Can someone please shed some light on Madrid zones and GOOD places to live. I am moving there and am trying to gather as much as I can! I can´t seem to find a web site or place that gives me detailed information about places to live! I am young and want a youing fun place to live! I hate to compare it to NYC but was thinking of Gramercy Park Area...Lower East Side...I heard maybe Bilboa or Salamanca...or LAvapies were good places?? I am not sure! thanks and look forward to hearing from you soon.

cheers,
-a.

a.
I would not suggest living in Lavapies. I had a friend who lived there and he had some problems with violence after dark. I don´t want to scare you away from the area---which is very hip and fun, but there are a few problems there between the chinese and the morrocans. Definitly do visit it! Actually, there are some decent areas around Plaza Mayor---for not a bad price if you don´t mind a small flat. Around Sol is always a good bet as well. These two places are close to a lot of great clubs and the center of the city. Another area to check out is La Latina which is only a short walk from Plaza Mayor and Sol--also a great night life and Rastro on Sundays.
Good luck!!!
ajg

aeking3, at least in Madrid, it's hard to combine "Young" and "Fun" in the same area because the "Fun" areas are SO EXPENSIVE to live in that it's not even FUNny. They're expensive because they're often the OLDEST parts of Madrid but have some of the best nightlife.

As mentioned above, sections of La Latina are quite vibrant. Madrid de los Asturias area south of the Royal Palace and across the Calle de Segovia is a particularly favorite area of mine - nice and old and lots of cool bars/restaurants.

Also as mentioned above, Lavapies is a (relatively) MUCH cheaper area, also very charismatic in OLD Madrid but not at all particularly nice/safe as compared to other areas of Madrid.

Barrio Salamanca is quite quite nice, VERY VERY VERY expensive (mainly just houses) but not particularly interesting and little (if any) nightlife. This area is for rich dignitaries, politicians, and businessmen who commute everywhere by car from their garages. It's also a long walk to the FUN areas of Madrid.

Anyone else have suggestions? Saludos, MadridMan

That's interesting, because compared to the East Coast (I live in DC), the places that I've found for rent in the "centro" (Sol/Embajadores/Callao) area look really affordable compared to the insanity that you now find here. You can actually find 2BR places for under 1000 Euros a month, which would be a total impossibility here. I guess it's all relative...