The Best Things To Do and See in Lavapiés

The Queen Sofía Art Centre is a world famous modern art museum featuring a diverse collection of 20th century Spanish art, from Picasso to Solana. It is located in Madrid, near the Atocha train and metro stations and is not too far from the neighborhood of Lavapiés. A highlight of the museum is Picasso’s Guernica – it’s an immense blue, black and white painting that depicts the Nazi bombing of the city by the same name. You will also find works by Dali and Miró there. The museum offers a mixture of national and international temporary exhibitions in many of its galleries.

El Juglar is a bohemian, cool and relaxed hangout for those who like the tempo of their evening to be energetic but not too frenetic. You can enjoy drinks at the bar with the soundtrack of jazz and soul beating in the background. Later into the night, the rhythms speed up as the resident DJ, Señores de Funk, spins mixes of soul, latin and funk. Come on a Sunday night and see the best flamenco performances by local students from the nearby Amor de Dios School.

The Atocha Train Station is the largest train station in Madrid. In 1992, the original building was taken out of service, and converted into a square with shops, cafés and nightclubs. With a new function today, the square has been covered with a beautiful tropical garden. It is certainly a landmark to visit due to the 2004 bomb attack at the station, with a number of monuments spread across, such as a virtual shrine. Visitors to the attacked stations can leave a hand silhouette and a message through special-purpose consoles.

El Rastro is the most popular open air flea market in Madrid. It is held every Sunday and public holiday during the year, from 9am to 3pm. The Madrid town council regulates the markets and there is a maximum of 3500 stalls that cover the area along the Plaza de Cascorro and Ribera de Curtidores, between Calle Embajadores and the Ronda de Toledo. Those wanting a tourist experience are advised to go to El Rastro at 11am, as this when the market is at its busiest.

The Museo Nacional del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum located in the center of Madrid. It features one of the world’s finest collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 19th century. Based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, the museum unquestionably holds the best single collection of Spanish art. El Prado is one of the most visited sites in the world, and is considered one the greatest museums of art in the world. The best-known work and main attraction on show at the museum is Las Meninas by Velázquez.

The Museo Naval de Madrid – in English, the Naval Museum of Madrid – is a national museum in Spain. It shows the history of the Spanish Navy since the Catholic Monarchs, in the 15th century, up to the present. The museum has on display several navigation instruments, weapons, maps, paintings, uniforms, and ship figureheads. It’s a great visit for all ages to experience and learn about Spanish history.

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum offers visitors a selection of art from the 13th century to the late 20th century. In the near 1,000 works on display, visitors can contemplate the major periods and pictorial schools of western art, such as the Renaissance, Mannerism, the baroque, rococo, Romanticism and the art of the 19th and 20th centuries, up to pop art. The museum takes you on an incredible journey through the memorizing art of many ages. It is a highly recommended tourist attraction.