Madrid

I had a month to spend in Europe prior to returning to the UK for a wedding and on paper Madrid ticked all the boxes - reliable spring time sun, a fun lively atmosphere and better value day to day living than the UK. Only two out of the three proved to be correct.

In comedically ironic fashion, my visit coincided with March 2025, which was the wettest month recorded in Madrid since records began in 1893. Rainfall was persistent, the clouds continuously menacing and you would be foolish to leave the house for any period of time without the safety of an umbrella.

By all accounts this was something of an anomaly. The city is generally blessed with dry, sunny weather across the year. The peak summer months are generally regarded as too hot, with locals often leaving the city to escape the 30 degrees+ temperatures.

Unless you're actively seeking the heat, you're better off visiting either side of the height of summer, where you can make the most of the city's green spaces without the heat being overly burdensome.

A month is a perfect period of time to be in the city and perhaps the minimum required to get a real feel for all areas.

It didn't strike me that your exact location in Madrid would have a significant impact on your experience of the city, unlike somewhere like London, where staying in Kensington or Brixton can feel like two entirely different worlds.

The central areas offer consistent amenities and architecture. You'll find similar shops, restaurants and cafés throughout, even though each district has its own character.

With affordable accommodation in short supply and the city being easy to get around, whether on foot or by public transport, don't worry too much about the precise location. If it's your first time, focus more on finding the best option within your budget across any of the areas detailed below.

With four WeWork locations and numerous independent operators dispersed across the city, you won't struggle to find places to work. The WeWork sites aren't remarkable and fall short compared to some of the other sites across Europe but provide reliable, consistent options.

Coffee shops are generally open until 20:00, with some cafes like Osom providing dedicated day rate passes with the rate redeemable against coffee and food purchases. If you need somewhere to work from for free for a few hours, the Santander Work Cafés, also popular throughout South America, are useful makeshift options.

Madrid was far more international than I’d expected. WeWorks often serve as a useful barometer for this in a city, and on any given day, Spanish would be just one of many accents you'd hear. French, American, British, Brazilian and German were all regularly audible throughout the day across the different sites.

This international feel isn’t confined to coworking spaces - you’ll notice the same diversity walking anywhere throughout the city centre. Madrid acts as a global hub for the Spanish-speaking world, drawing workers from across South America, and its universities attract students from all over the globe.

As a city for meeting remote workers from diverse backgrounds, I can’t think of many better options in Europe than Madrid.