Lavapiés

Multicultural neighborhood with incredible food diversity and street art, but Plaza de Lavapiés can feel sketchy with visible drug dealing. Interesting culturally but requires street awareness - not the most relaxing area for solo wandering.

This is multicultural Madrid - Moroccan tea shops next to Senegalese restaurants and Pakistani groceries, with some of the best cheap ethnic food in the city. Massive murals cover entire buildings, and you'll see political posters and activist graffiti everywhere. Plaza de Lavapiés can feel sketchy with open drug dealing, especially after dark, though dealers generally ignore tourists. The area has character and great food diversity, but requires more street awareness than touristy neighborhoods. It's interesting culturally but not the most relaxing place to wander alone at night.