Las Letras, Spain: Off The Beaten Path
Located near Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol, Madrid’s Las Letras neighborhood is easy to wander into on accident, but is also well worth spending some intentional time in. As largely pedestrianized area, you can meander down the streets and weave your way in and out of delightful shops and eateries. Calle de las Huertas is particularly known throughout the city for its trendy shopping scene. When the sun goes down, the clubs and theaters come to life and Plaza de Santa Ana sits at the center of it all with numerous outdoor dining spots with great ambience.
But what truly makes Las Letras unique is what made it the Literary Quarter in the first place. It was once home to some of Spain’s most famous writers, from Tirso de Molina to Miguel de Cervantes. Tribute is paid to its artistic history through the pieces decorating the neighborhood. Cobblestone streets are inscribed with excerpts from those writers. Bicycles and large plastic flowers hang from balconies. Flat sides of buildings are used as canvases for paintings ranging in style from classical to modern. And while artistic giants of the Prado and Reina Sofia museums sit nearby, Las Letras has several small galleries of its own.