La Latina
4.5
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The area
Neighborhood: Centro
Expansive plazas, local and foreign crowds, street performers, colorful lights, window shopping, restaurant signs promising the best paella, ham, and churros con chocolate- this is downtown Madrid, a collection of plazas interconnected by a network of side streets. Some of these side streets are wide pedestrian shopping routes, and some are hidden, so it's possible to duck in and out of the bustle as desired. The iconic Puerta del Sol is the giant crossroads of the city and a must-see attraction at any time of the day. The nearby Plaza Mayor, completely enclosed by historic red buildings, is an ideal place to grab a bite to eat outside, amidst scores of tables and people out for a stroll. Plaza Isabel II (also known as “Opera”) is smaller and a good meeting spot, and the stately Plaza del Oriente is the front yard of the Royal Palace. Centro can be touristy (pickpockets are unfortuately not unheard-of here), crowded, and sometimes gimmicky, but it is also the place to experience classic Madrid.
How to get there
- La Latina • 3 min walk
- Tirso de Molina • 7 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
8,810 within 3 miles
Attractions
1,496 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,451 reviews
Excellent
741
Very good
566
Average
114
Poor
19
Terrible
11
travelinspiration
Dallas, TX383 contributions
Oct 2022
La Latinas didn't wow us as much as expected - charming in some ways, but was hoping for more. We probably only enjoyed because walked it with a private guide to help make some of the history/stories come alive. Some hidden gem places/churches but other buildings quite quaint. We had the time after exploring Austrias area, but I wouldn't say it's a must-see area if limited on time.
Written October 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zktravels
Poland230 contributions
Jun 2021 • Friends
The neighbourhood is less crowded than the central part of Madrid, which is great for those who tend to grow tired of the noise to the point they need a break. The streets are quite narrow, with plenty of charming buildings. A great place :)
Written July 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ianjmc85
Liverpool, UK457 contributions
Mar 2020
This is a real special part of the city. Narrow back streets with great bars and restaurants, it's really atmospheric. The flea market on Sunday is amazing all the usual market stalls plus the second hand, antique area is great to walk around.
Written March 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trek3910
Oslo1 contribution
La Latina is in the heart of old Madrid, a part of the city with pictoresqe streets and the most charming and superdelicious restaurants and bars available in an european capitol.
If You're visiting Madrid, make sure you get time to spend a long and memorable SUNDAY in la latina.
Get started at around 12-13, it's worth getting up and defy your hangover from saturday nights crazy barhopping around the city. browse through the market, where you can get all kinds of leathergoods, funny stockings, old bras and other weird "market"-goods. Not so much to do heavy shopping (no magic treasures as far as I've seen) but rather just to watch people and find the right tune for the rest of your day.
People are out, some just left the dancing-clubs after an exhausting saturday night- turned sunday morning- celebration, still wearing high hair and hipster-outfits, and continuing their happiness/madness manifestation by bringing beer from the local shops and enjoying it in the squares and streets, talking loud and making a wonderful atmosphere by hanging out exactly in the way the expression "hanging out" was meant to describe. It's fabulous.
Other people spent their entire morning creating the most radiant looks, composing the most stunning "ensemble"s and work hard to get the most admiration from the crowd. All kinds of people get here, and the streets and bars get early packed with beautiful citizens up for drinking, dancing, conversating, socializing and having fun. Sundays are the get out and mingle-day of young madrid bohos, struggling or spoiled, ambitious or laidback, ttough or soft. They're all here, and they blend perfectly.
Oh, and I didn't mention your nutritional options; the bars and restaurants in this "barrio" are numerous, and serve absolutely deliciosus dishes, at least compared to areas more touristified (read plaza del sol) and of course some are not as good as the others, but generally the pride in making traditional AND modern spanish food seems to be quite tangible in this neighbourhood.
Go and have a full meal in a restaurant (some are closed sundays but still there are more than enough to check out) OR go for a tapa here, a tapa there, and before the night ends You've had a tapa everywhere!
Tartellettas with shrimps (deepfried "cookie-loooking" yummies that crunch and melt in your mouth, sprinkeled with lemon to give that fresh "yes let me have a dozen"-taste) Dates wrapped in cerdo (this makes the most incredible schmokk-you-are-in-paradise sensation when fried in the kitchen of a professional spanish chef) Patatas bravas (in all the thinkable ways, saucy and chunky, crisp and hot) Tortillas (big like millstones and extremely satisfying) Deepfried bacon rind (salty and cracking with a natural and true porky taste) Pimientos Padrõn (small green peppers, every seventh one is superhot, it's a thrill to take the first bite!)
It's all about plain and strong cooking-traditions, how to make an old original with perfection, or creating challenging taste-combinations in more fusion-related dishes.
Abfab.
And of course, down them all with some Cañas, the most perfectly tapped bright lager served in small neat glasses. They clean their glasses so well, and keep their beer so foamy, so that you can count each sip in the "lace-curtains" on the inside of every beer you drink. I love it.
Expect to get caught by the fiesta during the day, and end your sunday promenade on top of a barstool, smiling and toasting in a dancing, yelling crowd. This is what celebration of everyday life should be like! And it's all out in the sunshine! Makes you feel fresh and funky, and the hangover on mondays is usually not that bad since you're totally exhausted around midninght.
Buenas noches!
If You're visiting Madrid, make sure you get time to spend a long and memorable SUNDAY in la latina.
Get started at around 12-13, it's worth getting up and defy your hangover from saturday nights crazy barhopping around the city. browse through the market, where you can get all kinds of leathergoods, funny stockings, old bras and other weird "market"-goods. Not so much to do heavy shopping (no magic treasures as far as I've seen) but rather just to watch people and find the right tune for the rest of your day.
People are out, some just left the dancing-clubs after an exhausting saturday night- turned sunday morning- celebration, still wearing high hair and hipster-outfits, and continuing their happiness/madness manifestation by bringing beer from the local shops and enjoying it in the squares and streets, talking loud and making a wonderful atmosphere by hanging out exactly in the way the expression "hanging out" was meant to describe. It's fabulous.
Other people spent their entire morning creating the most radiant looks, composing the most stunning "ensemble"s and work hard to get the most admiration from the crowd. All kinds of people get here, and the streets and bars get early packed with beautiful citizens up for drinking, dancing, conversating, socializing and having fun. Sundays are the get out and mingle-day of young madrid bohos, struggling or spoiled, ambitious or laidback, ttough or soft. They're all here, and they blend perfectly.
Oh, and I didn't mention your nutritional options; the bars and restaurants in this "barrio" are numerous, and serve absolutely deliciosus dishes, at least compared to areas more touristified (read plaza del sol) and of course some are not as good as the others, but generally the pride in making traditional AND modern spanish food seems to be quite tangible in this neighbourhood.
Go and have a full meal in a restaurant (some are closed sundays but still there are more than enough to check out) OR go for a tapa here, a tapa there, and before the night ends You've had a tapa everywhere!
Tartellettas with shrimps (deepfried "cookie-loooking" yummies that crunch and melt in your mouth, sprinkeled with lemon to give that fresh "yes let me have a dozen"-taste) Dates wrapped in cerdo (this makes the most incredible schmokk-you-are-in-paradise sensation when fried in the kitchen of a professional spanish chef) Patatas bravas (in all the thinkable ways, saucy and chunky, crisp and hot) Tortillas (big like millstones and extremely satisfying) Deepfried bacon rind (salty and cracking with a natural and true porky taste) Pimientos Padrõn (small green peppers, every seventh one is superhot, it's a thrill to take the first bite!)
It's all about plain and strong cooking-traditions, how to make an old original with perfection, or creating challenging taste-combinations in more fusion-related dishes.
Abfab.
And of course, down them all with some Cañas, the most perfectly tapped bright lager served in small neat glasses. They clean their glasses so well, and keep their beer so foamy, so that you can count each sip in the "lace-curtains" on the inside of every beer you drink. I love it.
Expect to get caught by the fiesta during the day, and end your sunday promenade on top of a barstool, smiling and toasting in a dancing, yelling crowd. This is what celebration of everyday life should be like! And it's all out in the sunshine! Makes you feel fresh and funky, and the hangover on mondays is usually not that bad since you're totally exhausted around midninght.
Buenas noches!
Written July 15, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
S G C
Kingston upon Hull, England189 contributions
Mar 2012 • Couples
Would have loved to review El Rastro but pickpockets on the Metro at El Latina ruined our day. We learned from the police later that petty crime has become an epidemic. Please be warned about this area and the people who operate here.
Written April 9, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DMarco1982
Madrid, Spain244 contributions
If you want to visit La Latina you should wait to Sunday´s Morning´s. Go early, about 9am, to "El Rastro" (but be aware of pickpocketing), It´s magic!! Later have a walk seeing it theatres and enjoying wines at the street bars. This district of Madrid combines a mixture of cultures; arabian, spanish, spaniards, african...
Written February 9, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dena R
Miami, FL71 contributions
We stayed in this area and we loved it. It's close to many of the historic places that everyone wsnts to see and you van also find many tapas bars in this area on a street called cava baja. Locals are always here and the tapas and drinks are great.
Written January 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dena R
Miami Beach, FL340 contributions
Dec 2014 • Couples
We stayed in this are and we really enjoy it, if we come back we would like to stay around here again. You are close to everything! Walking distance to palacio real, san francisco de asis, plaza mayor, plaza españa etc There is a street called Cava Baja where you can find all these tpaas restaurants that are very nice. You can see many locals there, the food is better and prices are lower than touristy areas like gran via, sol etc
Written January 10, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BoriquaPuertoRico
Colorado22 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
When I travel to new place I always want to bring home souvenirs for our home or for people we love. If you are like me..don't spend lots of money for over priced souvenirs that you see in the stores. Go to La Latina flea market, the souvenirs are alot cheaper than the store price, 50% to 70% less. I found fridge magnet for 1euro/piece when the store sells for 2.99 euro/piece for the exact same thing. I got spanish genuene leather bag for 22euros. The only thing..they only open on Sunday from 10am to 2pm (if I am not mistaken). Becareful with your wallet/valuable belongings as the flea market is really crowded. Just make sure you have your wallet/passport are secured. Other than that, enjoy hunting for souvenirs.
Written October 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne D
Wimborne Minster, UK4,511 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
We spent four nights in La Latina (Posada del Dragon Hotel) and loved the atmosphere of its winding narrow streets. Sleepy during the day, the area comes to life as the night wears on. Lots of little hidden squares and a secret walled garden. Within walking distance of all of the important areas of the city.
Written September 13, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is La Latina safe? Compared to the rest of Madrid, how safe do people feel here?
Written April 2, 2017
Hi,
Perfectly safe. I have a very good friend who lives there and loves the place.
All the best,
Rosalie
Written April 3, 2017
Hi, I wanna know this Sunday flee market El Rastro , is something different from Mercado San Miguel flee market?
Written March 7, 2017
the San Miguel is a delightful food venue open every day and evening. the flea market with throngs of vendors on Sunday only, has both junk and treasures...and great atmosphere
Written March 7, 2017
Si te gustan los productos asturianos tienes que visitar la tienda "Orbayu" en el mercado de Antón Martín!!!
Written August 24, 2016
No entiendo la pregunta !! No puedo responder.....
Written August 24, 2016
Can you tell me the best places to eat in this are
Written February 12, 2015
We generally ask the locals to advise !! I could not really tell you ...
Written August 25, 2016
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