I'm going to Madrid for the first time next January for 3 months. I'm doing an immersion program there and the school has sent me an accommodation list with various options in different neighborhoods. I can't find a travel book that gives a decent description of these areas. Can anyone post a quick description of what these areas of Madrid are like? Thanks!

Arguelles
Alonso Martinez
Casa de Campo
Lavapies
Retiro Park
Salamanca

[This message has been edited by edeli (edited 08-24-2000).]

Find out WHERE the program is. You want to be CLOSE. Of the neighborhoods you mention, Arguelles, Salamanca, Alonso Martinez are central. Casa de campo etc, far. Lavapies, cool, a bit bohemian, working class.
rgf

Wow, you guys respond quickly! The school is on Calle Serrano. Is that considered Retiro Park?

Serrano is barrio de Salamanca (nice digs, there!!). Stay in the very barrio de Salamanca if you can, and Retiro Park as second choice, me thinks. What school is this?

I think barrio de Salamanca is kind of expensive but they have great clothes stores and it is one of the best "barrios".

To answer RGF's question, the name of the school is =elemadrid= ( www.elemadrid.com , if anybody's interested). They offer to arrange the housing for you. They've got one option in the Salamanca neighborhood and the other choices are scattered around the city. So I guess I'll put the Salamanca one as my first choice and keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for your guidance!

[sorry, just "fixed" your URL to make it clickable]

[This message has been edited by MadridMan (edited 08-25-2000).]

Have a great time and write us of your experiences! If you end up in the barrio de Salamanca you will be very happy!

Hola a todos,

Barrio Salamanca is very nice, I agree, but I have to say that it's a bit boring and a little uppity... My boyfriend has language classes on C\ Lasgasca and we do spend some time there (it has nice shops) and well, el sitio simplemente falta marcha, if you know what I mean...

Of course, this all depends on your age and personality...We're young and love the energy of the city, so we live in el centro behind the Plaza Mayor in between Argüelles and Lavapies. I would recommend either of those areas over Bª Salamanca. I also wouldn't worry too much about getting around in Madrid - the Metro is excellent and can take you just about anywhere...

Alonzo Martinez is a little like Salamanca, but has a little more nightlife too...and of course, less pijos! (snobby people who go to the bars in Salamanca simply to be "seen")

Good luck!

Arguelles is recommendable, many students live there because it is close to the Universidad Complutense. It has many restaurants and bars and is less expensive and pijo than Salamanca. There is a direct subway connection to Calle Serrano (the brown line), so that might be interesting for you.
As far as Lavapiés is concerned, you can call it bohemian and less boring, and it is definitely cheaper to live there, but it is also notably shakier and poorer. I looked at a couple of flats there and they were the ugliest I have ever seen in Madrid, and some of the streets are not very safe (a guy even tried to attack me during my flat hunt, so I was definitely discouraged from living there. I heard from other women that they had problems there as well). Of course it depends on your personality, but I would prefer going out occasionally in that area instead of living there permanently.

SALAMANCA: is a nice area... it is PRIME realestate and has become a fabulous area....the palacio de deportes is there as well as GOYA and a great intersection housing el Corte Ingles and MANY other shops.... a great little bar called the Trebol.... and EL Mueseo De Jamon.... its a neat area

LAVAPIES is INTERESTING..... a very ethnic neighborhood.... and perhaps a bid forboding at night..... I still feel fairly safe there by myself... but im 6;3' 275 and dont look like a whimp.... My nickname the workers at my sisters have given me is GOLDBERG..... if that gives you a clue...(not as many muscles) but I digress....
There are a lot of morroccans and brazilians there and many bohemeian like pubs and an interestng nightlife..... Just a stones throw from the RASTRO on sundays.. and Tirso De Molina.... I like it
ARGUELLES: very convenient to La Universidad Compultense and a pleasant Walk to TRAFALGAR which is my home base when Im in Madrid..... BILBAO is my metro station hence METROBILBAO.... great bars and night life... cool Jazz club on Alburqerque St.. called Clamores,,,,, and neat places from the cafe commercial in the Glorieta Bilbao (READ CELAS LA COLMENA) all the way up calle Fuencarral to Quevedo...