In La Latina, Madrid, tradition and innovation come together, because it is much more than just Sunday beers and toasts. Its narrow streets, squares, and festivals are part of the most traditional and authentic soul of Madrid.
The neighborhood of La Latina in Madrid refers to the nickname of Beatriz Galindo, one of the most interesting historical figures, the most influential humanist of the fifteenth century, and the tutor of Queen Isabel (and at least four more queens). Here she founded the Hospital de La Latina, next to Plaza de la Cebada, which was demolished in 1904, and only the Gothic-Mudéjar portal is preserved in one of the municipal warehouses of the Villa on Santa Engracia Street.
This medieval-planned neighborhood remains one of the liveliest areas of the capital, where some of the most important festivals such as La Paloma are celebrated.
What to see in La Latina
Jardín del Príncipe de Anglona
A small door separates us from a Hispano-Arabic-style garden in the heart of La Latina. It belongs to the Palacio del Príncipe de Anglona, in Plaza de la Paja. This regal garden was created in 1750 in Madrid’s Habsburg era by painter and garden designer Javier de Winthuysen.
Inside, there are brick paths, granite benches, a whimsical pergola, and a small locus amoenus of linden trees, almond trees, and strawberry trees. It’s a delightful madness.
Plaza de la Paja, 6
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Mercado de la Cebada
Although the Cebada market was built in 1958 and renovated in 2013, the original building dates back to 1875 and adhered to the aesthetic criteria of the time, with columns and iron decorations, which would have been an architectural jewel today if it had survived.
What it hasn’t lost is commercial strength, as it continues to be one of the largest food markets in Madrid, since the first stalls were set up in the square in the 16th century. It has two floors with an area of more than 6000 square meters. In addition, it has the Cebada Space, 120 m2 fully equipped for all kinds of events and recordings.
Plaza de la Cebada
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The San Isidro Museum. The Origins of Madrid
Popularly known as the House of San Isidro (because it originally belonged to the Vargas family, owners of the saint, and where he lived and died), it is now a museum of the origins of the city. Although the Renaissance courtyard and the well of miracles, where the patron saint of the city supposedly saved his son, are worth a visit, it also has gems such as Berruguete’s painting of the Virgin of the Milk or the cenotaphs of Beatriz Galindo, La Latina, and her husband Francisco Ramírez, El Artillero.
Address: Plaza de San Andrés, 2.
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Remains of the Wall of Madrid
Yes, Madrid had a wall (it was built between the 11th and 12th centuries) and yes, some of the few vestiges that remain are in La Latina. Specifically, they are on Mancebos street and show a great part of the history that the neighborhood has. They are part of a building, but can still be appreciated (although they are protected by some bars).
Mancebos Street
Las Vistillas
Las Vistillas is a great place to enjoy during the summer, especially in August, when the La Paloma festival takes place with free concerts, chotis contests, and a great atmosphere. You can also watch a video we made about Madrid viewpoints, as Las Vistillas (as its name suggests) is perfect to enjoy a special view of the city.
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Where to eat (and drink) in La Latina
La Taberna Errante
Taberna Errante is one of those places where you can feel at home…but better. Here, the food is made with a lot of care. You can tell in their perfectly spread-out potato omelet, which disappears so quickly it’s hard to catch, and in their ensaladilla, a hallmark of the house. You can also feel it in the ambiance and in a fun, fresh menu full of seasonal products where the tomatoes taste like tomatoes and the greens taste like fresh fields.
We recommend everything on their menu! But, to be serious, we suggest exploring the off-menu items, where the interesting stuff is happening. Although, we repeat, everything is excellent in this small but mighty restaurant managed by a team of women: the classic anchovies with vinegar, the mushrooms (whatever they’ve just picked) in tripe sauce, or the corn cake with pork rinds from Cádiz.
25 €/ person
Carrera de San Francisco, 8
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La Antoñita
La Antoñita is a unique restaurant located in La Latina, in a former soap factory. The space has a lot of history, and under the glass floor of the dining room, you can literally walk on remains of the city walls. Attached to the restaurant is Posada del Dragón, which has served as a guesthouse, an almshouse, and the corral where the merchants of El Rastro and the suppliers of the Mercado de la Cebada lived.
Today, La Antoñita is a restaurant where traditional Madrid cuisine is updated with fresh market ingredients. Some of the dishes we highly recommend are the crispy oxtail with potato parmentier and the pork cheek with pumpkin puree. And, of course, the dessert in the shape of a soap bar “La Antoñita”: a white chocolate mousse accompanied by citrus foam and a touch of violet caramel.
The average price per person is around 25€.
Address: Cava Baja, 16.
El Brote
Many may remember the iconic scene from the movie Forrest Gump where the character Bubba lists the wide range of recipes that can be made with shrimp. Well, if we replace the shrimp with mushrooms and land the idea in Madrid, the result is none other than El Brote.
This small and cozy restaurant specializes in these wild products that they serve all year round and even use in their dessert preparations. Their menu, as they work with seasonal products, “changes according to the whims of nature.” If you want to visit and try their dishes, we recommend booking in advance.
Around €35 per person
Calle de la Ruda, 14
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Taberna de Almería
Taberna de Almería is the answer to the question of where to eat cheap tapas in Madrid. It’s a bar that would be a delight for students if it were in Moncloa, and because it’s in La Latina, it’s a meeting point for people of all ages.
It’s usually crowded, so you may not get in, but if you happen to grab a spot at the bar or one of their tables, you have two options: eat the tapa that comes with each drink or try each of their tostas (four tostas cost around €15). It’s a La Latina classic.
Around €10 per person
Calle de las Aguas, 9
Casa Lucio
This is a must-visit restaurant in Madrid. It has been visited by monarchs, presidents from all over the world, artists, athletes, and even astronauts. According to the owner, who gives his name to the business, he has been offered a Michelin star on several occasions, but he has always rejected it because the real stars were already sitting in his establishment. One of the most typical tapas is the “huevo rotos” (broken eggs), which is a must-try.
Huevos Rotos (Broken eggs): 12.5 €
Calle de la Cava Baja, 35
Marmitón Bistró
To recover classic recipes, add the personal nuances that professionalism and knowledge grant you, and the rest is history. There are few formulas for success in life, but if there is something that resembles a script for success in gastronomy, it is the first sentence of this paragraph. And thus, perhaps, the success of Marmitón Bistró is understood.
Marmitón Bistró is a restaurant with a very well-crafted menu, a selection of homemade dishes, and a cozy atmosphere. Among their standout dishes are homemade sweet potato and cabrales cheese tortellini, cabrales and pasiego cheese sauce, caramelized walnuts and thyme (16.50€). It’s a spectacle and a place that you shouldn’t miss if you haven’t been yet.
Around 40€ per person
Calle de las Aguas, 6
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Having coffee in La Latina
Pastora
At Pastora, specialty coffee is served alongside delicious pastries, and there’s also a small grocery store with sensational products where wines and beers are the main attraction. These three potions (coffee, wine, beer) are the “Our Father” of this peculiar contemporary liquor store.
But on its shelves, you’ll find much more, all gourmet, from small producers, with sustainability and proximity as its core values. From oils to chocolates and jams, it’s a garden (a liquor store) of delights.
Carrera de San Francisco, 12
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Ruda Café
It’s not a cliché: the coffee at La Ruda is one of the best specialty coffees you’ll try in Madrid, the kind that makes your day. As it couldn’t be otherwise, its quality is an open secret and it will be rare the day you go and don’t find it full of people in search of a good coffee.
Among the accompaniments they offer you will find everything from sourdough toast to yogurt with granola to homemade pastries. A must-stop and an ideal plan to start any Sunday at El Rastro.
Calle de la Ruda, 11
Mamá Elba
Mama Elba Cafe is a cozy cafe located in the La Latina neighborhood of Madrid. The cafe is known for its homemade horchata, which is made with chufa (tiger nut) from Alboraya, Valencia, and its delicious homemade ice creams. When the weather is nice, it’s common to see a line outside Mama Elba Cafe, but customers say it’s worth the wait. The cafe also serves coffee, tea, pastries, and sandwiches. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, with a mix of locals and tourists enjoying their beverages and snacks.
Calle de la Ruda, 15
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What to do in La Latina
Molar Discos & Libros
Molar Discos & Libros is full of life. It’s a cultural hub that stirs up Ruda Street and the entire La Latina neighborhood. On the first floor, where the horror vacui is real (a beautiful one where you can spend hours and hours browsing through vinyl records, prints, and books), people discuss albums, sign books, and immerse themselves in culture. On the ground floor, there’s a small gallery that hosts occasional concerts, cultural events, or book presentations.
Calle de la Ruda, 19
Lorena Marco Flores
Lorena Marco Flores is already one of the top florists in Madrid. It is impossible not to stop and admire its impressive botanical shop window, which serves as a sample of everything that can be found inside: natural flowers, preserved ones, customized arrangements… Whatever you are looking for, you will find it in this small but great floral temple in La Latina.
Calle de la Ruda, 15
La oficial cerámica
La Oficial is a shop specializing in selling ceramics by weight, a business that is on the rise. However, Toni Torrecillas and José Barro were among the first to open a specific store for this type of business. The shop offers a selection of handmade ceramics from various regions in Spain, such as Portugal, Granada, Níjar, La Bisbal, Valencia, Córdoba, and Sevilla. The founders personally select all the ceramics that they sell. La Oficial has a store in the heart of La Latina, near El Rastro, as well as a second location in the Chueca neighborhood.
Calle Santa Ana, 6
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El Rastro
There are few flea markets that can boast of having their roots in the 18th century and still be in full swing today, to the point that there are even Instagram accounts that pay homage to it. El Rastro is that flea market.
Madrid locals and visitors from all over the world stroll through its stalls every Sunday, which today host more than 1,000 vendors: antiques, clothing, accessories, handicrafts, kitchen items, records, cameras… The repertoire is as wide as the perimeter it covers. And the fascination it arouses, which has inspired writers like Ramón Gómez de la Serna, too.
Surroundings of Ribera de Curtidores
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The squares of La Latina
As it happens in almost all of Madrid, the best way to get to know this neighborhood is to wander around, get lost, and find yourself in its squares. The squares in La Latina are unique, more reminiscent of a village than a city, perfect for sitting on a terrace and watching life go by. The most curious thing is that they are so close to each other that it’s hard to tell where one ends and the next begins.
Plaza del Humilladero
This corner of the square doesn’t have much to offer, but it’s rather a point where important streets of La Latina converge, giving it an air of the neighborhood’s epicenter, the ideal coordinates to turn around and see what’s happening in the bars and if there are any free tables on the terraces. It’s called “La Humilladero” because in the past, Christians would “humble themselves” (by bowing their heads or kneeling slightly) before the image of a virgin that is now in a nearby school.
Plaza de los Carros
This medieval square has a small-town pace of life. Children run around, people watch life go by, and friends sit on the steps next to the fountains, in no hurry to get up. The relaxed atmosphere is addictive, and it’s tempting to stay there for a while and admire the huge trompe-l’oeil by Alberto Pirongelli that covers the entire side facade of a building.
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Plaza de San Andrés
At the foot of the San Isidro Museum, which houses the archaeological heritage of the origins of Madrid, and just a few steps from the other squares, tables, and chairs crowd together on some of the most popular terraces in the city. Everyone wants to have an aperitif on the cobblestone pavement, overlooking the San Andrés church and its beautiful dome.
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Plaza de La Paja
A historic corner that was once a Moorish neighborhood and market (its name comes from the straw that was sold there in the past). From its long past, today the Palace of the Vargas remains, which now houses a school center, and the Bishop’s Chapel. In the lower part, a small secret garden is hidden, and a little further up, a bronze neighbor who reads the newspaper day and night, always sitting on the same bench.
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Plaza de Puerta Cerrada
At the entrance of the Cava de San Miguel, the street that literally supports the weight of Plaza Mayor, there is a cross that is too big for a square that is too small. The name reveals that there was once an access point to the Christian wall that once surrounded Madrid. There are also murals on the buildings, with the most “mythical” one depicting the motto of our city: “I was built on water, my walls are made of fire.” The hustle and bustle here is nothing like the calm that reigns in the other squares of La Latina.
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