YOUR NEXT DESTINATION / December
The Reina Sofia Museum of Art is Spain’s national
museum of 20 th -century art. It opened in 1992 and
hosts a magnificent collection of work by Spanish
artists, including Picasso’s Guernica.
pictures (an integral part of the art ex-
perience for millennials), all of them are
worth visiting to collect mental images
of such legendary pieces of artwork like
Picasso’s Guernica.
But the art scene isn’t just about the
past; there are also plenty of places, such
as the Matadero, showcasing emerg-
ing artists. Located in the Arganzuela
district of Madrid, a 10-minute subway
ride from Puerta del Sol, Matadero is a
true wonderland for culture lovers. The
former slaughterhouse was turned into
a culture space in 2006 and now hosts
exhibitions, theatre and dance perfor-
mances, and concerts – most of them for
free. A similar picture can be found at La
Casa Encendida, a cultural centre that
strongly supports young artists.
To be honest, though, the streets of
Madrid themselves are like an open-air
museum. For one, there are the artistic
street signs illustrating the meanings be-
hind the names of streets. And then there
are the picturesque storefronts. There’s
even an Instagram account dedicated to
the most unique storefronts of the Span-
ish capital. 0thfloor is the brainchild of
two sisters, Marta and Paula. ‘We were
actively posting pictures of charming
store façades in our private accounts
until a friend suggested that we make a
separate account for them,’ says Marta.
Now the account garners well above 10k
followers. For charming vintage decor, go
to the Las Letras neighbourhood, where
the streets are filled with old bookstores.
And if you prefer glitzy window displays,
head to the luxury shopping area in
Salamanca district. However, Malasaña
has it all: the vintage, the posh, and the
downright awe-inspiring. It’s also the best
area for thrift shopping, especially Calle
Velarde, which features everything from
vintage denim temples to pay-by-weight
stores. One of the highlights is La Mona
Checa, whose interior is inspired by
the circus.
While store decorations change con-
stantly, the 0thfloor sisters tell me that
the best time to revel in the local skill of
embellishing is the Christmas season,
when stores are filled with dazzling lights
and decorations. But even during the cold
season the terraces remain open, the
streets are filled with cheery gift-hunters,
and the weather is pleasant enough to
not make your nose red from the cold. bo