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One of my absolute favorite interior designers is the very lovely SOLEDAD SUAREZ DE LEZO who also happens to be one of Madrid’s leading tastemakers. What I love about Soledad is that she embraces her passions and follows her dreams. After becoming a lawyer, Soledad realized that she had another dream to fulfill, so she accepted a position with the prestigious Christie’s in London to learn about the decorative arts and interior design. When Soledad returned to Madrid she worked for several leading interior design firms before eventually launching her own firm three years ago.

I fell in love with Madrid last summer so I asked Soledad to share what she loves most about her hometown and now I can’t wait to visit again next year.

TRULY UNIQUE MADRID EXPERIENCES

Museo Reina Sofía– for contemporary art

Museo El Prado – for fabulous old master´s pieces

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza– for a stunning private collection of old masters

Palacio Real – not exactly where the Royal Family lives anymore, but a beautiful spot and worth a visit.

Retiro Park – for a walk, some running or a picnic

El Rastro – Madrid´s flea market

WHERE TO EAT

Luzi Bombón
A modern brasserie with excellent grilled meats, fish and rice dishes with yummy sides and oysters too! Drinks and music Thursday to Saturday! Great décor!

Mercado de San Miguel
Right next to the Plaza Mayor in the oldest part of the city, this building used to be a fruit, vegetable, meat and fish market. After a long refurbishment, it opened back as a big surprise – not only you can do your shopping here, but you can have zillions of tapas and drinks and even buy your own cuts and have them prepared for you in their grills or eat in! Some 85,000 visitors a week prove its been a marvelous success and therefore, I would avoid it on weekends if at all possible. Others like Mercado Isabela have tried to copy the concept but from my point of view do not quite follow.

Ten con Ten
Do not be put off by its terrible website and sad branding design. This is undoubtedly one of the hippest places in Madrid to have a quick drink at its crammed bar, dine in its glamorous restaurant or stay for drinks afterwards. You’ll find yourselves amongst cool yuppies, the big fish, pretty girls and politicians alike.

El Pescador
A must. Spain has undoubtedly the world´s best fish and seafood and the ones in this newly refurbished restaurant is certainly unrivalled. I could go on and on about El Pescador but I would never do it justice.

Viavelez
Paco Ron, chef and owner, first opened this restaurant in his hometown in Asturias, for which he was granted a Michelin star. He moved to Madrid and he is one of the very best cooks in Spain, although not as mediatic as others. He really cooks what people love to eat and absolutely everything, from tapas upstairs to the whole menu downstairs is a delicacy, a real treat to your tastebuds. I recommend his `patatas a la importancia’.

Murillo Café
A most convenient lunch or dinner spot facing the Prado museum. It’s been around since 1927 but its present owners have done a great job of its beautiful redesign. A Mediterranean kind of bistro, Murillo Café serves jolly good tapas too.

El Landó
Open since 1974, it’s one of the best known and rated restaurants in Madrid along with it´s brother-restaurant Casa Lucio. There is not one celebrity in the world that misses it when in the city – or the Royal Family, as a matter of fact. Not so much for the décor, but always bursting with lots of people enjoying steak, Spanish ham or its famous `huevos rotos´ (`broken eggs´, that is, fries with ham and fried eggs, all broken up and mixed together – yum!) or famous `cocido madrileño´.

Samm
Look no further, here´s the best paella you can get in Madrid and have its famous `ensaladilla rusa´ as starters. During the summer months they have a terrace in which to delight yourself into these two delicacies. It´s hardworking owner, Vicente, a good friend, has had the recipes in his family for generations.

Don’t Leave Madrid Without Trying…

Tortilla de Patatas – potato omelet, with or without onion, everyone´s favourite. Most bars and tapas places have it but Juana la Loca is well known for it if you’re in the area.

WHERE TO SLEEP

AC Hotel Santo Mauro
A beautiful hotel set in a centric but quiet neighborhood, which was formerly home to the Duke of Santo Mauro. It is just minutes away from all shopping. Newly refurbished, it’s a great place to stay or have a drink in its amazing garden.

Hotel Orfila
A very classy and classic hotel although the décor is a little `out of date´ for my likings. I mention it because they organize very interesting trips to some of the best wine producers and cellars in Spain.

ME Madrid
This hotel is rather new and much more modern in style. It is set in the old part of Madrid and is the right spot from where to start visiting the city´s world-famous fine arts museums.

WHERE TO SHOP

Alvarno
For a taste of great Spanish fashion design. Alvaro and Arnaut learned all their amazing skills as designers for Karl Lagerfeld in Paris before they set up their own label in Madrid and treated us to beautifully set catwalks.

Nicoli
You will adore this Spanish brand if you have children aged 0-15. Beautifully designed clothes at reasonable prices.

Anmoder
A must visit if you are after special interior design furniture and objects ranging from antiques to contemporary pieces in a surprising and cluttered space. Anmoder’s owners are to die for and you´ll be only too happy to leave with a beautiful new piece for your home and they also ship worldwide.

Federica & Co
Federica is the epitome of entrepreneurship. At 35, she has a solid and extensive background in a vast array of things and she is one of the very rare people who truly has what the French call ‘allure’. Her third Federica & Co is right in the heart of the main shopping district. Only she could have turned a sad and forgotten garden into the most charming space full of knick-knacks and old painted French furniture, an amazing florist and other brands which she carefully curates to create a unique oasis in the middle of a bustling city. Oh, and she holds cooking courses in the evenings – she is that passionate about everything!