Where Is Central Madrid?

With almost 7 million inhabitants, Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union. However, despite its size, the city is not one of the most famous and popular destinations in Europe, or even in Spain. I knew almost nothing about the city before I planned my trip (which was a spontaneous booking the evening before I traveled).

Most of the time when we're traveling, we want to be in the center of the places we visit. So where is the center of the huge Spanish capital of Madrid?

The center, or heart, of Madrid is Puerta del Sol, a large public square and a major metro interchange. However, it's not the easiest place to get to by metro from the airport as it will require at least one line change, possibly more depending on the time of day.

Puerta del Sol is still the place you should aim for when looking at hotels in Madrid. All roads lead to Puerta del Sol, both locally and nationally. The square is the "Kilometer Zero" for the Spanish road network and serves as the starting point for Spain's six national roads.

Other landmarks on the actual square are the Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree (“El Oso y el Madroño”) as well as the Royal House of the Post Office and the Tío Pepe sign.

The main train station of Madrid is Atocha Station. It is centrally located, but I would still say that it is slightly out of the way. You can stay near there, but you would have to start every outing with a 10 to 15-minute walk until you get to the interesting areas.

But how far from Puerta del Sol can you go and still be in the absolute center of things in Madrid?

The area just north of the square, up towards Gran Vía, is full of activity, and it is where the main shopping streets are located. There are some hotels there, but most importantly, the area is full of restaurants, and it is more than likely that you will spend many hours strolling those streets.

To the west, you have important landmarks such as Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace. Being near those places is also a great option. I stayed to the east of Puerta del Sol, on Calle de Cedaceros. I thought it was a great location. As long as you are west of Retiro Park, you will be close to everything. This area houses many of the famous museums, most importantly the Prado Museum.

South of Puerta del Sol is where it gets slightly blurred as you are leaving the absolute center of the city. I would probably recommend not going south of Calle de Atocha when looking for hotels, as you are straying further and further away from all the main sights from there.