Living in Madrid with the Least Amount of Stress

Living in the city of Madrid can be quite stressful, especially if you live in the busiest and most touristy areas, like the central part of the Spanish capital.

If you are the “lucky one” living in this area, you might possibly already be stressed out, but today, this article by ShMadrid focuses on how to live in Madrid’s centre without (or with only a little) stress. We will emphasize the positives of this area, and hopefully by doing that, minimize the negatives.

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How to enjoy the centre of Madrid as a resident

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If you do not yet live in the centre of the capital, then the first thing to is finding your perfect home. You have two options: buying an apartment or renting one.

We have already mentioned that prices, for both buying and renting, are not the best right now, but in many cases the advantages of living in the centre of Madrid outweigh many of the disadvantages.

Advice when choosing an apartment in the centre of Madrid

Select a higher floor. The higher you live, the lower the noise by passers-by and traffic in the area. You will also benefit from more natural daylight, although you must always bear in mind that, most of the time, streets are narrow.
If you can’t find an apartment situated on a higher floor, at least make sure the apartment (or at least your bedroom) is on the back of the block. This way you can diminish noise coming from the streets.
If possible, select an apartment without any neighbours living directly above you. The loudest noises you will experience are usually from the floor immediately above you.
When you are choosing a floor, find out what kind of neighbours you will have. You can try to work out, more or less, whether they will produce much noise or not.
If possible, choose an apartment in a pedestrian zone. This will at least guarantee less noise from traffic.
When choosing an apartment, observe the whole area as well. If there are many leisure options, bars and restaurants nearby, this will be less of a peaceful area than you might be looking for.

Advantages of living in the centre of Madrid

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You will have many services, shopping areas and entertainment venues, restaurants and cafes close by.
There is an excellent public transport system, allowing you to travel to any part of the city and other areas within the community and even Spain.
You will have cinemas and theatres, art galleries and other cultural activities on your doorstep.
If you like local festivals and events, the centre of Madrid has many for you to attend, as most of these happenings take place in the city.
You will be living close to many interesting places to meet with family and friends. If someone does not live in the centre, they are still attracted by it for the many shops and attractions.

The best tips to enjoy the centre without any stress

Select your apartment in a pedestrian zone and in relatively quiet.
When travelling back home from work, choose routes with fewer pedestrians, even if this means you have to get off at a stop a little farther away from home.
If you are overwhelmed by the number of people when you feel like going for a walk, choose quieter parts of the city. Stay away from shopping areas, or make use of the public transport system to get to less crowded areas.

Are you a real city person or do you prefer a more quiet area to live in?