Gran Vía

The Gran Vía was carved through the old city in the early twentieth century, demolishing hundreds of buildings and a tangle of medieval lanes to create a grand modern boulevard, and it became the showcase of Madrid's ambitions. King Alfonso XIII struck the first blow with a silver pickaxe in 1910, and construction continued in stages for decades, so the street reads like an architecture book of its era: French-style Beaux-Arts at the eastern end, Art Deco and American-influenced skyscrapers in the middle, and Spanish rationalism at the western end. The parade begins at the junction with Calle de Alcalá, where the Metrópolis building, with its slate dome topped by a gilded winged Victory, is the most photographed façade in the city. Halfway along rises the Telefónica building, completed in 1929 and for years the tallest in Europe, now home to the Espacio Fundación Telefónica with free exhibitions. At Plaza del Callao, the curved Carrión building carries the neon Schweppes sign that features in countless films. The western stretch is the theatre district, Madrid's Broadway, where big musicals play in the old picture palaces, and the street ends at Plaza de España, remodelled into a green pedestrian square in 2021 and framed by the Edificio España and the Torre de Madrid, two of the city's first skyscrapers. In recent years the pavements have been widened, making the walk far more pleasant, and the street is lined with flagship fashion stores, cafés and hotels with rooftop bars. Walking its full length takes about half an hour, and it is at its most exciting at dusk, when the lights come on and the crowds pour out of the shops and into the theatres.

The best views of the Gran Vía are from above. The rooftop terrace of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, just off the eastern end on Calle de Alcalá, has the classic panorama straight down the boulevard to the Metrópolis dome, and charges a modest entry fee. At the western end, the rooftop bar of the Riu Plaza España hotel, on the twenty-seventh floor of the Edificio España, has a sweeping 360-degree view over the Royal Palace and the Casa de Campo. In between, several department stores and hotels have rooftop terraces, including the top-floor food hall of El Corte Inglés at Callao, with a view over the Plaza del Callao and the Schweppes sign.

Shows and shopping: the Gran Vía theatres stage long-running Spanish-language productions of international musicals and home-grown hits; tickets are usually easy to buy for weekday evenings, and the shows start late by international standards. The street is also the city's main shopping strip, with flagship stores for the major fashion chains. Side streets lead into very different neighbourhoods: north into Malasaña, the old bohemian quarter of vintage shops and bars, and Chueca, the lively centre of LGBTQ Madrid; south toward Sol and the old town. At night the area around Callao and the western end is busy until late, and the Gran Vía is a natural spine for an evening out.

Walking it well: start at the Metrópolis building at the eastern end, ideally around sunset, and walk west, looking up — the domes, statues and towers are the point. Stop at the Telefónica building for a free exhibition, take the lift to a rooftop at Callao, and finish at Plaza de España, where the Temple of Debod is a short walk away for the last of the light. Keep phones and wallets secure, since the crowds attract pickpockets. Families can turn the walk into a spotting game of statues and domes, and couples can end with a cocktail high above the street.