Deciding in which area of Madrid to live?

This article belongs to the series “Interviews & Areas of Madrid”. In it we give voice to its residents, Spanish or foreign, recently moved or with many years of experience in the neighborhood. From their personal experience and their recommendations, we will approach each area with the intention of facilitating the decision-making process on which area you will feel more comfortable when moving to Madrid.  

Denise Suarez | Lifeinthemove

I met Denise through the International Newcomers Club. We are both members of this fun club and have had a great time at some of the many activities they organize. Denise also manages one of the areas.

Denise is Filipino, born in Manila. She arrived in Madrid in 2011 with the idea of spending a couple of years but now, more than 10 years later, with her husband, two children and a business, she has no plans of leaving!

Getting to know Denise and Tetuan

 

Why did you choose Tetuan?

I live by Cuatro Caminos, which is right at the border of Chamberi and Tetuan. I chose this neighborhood because it’s within the city, but not as busy and full of tourists like Sol or Retiro. It is also near so many natural spaces that I can easily get to walking, on public transport or by car. Plus, there is a variety of cuisines available! There are of course Spanish restaurants, but there are also Venezuelan, Moroccan, Filipino, Japanese and many more.

What do you do in Madrid?

I am parent coach and I help parents enjoy parenting more. You can learn more about what I do at my website: denisesuarez.com

I also have a Facebook group where I guide intercultural families in appreciating their differences and seeing how they enrich their lives Raising you intercultural family

 

What can you do on foot?

So many things! I can go shopping or to the movies… I can go to a park or even the city center.

Do you use public transportation? Or private car?

I use the public transportation daily. I’m really lucky that Cuatro Caminos has three metro lines and many more buses. I use the car in the weekends when I visit my in-laws or go to parks like Casa de Campo and El Pardo.

Shopping in the neighborhood: a couple of favorite stores

Mercado de Maravillas: It has everything you need. It has the traditional and high-quality fruit and vegetable stands, fishmonger, butcher, etc.

 

It also has stores where you can buy ingredients from all over the world like South America, Korea and the Philippines.

 

Maravillas a Granel: They sell artisanal soup and other cleaning in bulk. They also have other natural beauty products.

Leisure in the neighborhood: restaurants, bars…

Churrería La Andaluza – My favorite churros in Madrid! On Saturday morning there is always a long line of people buying churros, buñuelos, porras and hot chocolate to bring home for breakfast.

 

Restaurante Midang – My favorite Korean restaurant in Madrid. The food is gooooooooooooood.

 

Piccola Napoli – They say that this is one of Madrid’s best secrets. The pizza here is delish.

Tell us something about sports

Parque Santander is where I go jogging. It has areas where you can work out and there are various groups that organize bootcamps in the open air.

Green areas, which one is your favorite?

I love going to Casa de Campo and El Pardo in the weekends. They’re less than half an hour away from my house and an always welcome break from the city! It’s a luxury to have these areas so near my house.

 

During the week I go to Dehesa de la Villa. It is really easy to get to walking or by bus and there are always other families my kids and I can play and talk with.

Would you recommend the area to live with children?

For sure. There are lots of parks and schools in the area. The neighborhood is full of families and they’re very welcoming.

And, finally, Lifeinthemove summarizes what type of housing can be found in Tetuan

 

There are two distinct areas, one is between Paseo de la Castellana and Calle Infanta Mercedes and the other is between Infanta Mercedes and Bravo Murillo.

The first area has more modern high buildings, many 1 and 2 bedroom apartments as well as large family flats, many with a garage and some with a pool. Broad avenues.

In the second area we find old, low-rise buildings, many without an elevator and without a garage. Narrow streets. Some of these buildings are renovated with high quality materials but most of them are in poor condition.

The prices between these two areas vary a lot.

Currently in Tetuan, there is an offer of approximately 900 homes for rent with an average price of around 18,16€/m2.

As in all central districts, we find apartments and flats, with a wide range of prices as well. Only 7% of them have 4 or more bedrooms. And 46% are 2 and 3 bedroom homes. There are also studios (13%) and 1-bedroom apartments (34%).

Of these, less than 1% are chalets, 24% are rented with a garage, 30% have a terrace and 7% have a swimming pool.

With this table you can easily see the range of prices and the type of property with the greatest offer:

PRICES-TETUAN | Lifeinthemove
  • These percentages and prices refer to an approximate average of the rental supply we have observed over the last few years. The supply of available rental housing in Tetuan varies from day to day. The more in-demand the area, the more dynamic the market.
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Does Tetuan convince you? Do you think it would be a good choice for you?

If you are planning to move to Madrid soon, you’ll find all the relevant information in The secret of relocating to Madrid. If, in addition, you need help with the organization or even if you prefer that we accompany you, check out our services.

In the meantime, you can receive regular information by filling out this questionnaire. And if you find it useful, we thank you for sharing it.

 

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