The Plaza de Santa Ana, together with the nearby small streets which
make up the Huertas district, is one of Madrid's most lively and vibrant
areas, with hundreds of tapas bars, terrace cafes, pubs, restaurants and
Irish bars
all within a relatively small area. The square itself is located just a short walk from
both the
Plaza Mayor
and the
Puerta del Sol. It is also possible to walk to Madrid's main
museums
from here, making this area an ideal location to stay in the city.
The
following links show all our lodging around the Plaza de Santa Ana. For a self-catering property, we can strongly recommend this small, cosy apartment just round the corner from the
square.
Tourist Accommodation near the Plaza Santa Ana, Madrid
The square was originally the site of the Convent of Santa Ana, founded in 1586 but
demolished during the reign of José Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother),
in 1810. In its place, the Plaza was created around 1848.
On its east side, the Teatro Español may be found, whose origins go back
to 1583, although it was rebuilt in 1807 due to a fire. In this theatre Spain's most important writers
have seen their works acted out on stage.
To the west, the unmistakable façade of the
Reina Victoria hotel dominates the
square. The hotel was built in 1916, the large front windows of its rooms
enjoying truly spectacular views of the Plaza.
Two statues in the square play tribute to two great Spanish personalities. The
first, close to the hotel, is of Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600 - 1681), the
famous Spanish playwright. The second, just in front of the Theatre, is of
Federico García Lorca (1898 - 1936), poet and dramatist, killed by the
Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War.
Today, the square plays host to a large number of bars, cafeterias, restaurants and cervecerias (ale houses, although other drinks are also served).
It is a wonderful place to just sit and watch the passers-by, to take a refreshing drink at one of the open-air terrace cafes, or to enter
one of the many bars to sample a plate or two of tapas with a glass of wine.
The square is particularly popular on Sunday mornings, when Spanish families come out in droves to buy
a newspaper or a loaf of bread,
and take a short stroll, interspersed of course by a glass of wine or three!
During the summer months, the Plaza is packed from early evening to late at night as a younger crowd take over the terrace cafes before moving on for dinner or
to dance away the early hours.
Top photo of the Santa Ana Square courtesy of
Jose M. Azcona
