Puerta del Sol (which means “Sun Gate”) is the name of the most famous square in Madrid. It is located in the city center, and it is connected with the rest of the city with the 1, 2 and 3 Subway Lines, and other trains lines which start there and finish in the suburbs and towns placed around Madrid.
This emblematic place is one of the reference points more used in the city, and many citizens are used to dating with other people from this point.
What to see in Puerta del Sol
– Real Casa de Correos building: This building was built in 1750 and currently is the headquarters of the regional government. At the top of the building, there is a big bell, which is used to announcing the begging of the year each 31st of December.
Also, the door of the building is the origin of the name “Puerta del Sol”.
– The “Zero Kimoleter” (kilometro cero) of Spain. Since 1950, this is the start point of the radial subways of Spain. Therefore, if you look at the ground at the base of Casa de Correos, you will be able to see a plaque with the text “Km 0: Origen de las carreteras radiales”.
– One of the most famous statues of Madrid is “El oso y el madroño” (it represents a bear climbing a tree). This is the icon of the city, and almost everybody wants to get a photo with it.
– Finally, Puerta del Sol is the perfect area to go shooping: The streets around Puerta del Sol are always overcrowded. In there, you can find a lot of shops, coffee, and discotheques, so there are a lot of activity everyday and every hour.
Read also our post about What to see in Madrid in one week.
More places to visit near Puerta del Sol
– Plaza Mayor: In this traditional square there is a Felipe II statue rounded of white ancient buildings. The young people in the city are used to going to this square to eat squid sandwiches. Moreover, some politicians told once about taking a coffee in there… but from our point of view, there are a lot of better -and cheaper- places in Madrid places to do it).
– San Miguel Market: Inside of this famous market you will find an incredibly variety of food: juices, “tapas”, “croquetas”, hamburgers, fruit, fish… all of this of the highest quality.
– Gran Via: the most famous avenue of Madrid. It has a lot of theaters, coffee and ice cream shops. You can arrive there in 3 minutes from Puerta del Sol going on foot.
– Opera Square: You will find there the Opera Theater.
– Palacio Real and Almudena’s Cathedral: We will talk about these monuments in another article. It’s 10 minutes walking from Puerta del Sol.
– Santo Domingo Square: it’s behind Casa de Correos Building. It’s full of restaurants and bars, so it’s the perfect place to take a lunch.
– Fuencarral Street: You can go there going through Montera Street. Fuencarral is straight on, just after passing Gran Via. Fuencarral is well known because it has a lot of shops and because it’s placed between Malasaña and Chueca, which are two of the most famous neighborhoods of the Madrid.