We give you a couple of years to move to the area, will we get it right?
ALL TO THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE
Yes indeed. This stop is the one next to the Matadero, a space that for almost a decade has contributed intensely to revitalizing the area with a dose of the most effective recipe: Culture , in all areas and for all audiences. Art, theater, cinema, literature, music, architecture, gastronomy, design... Without a doubt, an essential stop on our visit to The Chopera which offers us many possibilities.
Do you want to participate in the production of a movie? Learn to ride a bike? Enjoy a good play? Drink something with friends ? Savor healthy and quality gastronomic leisure? These are just some of the options to choose from in the universe of Matadero Madrid.
Have a drink in the old slaughterhouse of the city
Intermediae – the first of the Matadero spaces that opened in 2007-, for example, develops open collective projects , which seeks to connect creators and the public in a context of shared experimentation and learning and whose activity, in fact, has been growing and is not limited only to the neighbourhood. In its context, we find initiatives such as the Film Factory without Authors, which offers anyone who is interested the opportunity to participate in the production of an audiovisual piece.
AbiertoxObras and Nave16 are art world access galleries housing exhibitions and artistic interventions of small and large format respectively. The Central de Diseño allows us to know the world of that intermediate discipline that is the design through recreational and outreach activities, such as the already popular Central Design Market. In the same way that the Casa del Lector brings us closer to literature not only through exhibitions, but also through its interesting ** catalog of courses for adults and children **.
Slaughterhouse as hotbed of trends
And if that doesn't seem like enough, or if your preferences are different, you can always enjoy the best theater at the ** Naves del Español or the program at the Cineteca **, "the first and only theater in the country dedicated almost exclusively to the cinema of non-fiction” and annual venue for DocumentaMadrid, the Madrid International Documentary Festival. We also recommend that you pay attention to the calendar of festivals and events that Matadero regularly hosts. The Madrid Producers Market is held here on the last weekend of each month, but in addition, Matadero has hosted the latest edition of IlustraTour or the Frinje theater festival, and has hosted the two editions of the TEDxMadrid Show, among others .
Matadero Madrid is without a doubt a hive of activity where you go when you go you will find something (interesting) to do. However, it is not the only attraction in the neighborhood. I suggest that we continue with the route. Does he give you a bike ride?
In summer Legazpi is Manzanares
DISCOVER THE MANZANARES BY PEDELS
Legaspi square It is located at the southern end of the Manzanares Linear Park, known by common mortals as Madrid Rio , a perfect enclave to take a ride on pedals.
If you haven't brought your bike from home, I suggest that **we get some. At the very door of the Matadero we have a BiciMad station ** or, if you prefer, we can rent it. Mobeo, bike shop and Cyclist Factory, offers a wide rental service – electric, urban, folding, tandem bicycles, accessories for transporting the little ones...- and activities around pedals. Don't you know how to ride a bike? They teach you (no matter how old you are). Do you want to learn to drive around the city or a bit of mechanics? They also have a course for you.
But one of its most attractive options is the BiciPicnics. In the rental of your bike you can include a snack and a mat to fully enjoy your ride through Madrid Río. And if you also want to know the historical landmarks of Manzanares , you also have the option of complete your pack with a guide . At the moment you have me let's keep going.
Perfect for children to learn to ride a bike
THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF ARGANZUELA
Whether you decide to continue your walk through the neighborhood on foot or on wheels, there is another unavoidable stop: the Arganzuela Greenhouse. This ornate Crystal Palace , located in the Walk of the Chopera surprisingly goes unnoticed. The building, which was part of the complex of the old Municipal Slaughterhouse - the Potato Ship- It was rehabilitated in the nineties taking as inspiration the greenhouses of the 19th century, representative of the Iron architecture. Inside we can enjoy a pleasant walk through a botanical garden that has 9,000 plant species into four different classes: tropical and subtropical flora, succulent plants and cacti, and cruise and aquatic plants.
Access to the Palace is free and its interior, usually quiet, is the ideal setting to enjoy a good book, read the newspaper or even approach draw . It would not be surprising to come across one of the spontaneous drawing sessions of El Retratista Nómada on a Sunday, taking advantage of the natural lighting of the room to photograph visitors and capture a volunteer model.
Next to the Greenhouse is the Casa del Reloj Cultural Center, which, although smaller and more modest than the Matadero, is also worth a visit. It usually offers curious leisure activities in the neighborhood. This weekend, without going any further, it will be one of the venues for the fifth edition of CutreCon, Madrid's Cutre International Film Festival, which you will surely enjoy if you are a fan of series B movies. (or rather, Z-series) .
SKATE AND SKATING
In the vicinity of these two buildings is also the esplanade of Arganzuela or esplanade of the Matadero , open paved space where you will have the opportunity to learn to skate -or practice if you already control-. It is common to find, especially Saturdays and Sundays , a large concentration of skating fans of all levels. If you are interested in giving classes, you can contact one of the associations that offer this service in the area, such as Madrid Patina or Escuela Sliders, which have groups for all ages and levels. In the case of the latter, you will have the opportunity to learn from true competition champions.
If your thing is skateboarding, in this section of Madrid Río you can go to the Skate Park next to the prague bridge , open every day of the week from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. . A total of 1,500 m2 between curved surfaces and terrain where you can put all your skills on the board into practice.
Hasn't all that activity whetted your appetite? At least it is a good time to have a few beers and if the stomach asks for more, let yourself go.
Legazpi Skate Park
FROM THE BAR OF ALL LIFE TO THE MOST 'IN' PLACE
In the environment of General Maroto Square a good place to start is Venta Matadero , a bar-restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere, frequented by the neighbors of the neighborhood , where you can have a beer or a wine accompanied by some tapas or toast on its covered terrace.
If you are more of a posture, you can go, on the opposite sidewalk, to the Costello Río. Local sister of the Costello, is advertised as “The best hamburgers next to the Matadero” . If you are not in a hurry – the service is usually a bit slow and the place is usually full-, it is worth it stop to taste and check for yourself if the statement is true . It is a pity that if you are a vegetarian you will not have the option to do so, because no chance to order veggie burger . If you are going to order dessert, do not hesitate: grandma's cake
There are no veggie burgers but... oh, their grandma cake!
Around the corner, on the street Jaime the Conquered r Another neighborhood venue, a small trattoria, In Crescendo , is also worth mentioning. Though modest in appearance, their pastas and pizzas are surprising , the latter made in a wood oven. If you can't find a place, they put all their dishes to go.
Back at the Matadero, we cannot fail to mention the Cantina de la Cineteca. Not only for the rich homemade and natural food that it serves Olivia takes care of you , but also for the beautiful place that was once the boiler of the enclosure and that has a spring-summer terrace that makes you feel on good weather evenings, with their shared tables, in a Berlin biergarten.
Thus, toasting, we end our walk through Legazpi. Not without first wanting to make one final honorable mention to another of the places with the most soul in the neighborhood : ** The athletic club **. One of those places that you transmit in secret, from friend to friend, to prevent them from losing their magic and charm and that has temporarily left us. I quote it here with the hope that it will soon reopen its doors And if you have the chance, you can come and try their mother's food, homemade and authentic, and enjoy a lively Friday night among their tables.
*** You may also be interested in...**
- Survival guide for the urban cyclist in Madrid
- BiciMad: eleven reasons to pedal around Madrid
- The best bike itineraries in Madrid
- For when a cycling Madrid? - Look mom, without walking! Europe by bike with the 'City Cycling' guides - Guide to finding the bicycle you need - Cafés addicted to bicycles - Cicloviajeros: the world seen from a bicycle
- What do the neighborhoods of Madrid taste like?
- Cane and tapas in Madrid
- Neighborhoods that do: Ruzafa in Valencia
- Neighborhoods that do: the western neighborhood of Salamanca
- Neighborhoods that do: Casco Vello de Vigo
- Neighborhoods across the river