Every January or February, Madrid's Chinatown takes to the streets: a parade with dragons, lanterns, food and an entire neighborhood celebrating. What to see, when and how to experience it like a neighbor.
Madrid changes radically with the season: April and October are spectacular, August requires a different strategy and January has a secret party in Usera. We help you choose dates.
Usera is the largest Chinatown in Spain and one of the most authentic in Madrid. What to eat, what to see and how to get around the neighborhood if you stay here.
When Madrid gets sweltering, the river becomes the city's refuge: summer cinema at the Matadero, shaded terraces, water jets and long sunsets. Summer guide next to Manzanares.
The urban project that is stitching the neighborhood with the river: a garden promenade with themed squares, nods to Chinese culture and the best route to get to Madrid Río on foot.
Madrid Río turned the banks of the Manzanares into the city's great park. Children's areas, terraces, the Arganzuela Bridge and the Matadero: a guide to take advantage of it.
The longest green connection in Madrid: from Manzanares to Casa de Campo without leaving the green. Distances, bike rental and how to adapt the route to your level.
More and more people work for a few weeks from another city. Usera fits better than the center: neighborhood price, wifi, metro to the center in 20 minutes and the river to disconnect when closing the laptop.
Staying with a kitchen changes the trip: leisurely breakfasts, market dinners and a budget that doubles as much. What to buy where in Usera and what dishes come out on their own.
You travel alone, as a couple or as a family; with or without kitchen. We help you decide between an entire tourist apartment and a room in a shared apartment in Madrid.
Three days is enough for Madrid if the plan makes sense: monumental center, museums, neighborhoods and the local Madrid of Usera and the river. Day by day, without running and without wasting time in lines.
Within half an hour by train from your accommodation there are three World Heritage cities. How to get to each one, what to see and which one to choose according to your plan.
Three hundred years of Madrid in two bridges: the baroque of Pedro de Ribera versus the double helix of Dominique Perrault. The section of Madrid Río that best photographs the city.
Fish that arrives daily, seasonal fruit at neighborhood prices and the market routine that continues to mark Usera's life. How to take advantage of it if you stay with a kitchen.
You land at Atocha station with the AVE and your accommodation is in Usera: 10–20 minutes away. All the options to make the last stretch without getting lost.
The water jets of Madrid Río are Madrid's urban beach: free, right in the park and with the skyline in the background. Everything you need to know for the perfect summer plan.
The three large museums in Madrid have free hours every day of the week. When to enter for free, how to avoid the line and in what order to visit them.
Usera's super Asians are the best assortments in Madrid: sauces, noodles, fresh vegetables and sweets that you won't see in any other neighborhood. Practical guide to shopping (and cooking) like a local.
The circular line of the Madrid metro passes through Usera and connects with almost everything without leaving the ring. Practical guide to get around the city like a Madrid native.
Spicy Sichuan, traditional Cantonese, hotpot with friends, grilled skewers and bakeries that open at seven. This is how you eat in Madrid's Chinatown.
The old municipal slaughterhouse is today one of the most active cultural centers in Madrid: free exhibitions, the Cineteca, theater, markets and terraces. What to see and how to organize the visit.
Metro, taxi, express bus or commuter train: how long does it take and how much does each way cost to get from Madrid-Barajas airport to your accommodation in Usera.
Usera is not the Madrid of postcards: it is a neighborhood, the largest Chinatown in Spain and a surprisingly practical base for visiting Madrid. We tell you what it's really like.