This once derelict power plant and gas station is now one of Madrid’s most prominent sociocultural venues, housing over 800 contemporary art exhibitions, a plethora of multimedia art events and regular poetry and literature festivals. The cleverly designed urban magnet boasts its own lush greenscape vertical wall and seemingly levitates from the infamous plaza.

Droves of madrileños flock to the oldest and largest flea market every Sunday, located in the Embajadores neighbourhood. Bohemian stalls line the streets overflowing with vibrant costume jewellery, vintage vinyl’s and decorative art. Arrive early to avoid jostling for space, then when the streets begin to fill, duck into a La Latina café for a café con leche and a delicious plate of fresh churros.

Lavapiés is Madrid’s most colourful neighbourhood and is full of and surprises in every corner; shops sell everything from vintage clothing to Turkish rugs and extravagant spices; walls are covered in street art; cultural centres and squares that are never empty, even for a second. The rise in immigration in this area in the last few decades has made the place an incredible melting pot of cultures; stroll through the streets and enjoy the charm of neighbourhood’s diversity.

Often overlooked by tourists itching to get to Goya in El Prado or Picasso in La Reina Sofia, The Thyssen, once the largest private art collections in the world, is well worth a visit. With impressive modern works by Klee, Kadinsky and Salvador Dalí, be sure to make a stop at the lesser known of Madrid’s so-called “Golden Triangle.”

On the banks of the River Manzanares, Matadero is a huge all-singing, all-dancing cultural space that mixes cinema, music, readings, workshops, dance, art exhibitions and theatre. Their terrace café is an extension of Olivia te cuida, and there’s even a seed nursery where you can exchange and salvage any seeds that are becoming endangered; a forward-thinking green initiative from a former slaughterhouse.