Lavapiés is the neighbourhood for you if you love art and culture and enjoy sampling cuisines from around the world.
Lavapiés used to be Madrid’s Jewish quarter. Following the expulsion of the Jews, the neighbourhood fell into decline, and in the 1980s squatters and young people moved into the vacant properties. Nowadays, it is a trendy, multicultural neighbourhood, home to an increasing number of students, with new restaurants opening all the time. In the streets around Plaza de Lavapiés, you’ll find restaurants and shops from all corners of the globe: from Indian eateries to African shops and vintage bars. Street art adorns the walls here and the streets are always buzzing. It’s also the place to be for music, theatre and dance.
