We regularly share stories of people who have been on workation. This time the story of Kirsten Zijderveld, freelance journalist, copywriter and travel blogger, who went on a workation to Madrid for 3 weeks. Below she shares 5 things you need to know if you want to go that way too.
Want to experience living in the Spanish capital for a while? Immerse yourself in Madrid life for a while and flip open your laptop there? Then go work remotely in Madrid.
1. Vibrant city suitable for remote working
Madrid is bustling. You can feel it in every part of the city; from the noisy, gigantic shopping street Gran Vía to the squares in the cozy and hip neighborhood Malasaña. As far as I am concerned, this makes it a great destination to work remotely, because it makes you buzz too. You get new inspiration and a tour of the city – whether between work or at the weekend – makes you feel alive. Stumbling upon a fantastic street concert or enjoying an impressive sunset after your working day: in Madrid there is always something going on.
2. Choose your workstations with care
One (main) city means: plenty of places to work to choose from. That’s nice, but it also means you sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees. Personally, I like to alternate working in my apartment with some hours in a coffee shop, and in Madrid I tried a lot of them. I stayed in the Malasaña neighborhood and there you have endless choices. But: there are also a lot of cafes that are small and crowded. Where you already can’t find a table early in the morning or where it’s so crowded that you can’t get any work done. So you can’t just plop down in every little establishment. These are some of my favorites where I could work:
- Federal Cafe
Federal – which you also have in Valencia and Barcelona, among other places – is my number one spot. In this café you have a large table as well as a few window seats (a favorite) where you can open your laptop. Because you are surrounded by other remote workers, you are immediately in the working atmosphere, and it also ensures that it is not too crowded around you. The rest of the café does have people “just” drinking coffee and eating, but that didn’t bother me myself. Moreover, Federal’s menu is extensive and the coffee delicious – also very important while working remotely.
- Toma Cafe
You should go to Toma Café anyway for the good coffee. If you also want to work here, you should take a seat at one of the high tables in the back. While this is one of those smaller/pressier/knottier places, I still often had a spot to grab here. Maybe the bar stool with no back is not ideal if you want to bang on for an entire day, but for a few hours this is definitely a nice place. Oh, and banana bread and cake lovers will also get very excited here.
- Santagloria Coffee & Bakery
This is – unlike the first two trendy establishments – a more local joint. In other words, at Santagloria you are surrounded by Spaniards. I love that, hearing Spanish around you and seeing the locals come here to drink coffee. I worked here a few times and it was a good idea. Quiet moments alternate with cozy crowds, and the local character also means you spend less money here. Extra tip: the (stuffed) croissants here are terribly delicious, definitely try the one with pistachio once. They also come in mini variety.
3. Book your accommodation on time
Madrid is a capital city and a capital city is easily more expensive and popular. So if you want to go that way, I recommend you book your accommodation in time. But not only that: choose your accommodation with care. Because it is such a vibrant and busy city, it is – as far as I am concerned – very nice if your apartment is a quiet and pleasant place. A place where you can retreat to when the hustle and bustle of the city becomes too much for you, and where you can also work when you need to focus or have a meeting.
Although I always choose my accommodations with care, in Madrid I had a bit of bad luck with my Airbnb. It turned out to be much darker than in the photos (I had to turn on the lights during the day), and I can tell you: too little daylight is not nice. Beforehand, I also thought I had a nice spot outside – a small (private) patio – but it turned out to be right next to the neighbor’s window and thus not so private. Also, the wooden chair was not comfortable at all so I could not work very well in my apartment. So don’t underestimate this.
4. Don’t forget the environment
You can have a super good time in Madrid. There are great museums such as the Prado and Círculo de Bellas Artes, food courts such as Mercado de San Ildefonso and Mercado San Antón and a shopping street that is second to none – with the largest Zara in the world. You can take an interesting free walking tour, relax in Retiro Park or watch the sunset at Templo de Debod.
But staying only in Madrid is actually a waste, because around the capital there are all kinds of nice trips to make.
For example, historic Toledo – the former capital of Spain – is a wonderful place to spend a day. Here you will literally walk through history and feast your eyes. A day in Zaragoza, a lesser known but surprisingly beautiful city, is also highly recommended. Both cities are easily reached by train. Book your ticket (a few days) in advance to make sure you don’t miss out.
5. Save money? Choose local
In the Spanish capital you will find countless hip hotspots with Instagram-worthy interiors. This can be heartbreaking, but as in most cities, it comes with a higher price tag. That’s why I say seek out the local stores if you want to save some money. It’s also more fun(er) because you’ll really feel like you’re in Spain. My tips? The aforementioned Santagloria, but also:
- La Doña for breakfast among Spaniards
- Pez Tortilla for tapas
- 100 Montaditos for (small) sandwiches for lunch or snacks
Want to read more from Kirstens? Then check out her blog Mediterranean on my mind. Curious about other great Spanish cities for your workation? Then read the blog with the top 5 destinations in Spain.
