Plaza de Olavide

Begin your day at Plaza de Olavide, a leafy octagonal square tucked away in Chamberí. Unlike the more famous Plaza Mayor, here you’ll mostly rub elbows with madrileños pushing prams, reading newspapers and sipping café con leche. The square’s layout was inspired by 19th-century urban renewal, but today it functions like a communal living room. Benches encircle a central fountain, children play in the playground and the surrounding cafés offer a cosy view of everyday Madrid.