Page 24 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2022 DISCOVERING MADRID

n that first brief visit to Madrid, we
stayed just a block off the bustling
Gran Via. While we enjoyed the
location, we discovered the lively
La Latina barrio or neighborhood
O or during a food tour that seemed
to encompass the essence of our love affair with
Spain. Centrally located just a few blocks from
Plaza Mayor, La Latina is one of Madrid’s oldest
barrios, packed with bars and restaurants, rich
with history and ancient architecture, and home
to narrow streets ripe for exploring.
From our fifth-floor apartment, we watched life
go on in this bustling community. Urban
conveniences abounded. Public transport,
including subway and bus stops, beckoned just
across the street. A Carrefour Express grocery
store was just outside our front door, while shops
along nearby streets tempted us with fresh
breads, cheeses, olives and wines from around the
country. And nearly every tourist destination in
the city is within a 20-minute walk.

24 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2022