Gran Via Area in Madrid

Gran Via divides the city in districts: on its northside are Malasaña -to the west- and Chueca further east. Gran Vía ends to the west in Plaza de España and to the east at the intersection with Calle de Alcalá.

Permanently crowded with shoppers and sightseers, the street is appropriately named -the great lane- with splendidly quirky Art Nouveau and Art Deco facades fronting its banks, offices and apartments, and huge posters on the cinemas. Callao square holds a high concentration of movie theaters.

From Callao, two pedestrian streets lead directly to Puerta del Sol: calle Preciados, with El Corte Inglés & FNAC department stores, and calle del Carmen. At the end of Carmen you'll find the city's most popular meeting place, "el Oso y el Madroño" (the Bear & the strawberry tree), at Puerta del Sol.

The Gran Via ends in an open area, Plaza España, created in the 1920s to air the old city and constructed on land occupied by low houses, small gardens and billeting.