Madrid: Living Between Neighbourhoods, Long Lunches & Late Nights

The Road to Madrid: Sunshine, Highways & a Midway Stop in Soria

The drive from Pamplona to Madrid was just over four hours. I set off under a sky that was completely clear, that bright winter sun that sits low but sharp, stretching across the windscreen as the road unfolded into the mountains.

Around the halfway mark, I stopped in Soria, a small, quiet town that sits between mountain ranges. I parked up and walked through rows of pastel and terracotta buildings, laundry hanging from balconies, locals going about their afternoon. 

Lunch was simple but exactly what I needed before getting back on the road and it broke up the journey perfectly. From there, the final stretch into Madrid was smooth, the landscape flattening out as the city began to take shape on the horizon.

Arriving in Madrid: A New Base at Be Casa Valdebebas

After the long drive down from Pamplona, I arrived at Be Casa Valdebebas my home for the first chapter of Madrid. The neighbourhood itself is low-key with wide streets, modern apartment blocks and big open parks.

But the real appeal was Be Casa. Designed for nomads and long-stay travellers, it’s built around community and comfort with communal workspaces, a fully equipped gym, a bright lounge that always has someone tapping away on a laptop, rooftop views at sunset, and best of all, completely dog-friendly.

It felt like its own little ecosystem: a base where I could work, reset, and ease into the city. My plan for Madrid was a life in two halves; part of my time here in this peaceful neighbourhood on the edge of the city, about 30 minutes’ drive from everything, and the other half right in the heart of Madrid where the pace shifts instantly.

Settling Into Valdebebas

The first few days in Madrid were deliberately rooted in Valdebebas. This was the softer entry point with space to unpack, get my bearings, and ease into the city before diving into the centre.

Mornings often started at La Típica Bodega El Garnacho, sitting out on the terrace with coffee in the crisp winter sun. It felt like a true cross-section of the neighbourhood: locals, expats, dog walkers, people easing into their day without urgency. Easy, familiar, unpretentious.

Lunch at Carambola Café Bistró quickly became a highlight. The food was excellent, full of flavour, well priced, and thoughtfully done. Inside, it’s warm and relaxed, the kind of place that works just as well for lingering over a long meal as it does for opening a laptop and getting some work done with a glass of wine alongside.

Evenings stayed close to home. Dinner at Qalido brought a more refined note; polished, confident cooking without feeling formal. In between, days were filled with long dog walks through Parque Forestal de Valdebebas – Felipe VI, where wide open green space stretches in every direction.

I cooked regularly back at the apartment too, enjoying the luxury of having a proper kitchen again. I also squeezed in a nail appointment at Le Maise, and let the days settle into a flow that felt practical, spacious, and grounding.

It was the perfect soft landing into Madrid before shifting gears for the second half of the stay, right in the heart of the city. 

Into the City: Brunch, Dogs & a First Proper Night in Madrid

By the weekend, I was ready to shift gears and head properly into the city. I parked up at El Corte Inglés parking right in the heart of Madrid. An easy, central base that made the transition seamless and I stepped straight into the city's energy.

Brunch was at Roge Madrid, meeting Thomas, a French man living in the city, who also had a dog, a husky called Pi. The food at Roge was genuinely good, and a couple of glasses of wine meant brunch quickly stretched into the afternoon.

From there, the day rolled naturally into bar hopping around Lavapiés, with Roly and Pi padding alongside us. Madrid is incredibly dog-friendly, which made moving from place to place feel effortless. Cafes, bars, terraces and restaurants welcomed dogs almost everywhere, making it easy to drift from day into night without breaking the flow.

Later that night, I headed north to Chamberí and checked into Avani Alonso Martínez Madrid, a stylish boutique hotel. It felt like the right close to my first real taste of the capital: lively, social, and spontaneous. Madrid, properly, had begun.

A Slow Sunday in the City

I woke up with a sore head on Sunday from the night before with no real agenda, which felt exactly right. The pace shifted automatically with a later start. 

I spent the afternoon wandering without intention, drifting through the streets around Calle de Hortaleza, letting the neighbourhood reveal itself slowly. By the evening, appetite returned properly, and I headed for dinner at Bodegas Lo Máximo. It was the perfect choice for the mood: traditional, atmospheric, and reassuringly good. The kind of place where the food and wine flows easily, plates keep arriving, and the day closes without ceremony.

Monday, Split in Two

Monday unfolded in two distinct halves. The morning stayed focused and contained, anchored around Chamberí. I worked from coffee shops and co-working spaces near the hotel, easing back into routine after the weekend.

I settled in at Casa Foca – Work & Chill Coffee, a well-designed space that made it easy to get things done. Good coffee and breakfast, quiet concentration, people tapping away at laptops, it felt purposeful without being rigid.

Later, I wandered south towards the centre and stopped for coffee at Kohi Madrid. By the afternoon, Madrid pulled me properly into its streets. I drifted through Malasaña and Chueca, moving between neighbourhoods without much structure, letting curiosity lead. Vintage shops, independent boutiques, colour, people everywhere. I spent time browsing vintage shops and bought a cute, stylish corset at Disco Cherry Vintage.

Lunch was grabbed along the way at Lamucca De Prado casual, unplanned, exactly right before I continued wandering, watching the city move through its own rhythms.

It was one of those days that felt very Madrid: productive without being heavy, social without effort, and constantly shifting as each neighbourhood blended into the next.

Small Resets & City Greens

Tuesday was about maintenance and meandering. The kind of day that slips neatly into city life.

The morning started with a hair appointment at Nubians Hair Salon, tucked just off Jesús del Valle. One of those practical resets that quietly makes a place start to feel familiar rather than temporary.

Late lunch followed at El Social, and it genuinely stood out. Relaxed, great energy, and seriously good food. The ceviche was spectacular, fresh, vibrant, and perfectly balanced, easily one of the best I had in Madrid. What really elevated it though was the owner: warm, welcoming, and effortlessly generous. You felt looked after without it ever feeling forced. A place I’d recommend without hesitation for the food, the atmosphere, and the people behind it.

After eating, I wandered towards ardines del Arquitecto Ribera, a quieter pocket of green tucked between neighbourhoods. Locals stretched out on benches, dogs trotting past, people cutting through on their way elsewhere, everyday city life unfolding.

It was a satisfying kind of day: errands done, work fitted in, excellent food, and just enough green space to round it out.

Back to Valdebebas: Loose Ends Before the City Finale

The next day, I headed back to Be Casa Valdebebas to reset before the final stretch in the city. Packing, sorting bags, tying up loose ends. That in-between day that sits somewhere between movement and pause.

I used the time for practical errands, including a car wash and a wander around Centro Comercial Islazul. A bit of Black Friday window shopping, a change of scenery, and an easy way to tick things off without thinking too hard.

Nothing headline-worthy, but necessary. A day that quietly clears space so you can enjoy what comes next. After that, it was back into Madrid to spend the last few nights fully in the city. 

Final Night in Madrid: Tapas, Cava Baja & One Last Loop

I headed back into the city for my final night, checking into Casual del Teatro Madrid, right in the thick of it. Central, walkable, and perfectly placed for a last proper send-off.

The evening unfolded exactly as it should in Madrid: a tapas crawl along Calle de la Cava Baja. No reservations, no overthinking, just moving from bar to bar, following the energy.

First stop was Taberna El Tempranillo. A classic opening move. Good wine, solid plates, busy in the way that signals you’re in the right place. From there, onto El Carmín.

After the tapas crawl, the night took an easy turn at La Vaca y La Huerta, where I met Frank, a photographer, originally from South America and now living in Madrid. Conversation clicked immediately. One of those effortless, no-context-needed chats that feels like it’s already mid-flow five minutes in.

We decided to carry the night on to Café Pavón, just nearby. Inside, the energy was already high with packed tables, overlapping conversations, drinks constantly arriving. We fell into conversation with locals and expats alike, the group growing naturally as people drifted in and stayed. Glasses clinked, stories bounced around, laughter cut through the room.

It was lively, social and exactly the kind of night Madrid does best. A perfect, slightly chaotic, very human end to my chapter in the city.

Closing Madrid, Back on the Road

My final afternoon in Madrid ended on Gran Vía, with lunch at Oven Mozzarella Gran Vía. Good Italian comfort food, easy atmosphere, and a front-row seat to Madrid’s constant motion before it was time to move on.

By late afternoon, I was back in the car, heading northeast. Rather than push straight through to Barcelona, I broke the drive with an overnight stop in Zaragoza. A practical stop, well-placed, and exactly what the journey needed.

I stayed at B&B HOTEL Zaragoza Centro, just across the river from the historic centre. A simple, comfortable stopover: enough time to reset, sleep well, and be ready for the final stretch the next morning.

Madrid had been full, social, grounding, and expansive all at once. Zaragoza marked the shift back into transit mode, the quiet pause between chapters before Barcelona waited on the other side.

Understanding Madrid: The Neighbourhoods

Madrid is large and varied, but once you understand its neighbourhoods, the city becomes easy to navigate. Each area offers a different version of Madrid life:

Malasaña I Creative, youthful and slightly chaotic. Independent cafés, vintage shops, record stores and nightlife. One of Madrid’s most energetic neighbourhoods, especially after dark.

Chueca I Stylish, social and central. Fashion-led cafés, wine bars and boutiques with a strong LGBTQ+ presence. Lively but polished, and very walkable.

Chamberí I Local, elegant and understated. Residential streets, traditional cafes, wine bars and markets. Feels lived-in rather than touristic, a favourite with locals.

La Latina I Traditional and food-led. Narrow streets, historic buildings and some of the best tapas spots in the city. Particularly lively in the evenings and on Sundays.

Lavapiés I Multicultural, raw and expressive. Street art, global food, alternative spaces and a strong local community. Less polished, more real.

Barrio de las Letras I Historic, literary and central. Charming streets, cultural landmarks and a calmer atmosphere, with easy access to museums and parks.

Salamanca I Elegant and upscale. Wide boulevards, designer shopping and refined cafés. More daytime energy than nightlife.

Retiro I Green, residential and relaxed. Built around El Retiro Park, ideal for long walks, slower mornings and a quieter city rhythm.

Valdebebas I Modern, spacious, park-filled and residential. Wide streets, new-build apartments and a calm, local feel. Good for longer stays, and dog owners, around 25–30 minutes from the city centre.

Notes from the Road: Madrid

Madrid met me halfway; part everyday life, part full-volume city. It lets you arrive gently if you want, then turns the dial up the moment you’re ready.

Valdebebas gave me room to settle in with routines, green walks, co-working life, good food close to home. The city centre flipped the switch with long lunches into evenings, bar crawls turned strangers into familiar faces, and each neighbourhood offered its own take on Madrid life.

What lingered was how easy it all felt. Deeply dog-friendly. Social without trying too hard. Energetic, but never cold. Madrid doesn’t chase your attention,  it rewards curiosity.

It’s a city you can skim or sink into. Either way, it stays with you.

Now, it’s time for the next route.

Next route: Barcelona.