Before and after the show
An evening in Malasaña
The district around Calle del Pez: where its name comes from, what Plaza del Dos de Mayo marks, and how to fit dinner around a one-hour show.
Reserve your seat in Malasaña ↗Where Malasaña is
Malasaña is a district in central Madrid. Wikipedia places the Gran Vía on its southern border, Calle de Fuencarral on the east, Calle de Carranza on the north and Calle de San Bernardo on the west. It lies west of Chueca and east of Argüelles. The flamenco theatre at Calle del Pez 10 is in the district, north of the Gran Vía, which makes the area easy to reach from the centre.
The name
The district is named after Manuela Malasaña, a 15-year-old girl executed by French troops after the Dos de Mayo uprising in 1808. Her story belongs to the history of the Spanish War of Independence, which the nearby square also recalls. Today her name belongs to the district and to one of its streets.
Plaza del Dos de Mayo
The square at the heart of the district commemorates the uprising against the occupying forces and its violent suppression, the event that marked the start of the Spanish War of Independence. Wikipedia says the square is surrounded by bars and restaurants, and that a crafts market runs there every weekend. It is a natural place to meet before a show or to sit afterwards, and the square is the district's meeting point, so expect company.
The Movida
In the late 1970s and the 1980s, Malasaña was the centre of the movida, the cultural movement that came out of Madrid after the dictatorship. The flamenco theatre is a different note in the same neighbourhood: an older art form, staged for an audience that comes from all over the world, a few streets from the clubs and cafés.
Planning around one hour
A one-hour show leaves an evening open on both sides. Arrive about half an hour early, since the doors open 30 minutes before, and allow the hour itself. Everything else is yours: a drink in Plaza del Dos de Mayo before, a walk to the Gran Vía after, or a late dinner somewhere nearby. The theatre runs several sessions on most days, so you can choose the one that suits the shape of the evening.
The neighbours
Malasaña sits west of Chueca and east of Argüelles, which means several different parts of Madrid are a short stroll away. Chueca, to the east, is home to another of the one-hour flamenco shows on the cards of this site. La Latina, with the cave show, is across the centre. If you have two evenings in Madrid, you could compare two rooms for the same art form, one in each district.
Eating before or after
The show lasts one hour, so you can eat on either side of it. The tourism board's page for the theatre lists dozens of restaurants in the area, which gives you a wide choice without crossing the city. A simple plan is to eat first if you book a late session, and to eat afterwards if you book an early one. Book a table for a time that leaves a margin after the final applause.
Walking back
At night, Malasaña is often crowded, which is part of its appeal. The Gran Vía is close, and Callao, Noviciado and Tribunal are the Metro stations the tourism board lists for the theatre. If you finish late, night bus routes also run nearby. Keep your phone and wallet close in crowded spots, as in any busy part of a capital. If you are walking back to a hotel late, stay on the main streets and check the route on a map before you set off.
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