Alternative Madrid

Alongside Madrid’s big theatres and concert halls, there’s a good number of venues staging more intimate or fringe shows in town.

• Naves del Español en Matadero. Paseo de la Chopera, 14. This municipal cultural centre has become one of the nerve centres of the performing arts in Madrid, supporting innovation in drama, dance or circus.

• Teatro de las Culturas. Calle de San Cosme y San Damián, 3. Housed in a former greenhouse, this theatre recycles the place of past theatrical experiences, kindling the fire of innovation in the heart of Lavapiés.

• La Escalera de Jacob. Calle de Lavapiés, 9. As it grows older, this venue continues to be equally curious about the world of mentalists and magicians, theatre plays for kids and improvisational theatre.​ 

• Microteatro Por Dinero. Calle de Loreto y Chicote, 9. A cluster of tiny halls where the performers are at arm’s length from the audience. An extraordinary sensory experience for all ages. An old reformed brothel where a group of artists decided to set up short plays inspired by prostitution in their rooms. In this way the idea of the consumption of art is pursued.

• Teatro del Barrio. Calle de Zurita, 20. This cooperative theatre project also offers music, poetry, training... An initiative promoted by actor, director and performer Alberto San Juan, as well as economists Mario Sánchez and Gerardo Domínguez, and architects Iñaki Alonso and Paloma Domínguez.

More info: Fringe theatre in Madrid

In a city housing some of the world’s top museums, there’s room for bold, avant-garde art too.

• La Neomudéjar. Calle de Antonio Nebrija, s/n. Beginning as a centre for resistance and self-promoted art, La Neomudéjar has become a stronghold of video art and the most subversive art practices. 

  La Neomudejar has opened a new headquarters located in the former army barracks of Fuencarral. A "city of art" called the Zapadores Museum that welcomes all kinds of artists, gallerists and associations, thus creating a space for reflection and commitment to new talent.

• La Fresh Gallery. Calle del Conde de Aranda, 5. Surrounded by the most iconic art galleries in Madrid, La Fresh shares in the carefree spirit of its owner, Topacio Fresh, to turn the city’s art gallery scene upside down.

• La Juan Gallery. Calle Juanelo, 21. La Juan is one of the few venues dedicated to performance art in town, bringing the visual arts and the stage together.

• Espositivo. Calle Palafox, 5. Established a few years ago as a joint project to face the economic crisis, Espositivo has become a key venue in the emerging art market. In addition to the exhibition area, it has an academy and a residence programme.

• Marta Moriarty. Calle del Doctor Fourquet, 39. This brand-new art gallery is the heir to Slowtrack, a big name in the alternative art scene until not long ago.

• Swinton & Grant. Calle de Miguel Servet, 21. Swinton & Grant is both an art gallery and a bookshop. A must on the art itinerary from the Reina Sofía Museum to La Casa Encendida or La Tabacalera.

• Carabanchel. The neighbourhood has become the centre of a large creative and bohemian movement that now boasts more than 130 artists in around 40 studios, workshops and creative spaces.The Hyper House or the Benveniste Contemporary Gallery creative spaces stand out.

• Espacio Cultural Serrería Belga. Calle Alameda, 15. Its refurbishment won the COAM 2013 Award, whereby it is part of the ecosystem of municipal cultural centres, adding a new profile as a centre that fosters projects and ideas from an experimental and interdisciplinary perspective.

• Factory of Dreams. Calle de Carmen Bruguera, 8. Space for the creation, management and dissemination of contemporary art by the artist from Cantabria, Okuda San Miguel, along with his representation agency, Ink and Movement, in the Usera district.

New technologies and economic models are giving rise to spaces for social innovation.

• La Nave Boetticher. Calle de Cifuentes, 5. A centre for inspiration, open innovation and education, La Nave is aimed at transforming the social life and the economy of citizens in the district of Villaverde.
• Utopic_US. Calle Walia, 10. Utopic_US has several branches in Madrid. The one in Conde de Casal offers the funniest, most stimulating setting for entrepreneurs. You can work on the floor, swing your way to a new idea or plan your projects amidst giant balls.

• Impact Hub. Calle del Gobernador, 26. A living ecosystem for entrepreneurship and innovation. The branch in Barrio de las Letras (Literary Quarter) houses events on science, society, the environment and world cultures.

• Espacio Telefónica Foundation. Rue de Fuencarral, 3. Situé dans l’emblématique Bâtiment de Telefónica, sur la Gran Vía, cet espace se veut un représentant de la culture du XXIe siècle en posant une réflexion sur les télécommunications et l’art du passé, présent et futur. Il dispose de différents ateliers et d’espaces d’exposition répartis sur quatre étages, en plus d’accueillir son exposition permanente sur l’Histoire des télécommunications.

• IKONO. Calle de Sánchez Bustillo, 7. Located in front of the Reina Sofía Museum, this is a peculiar interactive art gallery that invites visitors to sharpen their senses through immersive activities, colours, smells and textures, where the moment can be immortalised by a professional photographer using the visitor’s own camera or mobile phone.

• Sweet Space Museum. Calle de Serrano, 61. An interactive tasting adventure on the second floor of the ABC Serrano Commercial Centre. Designed for those with a sweet tooth, it is a space full of innovative and fun experiences, where a connection is created through taste.

• Museum of Illusions Madrid. Calle del Doctor Cortezo, 8. An original museum that presents a space for social and entertaining tours, entering the world of optical illusions designed for visitors of all ages.  

• MAD (Madrid Digital Arts) Immersive Experiences Centre. Plaza de Legazpi, 8. Revolutionary digital cultural development centre, unique in Spain and Europe, boasting the latest technology for the most innovative cultural and artistic experiences.

If you’re trying to get away from celeb chefs or star-studded bars, you might like to be in one of these.

• Cafetería Lily. Mercado de los Mostenses, Plaza de los Mostenses, 1. Just off Gran Vía, this tucked-away Chinese restaurant has managed to blend into the Latin atmosphere contributed by its patrons, and so now it serves Peruvian-Chinese – or Chifa – food. The ceviche has become incredibly popular.

• Restaurante Xiongzai. Calle San Leonardo, 3. Famous for its curious décor – paying tribute to Winnie the Pooh – this little restaurant is very popular with the Chinese youth, as it serves genuine Asian dishes.

• Regional cuisine. Regional cuisine is on the rise – the living memory of the migrations that emptied many Spanish villages and filled the streets of Madrid with a variety of accents. Regional restaurants serve hearty homemade dishes at affordable prices in the heart of town. They’re still far from crowded, but are becoming increasingly popular due to word-of-mouth recommendation. Try Casa Hortensia, run by Centro Asturiano (Calle de la Farmacia, 2), Casa de Castilla-La Mancha (Calle de la Paz, 4); Hogar Extremeño (Gran Vía, 59), offering some of the best views of Gran Vía in the direction of Plaza de España; or Casa de Canarias (Santa Cruz de Marcenado, 13).

• Cocodrilo Rock Bar. Calle de Cebreros, 101. Far from the madness of fleeting trends, this bar in the neighbourhood of Lucero (Latina district) is firmly committed to timeless rock and a themed décor.

• Palermo Bar. Calle de Palermo, 21. Live music, rock classics, billiards, foosball and darts is what you can find in this well-established bar in the neighbourhood of Canillas (Hortaleza district).

• Citynizer Plaza. Calle de Juanelo, 17. Gardened terrace in the heart of Lavapíes that offers traditional snacks and sandwiches from Madrid’s cuisine, with international and creative touches.   It is a unique space that usually hosts events, such as concerts, karaoke, monologues or theatre performances.

• Buen Gusto. Paseo de Santa María de la Cabeza, 60. Restaurant that serves authentic and traditional Wenzhou cuisine in the city centre, featuring a fun robot waiter. 

In Madrid you can find the most surprising and special concept stores. We list some that you can not miss:

• Despacio. Calle de Belén, 10.  One of the most avant-garde and current concept store that can be found in the city located between Chueca and Alonso Martínez. It aims to create a meeting point with design in various disciplines that has the latest in fashion, accessories, slippers, decoration and design gadgets.

• Do Design. Calle de Fernando, VI. A store that breaks with the established concept of consumption. A space where you can live an experience, have a coffee or simply observe and be inspired, where exhibitions of emerging artists are also organized. Art, fashion and design with an exclusive selection of objects that are characterized by a beautiful design, functional, organic and handcrafted, collecting the latest trends with the most rustic and traditional design.

• AMEN. Calle San Andrés, 3. Original store in the neighborhood of Malasaña that offers a selection of fashion for men and women, accessories, jewelry and other curious items and accessories brought from different parts of the world. In this space decorated with a mixture of industrial air and sophistication, there is room for everything from Japanese sweets to 3D printed jewellery, sunglasses from our own brand or printed socks.

• La Positiva Shop. Calle de Ave María, 7. The Lavapiés district is home to this small shop by the designer and stylist, Saray Morales, where you can find all kinds of gifts and curious things created by independent designers, who are mainly Spanish. Events are sometimes organised to present small drawing or photography exhibitions.

• Templo de Susu. Calle del Espíritu Santo, 1. Vintage store specialised in clothes and accessories located in the Malasaña neighbourhood. It is a classic in the city, which has earned a reputation for being one of the best second-hand shops in Madrid.

• El Moderno Concept Store. Corredera Baja de San Pablo, 19. Located in Malasaña, this eclectic store stocks a wide variety of articles, ranging from decoration to furniture, works of art, jewellery, stationery, children's books, toys, gifts or souvenirs, among others, made by artisans.

• DirtyPop Concept Store. Gravina, 1. Store selling gifts and articles related to pop. An advanced queer concept store located in Chueca that merges art, fashion, culture in a single transgression idea.

• WOW Concept. Gran Vía, 18. Mega store designed as a multi-brand and multi-product commercial centre where you can find articles from hundreds of Internet brands as well as traditional firms.

Meet the most extravagant Madrid and the most classic Madrid!