Madrid/Arganzuela

Arganzuela is a district in southern Madrid on the banks of river Manzanares. In addition to that, this article covers all southern districts of the Spanish capital, most of which are little frequented by international travellers.

Madrid Río Park

Get in

Madrid's main station, 🌍 Atocha, is located at the northern edge of Arganzuela. Cercanías (suburban trains) also stop at Embajadores, Pirámides, Delicias and Estación Sur de Autobuses stations. Metro stations that serve this district are Embajadores, Palos de la Frontera, Delicias and Legazpi of line 3, Puerta de Toledo, Acacias, Pirámides and Marqués de Vadillo of line 5, Méndez Alvaro, Arganzuela-Planetario, Legazpi and Usera of line 6.

See

Planetario de Madrid

• 🌍 Parque Madrid Río (metro: Legazpi or Marqués de Vadillo, or cercanías: Príncipe Pio). The motorway that used to carve into the city and blight the banks of Río Manzanares, was banished into a tunnel, in a superlative urban landscaping project that cost some 4 billion euros. Nowadays, a unique 6-km long landscape garden accompanies the river on both banks. For this project, 33 bridges were dedicated, that allow you to cross from one side to another whenever you want, as well as 5500 benches installed and 33,000 trees planted. The park is multifaceted, including flowerbeds, Baroque-style boxwood broderies, pine, cypress or bamboo groves, playgrounds, climbing garden, skatepark etc. Asphalted paths are ideal for cyclists and roller skaters, while pedestrians enjoy priority rights. Cafés, "beach bars" and kiosks provide sustenance. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Planetario de Madrid (Planetarium of Madrid), Avda del Planetario, 16 (Mendez Alvaro  S6  or Arganzuela-Planetario  S6 ), ☎ [phone]. Tu-F 17:00-19:45, Sa Su holiday 11:00-13:45 and 17:00-20:45. Features several exhibits related to space exploration, two screens playing documentaries, an interactive area and, of course, the planetarium. Projections last 45 minutes each. Different ones play on different days so check their website. All the exhibits are explained in Spanish only and the projections in the planetarium are also in Spanish. Entry is free but the sessions in the planetarium each have a cost of €3.60 for a regular ticket and €1.65 for a reduced ticket (children and seniors). (updated May 2018)

Museo del Ferrocarril

• 🌍 Museo de Ferrocarril de Madrid (Railway Museum of Madrid), Paseo de las Delicias, 61 (Delicias  S3 ; Renfe Cercanias: Delicias), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Oct-May: M-Th 09:30-15:00, F and holidays 10:00-18:00, Sa Su 10:00-20:00; Jun-Sep: Tu-Su 10:00-15:00. Museum with four railway tracks, exhibiting a large number of steam, diesel and electric locomotives used in Spain in the 19th and 20th century. Also on display are several model railways. Exhibits are described in Spanish only. M-Th, F before 14:00, holidays: €6 (adults), €4 (concessions), free (children under 4); F after 14:00, Sa Su: €2.50. (updated Feb 2017)

Do

Matadero Madrid

• 🌍 Matadero Madrid, Plaza de Legazpi, 8 (metro: Legazpi). Usually Tu-F 16:00-21:00, Sa Su 11:00-21:00, on M only the cinetheque is opened. Madrid's former main abattoir (matadero), an early 20th-century industrial brick compound in Arganzuela district, has been converted to an arts and cultural centre since the 2000s. It is intended to serve as a cross-disciplinary laboratory of contemporary arts, including studios, exhibition spaces, a theatre, an arthouse cinema, and a library, as well as a café. One of the preferred spots of the city's "artsy" crowd to meet. There are performances and other events almost every day. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Sala La Riviera, Paseo Bajo de la Virgen del Puerto, s/n (Metro: Puerta del Angel or Principe Pío), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Another large venue for touring rock and pop bands. (updated Feb 2017)
• 🌍 Gruta '77, C/ Cuclillo, 6 (Metro: Oporto), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Concerts everyday – pop, rock, and punk. (updated Feb 2017)

Estadio Vicente Calderon

• 🌍 Atlético de Madrid. Plays games in the Vicente Calderón stadium. The club is one of the most successful in Spanish League history, having won both La Liga and the Copa del Rey on ten occasions, including a double in 1996. They also won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1962, were European Cup runners-up in 1974 and 2014, Intercontinental Cup winners in 1975 and more recently won the UEFA Europa League both in 2010 and 2012.  
• 🌍 Madrid Open (Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open), Camino de Perales (Metro: San Fermin - Orcasur; bus 23/78/123). Held in mid-May at La Caja Mágica. (updated Jan 2017)

Buy

Eat

Freiduría de Gallinejas de Embajadores

• 🌍 Freiduría de Gallinejas Embajadores, C/ Embajadores, 84 (near Glorieta Embajadores, Metro lines L3 and L5), ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 11:00-23:00, Su 12:00-22:00. Another classic tapas bar in Madrid, not for conservative stomachs. Their most popular tapas are two of the most typical and traditional dishes in Madrid: gallinejas and entresijos. A treat for adventurous palates and lamb-lovers. Raciónes €3-9. (updated Feb 2017)

Drink

• 🌍 Café Ziryab Tablao Flamenco, Paseo de la Esperanza 17 (Metro Acacias), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. shows at 9.30 pm. A Flamenco venue with daily shows at 9:30 by first line artists, in an intimate ambiance. Kind staff, nice drinks and tapas, personalized attention and the artists right in front of you. 22€. (updated Jul 2018)
• 🌍 La Esquina de Eusebio, C/ Caramuel 16 (Metro: Puerta del Angel), ☎ [phone]. Trays of tapas are passed from one person to another in this typical bar of Madrid, absolutely not touristy but really worth it. And it's not so far from the centre. 

Sleep

• 🌍 Sol Hostel, Calle Bernardino Obregon 25 (metro: Palos de la Frontera or Embajadores), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Rooms from 4 to 14 people, plus breakfast and internet (WIFI). Dorm bed: €12-17, breakfast included. 

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