Districts of Madrid

This plaza commemorates Christopher Columbus, who was responsible for ushering in the Spanish imperial golden age of the 16th and 17th centuries.

It is within walking distance of the main cultural and commercial areas of the city, such as the Prado museum, the expansive Parque del Buen Retiro and the business center on the lower part of the Paseo de la Castellana.

A large El Corte Inglés department store consisting of three interconnected buildings is also located here.

The area is directly linked to Barajas Airport by metro line 8 at the Nuevos Ministerios station.

Torre PwC is the third tallest in Madrid, at 235 metres (771 ft), and was designed by Enrique Alvarez & Carlos Rubio.

This neighbourhood, also known as Barrio de las Letras, is west of the Paseo del Prado and north of Calle Atocha.

A historically poorer neighbourhood within the city center, Lavapiés has maintained much of true 'Madrileño' spirit of the past.

Lavapiés has a high concentration of immigrants (mainly Bangladeshis), and also tends to attract Western European expats, artists and writers, adding to the cosmopolitan mix.

Its difficult to put precise boundaries on La Latina, because, like its immediate neighbours, streets are narrow and winding.

On Sundays and major holidays, the famous Rastro flea-market begins on the eastern edge, spilling out of the San Millan exit of the La Latina metro stop to the Plaza de Cascorro and all the way to the Ronda de Toledo to the south.

On its other side, La Latina borders Plaza Mayor and another ancient part of the town, El Madrid de los Austrias, where you can find the Palacio Real (Royal Palace).

The Royal Palace is no longer used as a residence, but it has been kept intact, serving as a cultural monument that is occasionally used for state functions.

In the north, centering on Calle Ibiza, streets are in a grid pattern and buildings, normally 6-10 storeys, are packed closely together, creating a bustling atmosphere of small shops, bars, and restaurants.

In the west, the Jerónimos area, with its 18th and 19th century buildings and many museums (including the Museo del Prado), has few private residences, its large flats that often surpass 200 m2 (2,150 sq ft) being mainly used for offices.

A residential district in the north, Hortaleza includes the headquarters of the Spanish Olympic Committee, the IFEMA (Madrid's main trade fair centre) and Juan Carlos I Park, a park between Campo de las Naciones (commercial district) and Barajas.