The jewel in the palatial crown of Zurbano
andrew ferren , the newspaper's correspondent in the Spanish capital, is in charge of defending Zurbano as one of the best places to live or, at least, shop around.
THE SHINE OF NOBILITY
It is clear that Ferren puts a good palace . He is born on the famous street Genoa , between the headquarters of the Popular Party and a bank branch (which by the way is very Zurbano). Perhaps both are the ones with the upper hand, but in times past the nobility ruled and it also gave a certain image of glamour. Very close, at number three, is the first of the day. It's about a three-storey residential mansion from the early 20th century . Eight years ago the Minister of Culture at that time, Carmen Calvo, handed it over to the president of the Film Academy and later her successor in office, Ángeles González-Sinde, amid much controversy. Just when the filmmakers' guild most attacked the conservative party from a platform such as the Goya ceremony, the world of cinema received this recently restored space, much to the chagrin of the conservative media.
To the north, the Palace of Zurbano play in another league. there he was born Fabiola, Queen of Belgium and sister of the Spanish socialite of the eighties and nineties, Jaime de Mora y Aragon . Today he has lost much of his magic because he is occupied by the Ministry of development . At the height of Paseo General Martínez Campos there is another immense mansion that was occupied by the school of the British Council and which now serves as headquarters for the institution. On the side of the building facing Zurbano, you can see a image of Saint Teresa of Jesus made with tiles and that gives a traditional touch to the place. Although it is not a noble building, the impressive architecture of Superior Center for National Defense Studies, located at the end of the street, is also worth a look.
interior of the palace
But the jewel in the crown is the Santo Mauro Palace , at number 36. In 1902 it was built on the plot of the Dukes who gave it its name, in true French style. now host one of the most exclusive hotels of the AC chain . In fact right now it is an AC Marriott from their Autograph collection. Despite the obvious luxuries of such a place, everything has happened at Santo Mauro. Ana Obregón visited him daily to be able to run into David Beckham while the soccer player lived in one of the suites waiting to renovate his house. In 1999, Loles León suffered a spectacular fall in the early hours of the morning in Jeremy Irons' suite. Years later, in addition to being able to tell the world about his encounter with the actor, he received compensation from the hotel of more than 45,000 euros. Had this information Andrew Ferren would be even more of a fan of the street.
The garden of AC Santo Mauro
GASTROSTREET
One of the things that the American journalist from Zurbano highlights is his ideal location between the modern city center and the business area distributed in the north of Madrid and the nearby Paseo de la Castellana. And that translates into a good assortment of gastronomic possibilities for after work, neat but without being excessively classic.
At number 15, Maria's Bakery proudly posts the glowing reference that The New York Times makes of his tiny establishment that apprehends taken from a film by Jean Pierre-Jeunet or Lasse Hallström (That is to say amelie either Chocolate ) . And is not for less. In addition to impregnating the area with a more than pleasant smell that is not suitable for people on a diet, as soon as you enter the place you realize that the treatment with the client is taken care of there, some of them are probably already friends. .
Bread with bread, it's not nonsense
At the Lunch & Dinner at number 22 they boast of being able to create more than 300,000 salads with the different combinations offered by an extensive catalog of healthy foods. Mentidero & Gin is the Mentidero de la Villa snack bar and it is a more casual option than the restaurant that combines tartar, hamburgers, pepitos and a good selection of drinks on its menu.
gogo salads
Sergi Arola Gastro , from the Catalan chef, is open just four hours a day to serve lunch and dinner at the street number 31. Closed on Sunday and Monday. That is called being exclusive. He says that he has to do with the emotional involvement that he has in the restaurant. For those who visit him, they have the feeling that he is eating at the house of Arola and his partner Sara Fort.
Follow @HLMartinez2010
*** You may also be interested in...**
- Las Salesas: the new charm of Madrid
- Madrid after class: the best 'afterworks' in the capital
- Curious shops in Madrid where you can find the perfect gift
- Love for paper: the most beautiful stationery stores in Madrid
- Shopping guide in Madrid
- Complete guide of Madrid
- Fish Street
- Matute Square
- The street of Gabriel Lobo
- Novitiate Street
- Villalar Street
- Count Duke Street
- Rue Street
- All Madrid with magnifying glass
- Beautiful shops in Madrid to challenge the January slope
- Madrid La Nuit: the alphabet of the night party in the capital
- Customs map of the gastronomy of Madrid
- You know you're from Madrid when...
- Madrid with 20 years vs. Madrid with 30
- The best brunches in Madrid
- The best pizzas in Madrid
- [Madrid: vermouth calling
- The B-side of La Latina](/urban-trips/articles/the-b-side-of-la-latina/4489)
- The best squid sandwiches in Madrid
- All articles of Hector Llanos
The bread corner of Zurbano