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.
Retiring to Madrid for US Citizens with Marsha Scarbrough
For the latest episode of The Making of Madrid podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with writer Marsha Scarbrough, an experienced expat and correspondent for International Living magazine. Marsha was declared the “La Primera Exiliada” (the first exile) from Trump by El Mundo back in 2017 when she packed her bags and left for Madrid….
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…
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…
Neighbourhood Guides
Trying to work out what parts of the city to explore? These posts will guide you through Madrid’s neighbourhoods.
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…
Book launch: A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District
I’m delighted to announce that A Guide to Madrid’s Literary District will be officially launched in Secret Kindoms bookshop on April 20, 2024! Illustrated by Nathan Brenville and published by Secret Kingdoms, the book is a glossy bilingual guide to Barrio de las Letras. In honour of Cervantes, the launch of A Guide to Madrid’s Literary…
Quiet corners of the Prado
Out of the pandemic, there’s no perfect time to visit the Prado. Even if you visit first thing in the morning or during lunchtime – that’s 2 pm to 4 pm in Spain – you’ll still have to contend with crowds swarming around the museum’s greatest masterpieces. And while Velazquez’s Las Meninas, Goya’s Black Paintings and…
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 Gems
My guide to Madrid, away from the crowds. For more on the city’s tranquil side, check out my book Quiet Madrid.
Hidden Corners of Retiro: The Artificial Mountain
A romantic folly I’ve spent a lot of time exploring hidden corners of Retiro recently while making my new audio tour for Voicemap. However, as Retiro’s Montaña Artificial (artificial mountain) lay well off my route, I hadn’t had time to visit since was reopened this summer. Still, I’m glad I waited. With the autumnal leaves in…
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: 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…
Popular Madrid History Posts
A history buff’s guide to the forces that have shaped Spain’s capital.
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…
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…
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 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…
Watch or Listen to the Podcast
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Recent blog posts
Walking tour of Puente de Vallecas
A neighbourhood guide and self-guided itinerary for one of Madrid’s most rebellious districts I’ve been meaning to do a proper barrio guide to Puente de Vallecas for years, but as I live in Usera, I rarely get out there. Though it’s technically adjacent, I always end up having to go into town and back out again…
Sistine Chapel of Tile Art Back from the Dead
After 20 years in hiding, Los Gabrieles’ skeletons are partying again! I have been waiting years to get inside Los Gabrieles, so when the doors finally swung open this April, after more than two decades of closure, I walked in and, embarrassingly, totally geeked out to the staff, who must be getting pretty used to this…
Fitness in Madrid with Marietta Sandilands
How healthy is the famous Mediterranean diet really? And where can you stay fit in Madrid without breaking the bank? In this episode, I chat with personal trainer and nutrition coach Marietta Sandilands about navigating health and fitness as a newcomer to Spain’s capital. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2npPy4GKbiI2a3hX7FM6FV?si=03d4327b83034f72 Marietta shares the surprising truth about changing dietary patterns in Spain,…
Guide to the Royal Armoury at Madrid’s Palacio Real
If you’re finishing up a visit to the Palacio Real and walk straight past the Royal Armoury without going in, you’re making a serious mistake. I know, I know — by the time you’ve done the palace, you’re tired, your feet hurt, and the café is calling. But trust me on this one: the Royal Armoury…
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
