.

Which are your favourite places to eat?
Los 33, in Las Salesas, has fantastic food with a Uruguayan influence. Tramo places an emphasis on sustainability and is a beautiful architectural space, all stripped-back concrete and flooded with natural light. And La Daniela is definitely the place for the best cocido madrileño – our delicious local stew.

What about the cultural life in the city?
If you enjoy theatre or live music, there’s always something to see – Gran Vía is our equivalent of Broadway. We have world-class museums such as the Prado and the less well-known Museo Lázaro Galdiano, with paintings by Goya and Bosch. The biggest months for the contemporary art world are January and February, in the run-up to the ARCOmadrid art fair in March.

We Collect, which showcases new artists, is excellent, and Justicia has lots of small, good-quality galleries with a buzz about them – and lovely independent boutiques nearby. There’s so much to do here – you could see a different show, art exhibition or installation every single day and never repeat yourself. The city is overflowing with culture.

What do you love most about Madrid?
It’s such a walkable city – the wonderful climate and extraordinary architecture make walking anywhere a pleasure. I’m from Málaga, but I’ve been here for 10 years and feel like a local. I’ve explored the city from end to end. Madrid has excellent transport connections – you can catch a plane to anywhere in the world. But the city feels like home to me.

Portfolio recommends…
Dos Cielos is a notable Madrid outpost from the starry Spanish siblings Sergio and Javier Torres, set in a modernised 13th-century convent. La Venencia, the atmospheric bar in which Ernest Hemingway once drank, has been here since 1922 and is still a solid option for sherry. In the Salamanca neighbourhood, take a pitstop at Sense, the spa at Rosewood Villa Magna, and lounge in its small but perfectly formed hammam. And half an hour from the city centre, the Unesco-listed city of Toledo is fascinating – you can see a gothic cathedral, a 10th-century mosque and two synagogues within a few metres of each other.

YOLANDA RUEDA, NEW DEVELOPMENTS SALES DIRECTOR, SAVILLS MADRID
yolanda.rueda@savills.es