The Making of Madrid

The Prado is top of most people’s itineraries on a first visit to Madrid, but with visitor numbers to this enormous museum increasing, it can all feel a little overwhelming. That’s why a bit of planning is essential to get the most out of it. In this episode, I cover tips and tricks to help you make your visit as smooth as possible, ensuring you get to see all the big masterpieces and understand a little about the background of the collection along the way. Essential listening for anyone looking for an introduction to the magnificent museum.

Useful links

Quiet Corners of the Prado

Caught on Canvas, A Rogue's Gallery of Spanish Rulers

Visit my website and subscribe for a FREE copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook

⁠⁠⁠https://shr.pn/tiNH⁠⁠⁠

To support the Making of Madrid, consider buying a copy of ⁠⁠⁠Quiet Madrid⁠⁠⁠⁠, my guide to the city's tranquil spaces in hidden places.

You can also⁠⁠ leave a tip⁠⁠ to show your support.

Or you could buy one of my ⁠⁠⁠⁠audio tours on Voicemap⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Sign up for my ⁠⁠⁠newsletter to get a free copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook⁠⁠⁠

(visit themakingofmadrid.com if you can't use these links)

To coincide with the launch of her book “The Shortest History of Madrid”, Linda Jaivin sat down with me to discuss the fearless women, wild fashion trends and popular uprisings that have shaped Madrid’s history across the ages.

Linda is a prolific writer, translator and cultural commentator based in Australia. Well-known for both her novels and work on China, in this book she turned her attention to Spain’s capital, which she describes as “A playground for kings and courts, a proving ground for the talented and a battleground between democracy and fascism.” 

In this interview, we tried to cover as much ground as possible but the book is vast in scope so hopefully it will whet your appetite to ⁠buy a copy⁠! 

If you are interested in the history of Madrid, there is plenty of content on my ⁠blog ⁠to check out.

Visit my website and subscribe for a FREE copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shr.pn/tiNH⁠⁠⁠⁠

To support the Making of Madrid, consider buying a copy of ⁠⁠⁠Quiet Madrid⁠⁠⁠⁠, my guide to the city's tranquil spaces in hidden places.

You can also⁠⁠ leave a tip⁠⁠ to show your support.

Or you could buy one of my ⁠⁠⁠⁠audio tours on Voicemap⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Sign up for my ⁠⁠⁠newsletter to get a free copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook⁠⁠⁠

(visit themakingofmadrid.com if you can't use these links)

In this episode, I take you on a self-guided walking tour of Puente de Vallecas: one of Madrid's most fascinating and overlooked working-class neighbourhoods. From its industrial origins and Civil War history to flamenco, Venezuelan street food, and one of the best sunsets in the city, this is a full day out that will make you see Madrid differently.

• The difference between Puente de Vallecas and Villa de Vallecas — and why it matters
• The neighbourhood's history: from industrial district to shantytown to Civil War battleground
• Why the M-30 ring road has shaped (and divided) this part of the city
• The story of Robert Capa's house on Calle Peroncel, the controversy over its future, and the wider debate about Civil War memory in Spain
• Beautiful 1920s tiled facades on Avenida de Monte Igueldo, including a surviving lechería (milk bar) front
• Lunch at Teke Madrid — Venezuelan street food including papitas de yuca and tequeños
• Neo-mudéjar brickwork houses hidden throughout the neighbourhood
• The elegant Boulevard de Peña Gorbea and its 1920s apartment blocks
• The statue of the Abuela Rockera — Vallecas's very own rock grandmother
• Bar La Bombonera de Vallecas — a local antifascist institution
• Rayo Vallecano — La Liga's working-class club, el orgullo de la clase obrera
• Drinks at La Trinchera, a rock and punk live venue inside the Mercado de Numancia
• Flamenco at Taberna Flamenca El Cotijo — and why it's the best-value flamenco in Madrid
• Dinner at Restaurante Puerto Fonce Badón: huevos rotos con morcilla for two at €14
• Watching the sunset from Cerro del Tío Pío (Las Siete Tetas) — and the remarkable story of what those hills are made from
• The Batalla Naval de Vallecas — Madrid's giant annual water pistol fight every July

• 📚 Quiet Madrid — Felicity's guide to the quieter side of the city
• 🎧 Audio tours of Madrid

Go to any historic bar in central Madrid and chances are Don Ernesto will have enjoyed an alcoholic beverage there. But Ernest Hemingway's love affair with the city went beyond watering holes - though obviously he loved a drink or ten!

In this episode I speak with journalist Stephen Phelan about the writers' strong connection to Spain's capital. Stephen gives tours on Hemingway's Madrid so is a great person to give the inside scoop on this subject and the interview covers a lot of ground from the Civil War to Eva Gardner to bullfighting. If you want to know more you can always hire Stephen in person after listening!

These tours are run through Fernwayer. Visit the website to download their app.

Support the Making of Madrid

Visit my website and subscribe for a FREE copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook

⁠⁠⁠https://shr.pn/tiNH⁠⁠⁠

To support the Making of Madrid, consider buying a copy of ⁠⁠Quiet Madrid⁠⁠⁠, my guide to the city's tranquil spaces in hidden places.

You can also⁠ leave a tip⁠ to show your support.

Or you could buy one of my ⁠⁠⁠audio tours on Voicemap⁠⁠⁠. 

Sign up for my ⁠⁠newsletter to get a free copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook⁠⁠

(visit themakingofmadrid.com if you can't use these links)

Tumbling down the hill in downtown Madrid, El Rastro flea market is chaotic, historic, and endlessly entertaining. Join me for a complete guide to Madrid's oldest Sunday market, covering its fascinating history from medieval slaughterhouse to modern bargain-hunting paradise, with insider tips on where to find the best antiques, how to haggle like a local, and which hidden corners offer the most authentic experience.

Visit my website and subscribe for a FREE copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook

⁠⁠https://shr.pn/tiNH⁠⁠

To support the Making of Madrid, consider buying a copy of ⁠⁠Quiet Madrid⁠⁠⁠, my guide to the city's tranquil spaces in hidden places.

You can also⁠ leave a tip⁠ to show your support.

Or you could buy one of my ⁠⁠⁠audio tours on Voicemap⁠⁠⁠. 

Sign up for my ⁠⁠newsletter to get a free copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook⁠⁠

(visit themakingofmadrid.com if you can't use these links)

Useful links

Other open air markets in Madrid

Pantera (the 'manteros' union)

Luke Stegemann's 'A New biography of Madrid' has been a hit with both the Spanish and English language press. An ode to a city he has much affection for, it's a lyrical read that delves into the history of the city from its origins as an outpost of the Emirate of Cordoba, to the heart of a vast Catholic Empire, to its present day as a modern European city.

In this interview we tried to cover as much ground as possible but the book is vast in scope so hopefully it will whet your appetite to buy a copy! 

If you are interested in the history of Madrid there are plenty of short posts on my blog to check out.

Visit my website and subscribe for a FREE copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook

⁠⁠⁠https://shr.pn/tiNH⁠⁠⁠

To support the Making of Madrid, consider buying a copy of ⁠⁠Quiet Madrid⁠⁠⁠, my guide to the city's tranquil spaces in hidden places.

You can also⁠ leave a tip⁠ to show your support.

Or you could buy one of my ⁠⁠⁠audio tours on Voicemap⁠⁠⁠. 

Sign up for my ⁠⁠newsletter to get a free copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook⁠⁠

(visit themakingofmadrid.com if you can't use these links)

The Royal Armoury at the Palacio Real recently reopened to the public. To celebrate, I put together this episode featuring some of the highlights of the collection. From the cute armour worn by Carlos I's dog to the full suit made for Felipe II's marriage to Mary Tudor, I cover stories connected to the powerful Habsburg family before finishing up with a look at the newest items on display: beautiful yet lethal arquebuses produced in Madrid during Bourbon rule.

Visit my website and subscribe for a FREE copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook

⁠⁠⁠https://shr.pn/tiNH⁠⁠⁠

To support the Making of Madrid, consider buying a copy of ⁠⁠⁠Quiet Madrid⁠⁠⁠⁠, my guide to the city's tranquil spaces in hidden places.

You can also⁠⁠ leave a tip⁠⁠ to show your support.

Or you could buy one of my ⁠⁠⁠⁠audio tours on Voicemap⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Sign up for my ⁠⁠⁠newsletter to get a free copy of Madrid Beyond the Guidebook⁠⁠⁠

(visit themakingofmadrid.com if you can't use these links)

Unable to eat wheat and worried about a trip to Madrid? Worry no more! Event photographer and videographer Gareth Sewell knows better than most about this subject: despite being diagnosed as having Celiac disease a few years ago, he has continued to go out and enjoy the restaurant scene.

In this interview we talk about why Madrid is still a great destination if you can't eat wheat, the vocabulary you'll need for ordering gluten-free food, where to buy gf bread and most importantly where to eat out. This episode will appeal to anyone who wants the lowdown on the best gluten-free restaurants in the city!

Gareth has been known to do the occasional food tour and you can find him at https://www.gts-life.com/

Support the show:

Leave a review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Pick up a copy of ⁠Quiet Madrid⁠, the e-book guide to the city's quieter corners — available at ⁠The Making of Madrid⁠

Get an audio walking tour on ⁠VoiceMap⁠ — including a new Malasaña backstreets tour featuring several of the tile locations mentioned in this episode

Los Gabrieles on Calle Echegaray has finally reopened after more than 20 years, and it was worth every minute of the wait. In this episode, I dig into the history of one of Madrid's most spectacular bars and the remarkable renaissance of commercial ceramic tile art in the city during the 1920s.

Places mentioned in this episode:

Los Gabrieles, Calle Echegaray 17, Barrio de las Letras — no reservations for the downstairs bar, arrive before 1.30pm

Villa Rosa, Plaza de Santa Ana — flamenco bar with beautiful tiled facade

Antigua Casa Talavera, Calle Isabel la Católica — fourth-generation tile shop, over 100 years old

Farmacia Juance, Calle San Andrés, Malasaña — an extraordinary surviving tile shopfront

Museo de Historia de Madrid, Calle Fuencarral, Malasaña

Matadero Madrid, Paseo de la Chopera — former slaughterhouse, now an arts centre with surviving tile work

Chamberi Ghost Station — preserved 1920s metro station with original tile advertisements

Talavera de la Reina — a great day trip from Madrid if you want to go deeper into the history of the craft

Support the show:

Leave a review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Pick up a copy of Quiet Madrid, the e-book guide to the city's quieter corners — available at The Making of Madrid

Get an audio walking tour on VoiceMap — including a new Malasaña backstreets tour featuring several of the tile locations mentioned in this episode

What does Madrid's history look like when you include the stories that have long been left out? In this episode, I sit down with activist and tour guide Kwame Ondo. He's spent years piecing together the hidden history of Black people in Spain — from pre-Colonial trade routes and the time of Al-Andalus, through to the slave markets of Seville and the abolitionist movement of the First Republic — to found his company Afro Iberían tours.

Kwame takes visitors through Madrid's old and modern city to uncover the Black figures, artworks, and stories hiding in plain sight. In the interview, we talk about the remarkable life of Juan de Pareja, Spain's role in the transatlantic slave trade, and why President Emilio Castelar — one of Spain's greatest orators — had to flee the country after speaking out against slavery.

We also discuss what Madrid looks like today: the effects of gentrification on Black communities, the politics of migration, and what Kwame, as a Pan-Africanist, thinks genuine justice would actually require.

Useful links

Book Kwame at: Afro Ibería Tours

Documentary about Black Africans in Renaissance Europe: We Were Here

Painter and former slave: Juan de Pareja

Kwame's restaurant recommendations: Dakar and Los Caracoles