Malasaña

Famous for being the epicenter of La Movida, the countercultural movement that united rockers, punks, artists and other creative tribes in the 1980s, this neighborhood maintains the same bubbling and transgressive spirit despite its heavy gentrification. There are lots of bars, terraces, and shops, mostly by young designers, and happening squares such as Plaza del Dos de Mayo, Plaza de las Comendadoras, and Plaza de San Ildefonso, whose neighboring discotecas offer some of the city’s best nightlife.