Nice apartment in excellent location
The flat is in a great location, very central, about 20 minutes walk to any sight in Madrid. The neighbourhood is busy and friendly with lots of great local bars and restaurants. The Dia supermarket is about two minutes walk, on the adjacent street and has a great selection of well priced food and drinks. If you are lucky enough to be there on a Sunday you literally walk out of the flat into the fringes of the weekly flea market.
Alvaro was a great host, communication was excellent and if you had a problem I am confident that he would help out.
We enjoyed walking round the local streets and across to Lavapiès which also has some great bars etc. Some recommendations from our trip
Bar Cémento - very close and had live music in the evenings whine we visited
Bar Japy - Closer still, friendly place, decent inexpensive tapas and food
Restaurant Toga - our favourite, more expensive than some other restaurants but amazing food, especially the mushroom carpaccio, sea bass, and tuna pasta.
Cédron wine bar - again not cheap but great food and nice place, large portions so share.
Jauja café - small friendly place with decent food at modest price
Taberna el sur - busy bar selling typical Spanish food, inexpensive
San Miguel market - we didn’t eat here, food seemed overpriced for what you got but undoubtedly well worth a visit for the experience, for a glass of wine and to wander through the stalls. Very smart and cool vibe.
We are foodies and culture nerds,
The Prado is unmissable unless you really hate art. It is free 6-8pm but you need much longer in the museum.
Thyssen - free 12 -4 on Mondays, and well worth a visit but not quite the range or quality of the Prado
Reine Sofia - free 7 - 9pm. The Guernica is unmissable but the rest of the collection is average at best.
Reine Sofia music school - this sometimes has a free concert on a Wednesday lunchtime, world class young musicians.
The Royal Palace - very long queues, book a time online and go to the front of the queue at your allocated time or wait in line for 1-2 hours. Worth a visit if you like period bling.
Cathedral - free but without charm or beauty.