The 9 best neighborhoods in Madrid to live (and why they are)

Madrid is a modern, urban city with multiple leisure, cultural and commercial alternatives that will satisfy anyone's taste. The capital of Spain is the most populated city in this State and the second with the most inhabitants in the European Union. With 21 districts divided into 131 neighborhoods, it offers many different possibilities to find the area that best suits your tastes and what you are looking for according to your current needs.

So you can choose between more central neighborhoods, with a greater number of green areas, with more shops and a financial area, with quieter homes or with a more cultural and leisure environment. In this article we will present you some of the best alternatives to live in Madrid, taking into account different tastes and preferences.

• We recommend you read: "The 10 most beautiful towns to visit in the Community of Madrid"

Characteristics and structure of Madrid

Madrid, capital of Spain, is the first most populated city in that State and the second in the European Union

. Located in the central area of ​​the Iberian Peninsula, it is one of the European cities with the largest number of green areas, standing out for For example, the Retiro Park, located in the center of the city and the Royal Botanical Garden located next to the well-known Museo del Meadow.

In the same way, its innumerable statues located along the streets of the city also stand out, such as those found in the Plaza Mayor, the Plaza de Oriente or in the aforementioned Retiro Park.

Regarding the administrative division of the city of Madrid, the most recent one in 1988, it segments the city into 21 districts, each administered by a municipal District Board and divided in turn into 131 neighborhoods. These districts are: the Centro district, Arganzuela, Retiro, Salamanca, Chamartín, Tetuán, Chamberí, Fuencarral-El Pardo, Moncloa-Aravaca, Latina, Carabanchel, Usera, Puente de Vallecas, Moratalaz, Ciudad Lineal, Hortaleza, Villaverda, Villa de Vallecas, Vicálvaro, San Blas-Canillejas and Playing cards.

Thus, Madrid is a cosmopolitan city offering its inhabitants many and different employment opportunities, variety gastronomy, shows and cultural exhibitions, as well as an endless number of shops and businesses adapted to all pleasures.

What are the best neighborhoods to live in Madrid?

Given the innumerable neighborhoods that make up Madrid, this city will show many and diverse areas each with its own characteristics that will adapt to a greater or lesser extent to what each inhabitant is looking for. In this way, the choice of neighborhood to live in will depend on what environment you are interested in surrounding yourself and what are your priorities at the present time, that is, if you prefer tranquility, have different nearby shops, places to get work, educational centers and Universities or green areas, among others options.

Keeping your home search goals clear, here is a varied selection of some of the best-valued neighborhoods in Madrid to live in.

1. The Chamberí area

Chamberí is located in a privileged area located near the city center and next to the exclusive Salamanca district. Its strategic location allows its inhabitants to easily access or obtain any type of service, whether educational, health, commercial or even gastronomic and leisure. In the same way, it also houses a wide cultural offer with different museums such as Sorolla or Public Art and different theaters such as La Abadía or Galileo.

So Chamberí can also be a good option if you are interested in buying an apartment to reform and put it to your liking, since they are Characteristic in this area are the modernist, neo-Gothic and neo-Mudejar buildings that are perfect for rehabilitating and creating your home as wish.

2. The Moncloa-Aravaca area

The Moncloa-Aravaca district formed by the neighborhoods of Argüelles, Ciudad Universitaria, Puerta de Hierro, Aravaca, El Plantío or Valdemarín offers multiple and different possibilities to satisfy people of all ages, that is, it will be a perfect area to live with the family, since it houses a quiet environment but well connected to the center from Madrid.

As we have said, the offer of these neighborhoods is very varied, giving the possibility of covering the different needs that are had or are desired, it consists of a more urban area, also located near the Complutense University, with multiple exclusive buildings and new construction, both apartments, house and chalets, being able to find homes with more affordable prices and other more luxurious ones.

Thus, it also has different green areas that apart from giving you the possibility of breathing an air not as polluted as that of the center of the city, they will also allow the little ones to play safer and the older ones to practice different sports such as cycling or to run.

3. The Retiro neighborhoods

The retreat located in the center of Madrid, is also a suitable place to live with the family since it gives the possibility of finding both schools, health centers, areas with multiple stores such as Goya or Serrano and with cultural offerings such as the famous Prado or Reina Museum Sofia.

It should also be noted that in the Retiro district is the park that bears his name, an emblematic place of Madrid that It will also allow you to disconnect from the city atmosphere by walking, doing sports or playing with the little ones in a green area.

4. The neighborhoods of Salamanca

The Salamanca district is made up of the most select and exclusive neighborhoods in Madrid, located between Paseo de la Castellana and Retiro Park, you can find the most luxurious brand stores and high-end homes.

In this way, this area is perfect if you are looking for a select and exclusive environment, with a residential atmosphere but also with large commercial areas. The possibilities of homes are also different, from older buildings perfect for remodeling as new construction homes.

5. The neighborhoods of Chamartín

The neighborhoods of the Chamartín district are one of the most sought after to live. In this area of ​​Madrid you can find both a business area with skyscrapers where some of the most important companies in the country are located, as well as find residential areas and green areas such as the Berlin park or cultural places such as the National Music Auditorium and the Science Museum Natural

So that, In Chamartín you will find quieter homes, without so much hustle and bustle in the city but well connected with other neighborhoods. In addition, in this district is located the Madrid railway complex, called Madrid-Chamartín-Clara Campoamor Station where you can find both train, bus and metro lines that communicate with places within the autonomous community itself as well as with different communities from Spain.

6. The neighborhoods of Villa de Vallecas

If you do not want to live in the center of the city and prefer to look for housing in a quieter area, a good option may be the neighborhoods of the Villa de Vallecas district.

This location away from the center of Madrid it is one of the most modern areas of the city, being currently in expansion and thus being able to find new construction buildings, large avenues where get all kinds of services to cover your needs and green areas where you can disconnect from the environment of town. Despite being far from the center, it has good communications to easily reach the most central districts.

7. The neighborhoods of Fuencarral-El Pardo

The Fuencarral-El Pardo district area is very wide, it consists of different green areas and without much agglomeration of houses, a fact that makes it perfect if you are looking for a quiet location and not very populated. It is made up of neighborhoods of more recent creation like Las Tablas or Tres Olivos and by some of the best valued neighborhoods to live like Pilar or El Goloso.

It also offers you different educational services, it is well located to access the Autonomous University of Madrid, health, as well as transport with different metro lines and bus.

8. The Malasaña neighborhood

The Malasaña neighborhood is not considered one of the 131 since it does not consist of a municipal administrative entity, it is officially part of the neighborhood University in the Centro district, although everyone knows the Malasaña neighborhood, being one of the oldest in the city, but with a very modern.

Noted for being one of the most bohemian and cultural areas of Madrid, It is made up of multiple leisure alternatives, historic bars, restaurants, bookstores and different theaters such as the well-known Lara theater. In this way, Malasaña can be a good option if you want to live in the center of the city surrounded by a creative environment, where all kinds of art can be found.

9. The neighborhoods of Tetouan

In the district of Tetuán you will find very varied, multicultural neighborhoods that welcome very diverse people. It is also characteristic to be able to find tall buildings that contrast with other older housing areas.

In the same way, it is a location that is very well connected with the rest of the city, has all kinds of services for all tastes and offers us a varied gastronomy with restaurants from different parts of the world.