Those who have strolled through Retiro Park, toured the Prado’s halls, or seen a musical on Gran Vía tend to think Madrid no longer has many surprises to offer. Until they return and discover that, as soon as they stray from the usual itinerary, the capital changes its accent, its landscape, and its rhythm.
On the other side of the busiest streets there is a city that invites you to forget the clock and the obvious plans, where artists let their imagination run free, green spaces offer a pause and queuing at traditional market stalls is a habit and not a fashion fueled by FOMO. Zones in which creativity, gastronomy, heritage and daily life intertwine naturally and without the need for grand headlines. Each has its own personality and a particular way of telling Madrid. Therefore, the best thing is to let yourself go, sit at the table where locals eat and enjoy visits at a slower pace.
Las Ventas, much more than the bullring
Everyone thinks they know Las Ventas. After all, the bullring that gives its name to the area is one of Madrid’s buildings that doesn’t need an introduction. The recognizable reddish brickwork of its façade, the horseshoe arches and the hand-painted tiles are the calling card that architect José Espelius designed around 1929. But the venue holds much more than a distinctive architecture, as shown by the Las Ventas Tour, which allows visitors to delve into its history, walk the stands or access the arena floor, in addition to visiting the Bullfighting Museum, located in the horses’ courtyard, with its historical posters, Goya engravings and a specialized library with more than 2,000 volumes.
Listed as a Cultural Interest Site in 1994, in the Historic-Artistic Monument category, the bullring is located in the La Guindalera neighborhood, the most quintessential of the six that comprise the Salamanca district. Here, the broad avenues give way to residential streets, local shops and a market, the San Cayetano Market, which feeds the kitchens of the surroundings, where tapas bars, daily menus, seasonal menus and the time-honored stoves coexist.
