The Malasana barrio of Madrid lives in that sweet spot between tradition and trendiness. Old-school bars and bookshops have maintained their place among the influx of hipster cafes and bicycle racks, and it is one of the best neighbourhoods in the Spanish capital for dinner and drinks or admiring street art.
While there are many small galleries in the Malasana neighbourhood, street corners and closed businesses are often graced by graffiti. One of the best ways to enjoy the barrio by day is on a tour of these pieces with the Madrid Street Art Project. Once the sun sets, Malasana is a prime spot for nightlife. Pull up a chair at modern tapas bar La Musa or have a tipple at the kitschy, colourful Tupperware.
Just north of the Palacio Real, Malasana is easily accessible from central Madrid and its top attractions. The Noviciado station is served by the subway. The neighbourhood is less than a 15-minute walk from the Palacio Real and just under a 30-minute walk from the Museo Nacional del Prado.
Malasana has long been a centre for counter-culture in Madrid. Today it has all the trappings of hipsterdom, but in the 1970s and 80s, it was the hub for La Movida Madrilena. Free expression and art were in abundance as Spaniards adopted a new sense of identity.