Los Madriles: How to Explore the Area Around Four Seasons on Foot

One traditional and highly popular way of referring to Madrid is to talk about los madriles. There is no other city anywhere in the world that refers to itself in the plural like this; not London, not Paris, not Berlin and not even New York. Los madriles is an old, colloquial and highly accurate expression because it speaks to all the “Madrids” that fit into this city. Its name comes from Arabic; its typical dish - cocido madrileño - has Jewish roots and its popular dance - the chotis - comes from Central Europe. While remaining a town of La Mancha (the land of Don Quixote), it is simultaneously the capital of the Kingdom of Spain and seat of the royal court that was so exquisitely portrayed in paintings by Velázquez and Goya. Cosmopolitan and authentic, town and court, capital and village, cultured and popular, no one is made to feel like an outsider in los madriles. Its personality is plural, open, kind and hospitable. Madrid is a city that enjoys life and one that dedicates itself to ensuring that those who live in it and those who visit from afar enjoy it equally. With that unique personality, the city offers all sorts of ways for visitors to discover and enjoy it from the first moment they set foot inside. It is an extrovert city; one that goes out for lunch, goes out for dinner, goes out for tapas and that enjoys churros and chocolate after a long night out. That atmosphere, that lively dynamic lifestyle and that innate joy is certainly one of its great attractions. Madrid is a city with a lust for life, a contagious form of passion and excitement.

A City for Walking

Your feet are the best means of transport in Madrid. Its size, its character, its climate, its light, its lively streets, its terraces and its businesses are all reasons why that is true. Someone from Madrid likes to be on the street, to live life outdoors. Walking the streets of Madrid is the best way to get a feel for life here. Four Seasons Hotel Madrid is situated in a privileged location for strolling around the historic city centre, its squares, the Madrid of the Habsburgs, the Las Letras district, or the lovely districts of Malasaña and Salesas, where you will find plenty of small businesses and independent cafés. The top museums can all be found only a short distance from the Hotel, as can its two most iconic streets: Calle de Alcalá and Gran Vía. Walking is also the best way to discover its gardens (such as El Retiro and the Royal Botanical Gardens, both historic benchmarks for European city parks), its tree-lined boulevards, its traditional markets such as the famous Rastro flea market every Sunday or its luxurious avenues in the high end Salamanca district with an international luxury shopping centre. Furthermore, within the same complex as the Hotel itself, the Galería Canalejas is a luxury shopping arcade on a par with any to be found in the world’s top capital cities that is home to some of the best fashion, accessory and jewellery boutiques anywhere on the planet. The Concierge team will be delighted to arrange an in-room showroom for a shopping experience like any other.