Notebook in hand we throw ourselves into the street to search and capture the best terraces of the capital, because if something the people of Madrid like is to enjoy open-air bars. Let’s go out?
We could go around Madrid jumping from terrace to terrace, like Calvino’s characters. Each year new ones appear and those that already exist refuse to live on the rents. The terraces are sought and coveted in a city with many hours of sun and a lot of street desire.
These 14 meet the requirements to be the best in the capital: they do not have cars passing by centimeters, they do not prevent Madridians from wandering, they do not hog sidewalks and, in addition, they are stylish. The terraces are no longer outdoor bars, but spaces with author signature and personality. They are works of exteriorism.
Picalagartos (Near the sky): Just one hundred years ago, this neo-baroque building was inaugurated, which was built by Julio Martínez Zapata and José López Sallaberry. Now, a century later, there is installed the NH Collection Gran Via and in it, at the top, the Picalagartos Sky Bar. This space, located on the last two floors of the building, is a restaurant, bar, terrace, gazebo and all the time Mercedes Isasa signs the interior design, in which she has recreated the materials of the Madrid of the 50s, when Gran Vía was Broadway
Heritage Madrid Hotel (Close to heaven): Lorenzo Castillo signs one of the most interesting, luxurious and new hotels in Madrid. And there is no new, luxurious and interesting hotel without its corresponding terrace. The interior designer has not sought to create a fashionable space, but a worldly and elevated one. At the end of the day, we are talking about a five star hotel in the Barrio de Salamanca.
Ginkgo Sky Bar. VP Plaza Spain Design (Close to the sky): A floor twelve on the Plaza de España welcomes this terrace, as new as unknown. The Ginkgo Sky Bar has 360 degree views of the most majestic Madrid. It belongs to the VP Plaza España Design, a newly opened hotel that is going to raise the hotel level of the city. The Ginkgo Sky Bar has 1,000 m2 divided into divided and covered areas that include a pool and a restaurant and cocktail bar.
The Garden of Diana-Hyatt Center Gran Via (near the sky): Gran Vía has the highest density of good hotel terraces in the city. And still, he manages to each have his character. The last to open is the Hyatt Center. The decoration is carried out by the Lopez y Tena studio. They have sought to reproduce what would be the garden of the goddess Diana, and have supported vegetation to recreate a small oasis in the heart of Madrid.
Nubel (At ground level): Few terraces in the world have this view. Few or none. In the background we have “La brushstroke” by Roy Lichtenstein and above the dome of Jean Nouvel. You have found out: we are in the Reina Sofía. The interior design of this very unique terrace is by Paula Rosales, from More & co; he has used the circle as leit motif of his design and this form is distilled in the conception of space, light and furniture.
Florida Retreat: Between trees (Near the sky): A terrace in the Retiro is like raising pleasure to the square. The one in this landmark city is on El Pabellón and next to the dome of King Fernando VII. This season opens with new decoration that takes us to Marrakech, the colors of its desert and the atmosphere of its riads. It is an idea of the architecture studio Sierra and De La Higuera, with a project led by Mercedes Sierra
La Pergola-Hotel The Principal (Near the sky): This is a unique terrace. In the first place because it is a semi-trap. It has the advantages of being in contact with the sky but without its drawbacks: nobody will trip over you. Here you can eat or dine lightly or simply enjoy the most noble stretch of Gran Vía. It belongs to the hotel The Principal (Small Luxury Hotels of the World) which, in turn, is part of Unico Hotels; It has been decorated by an internal team led by María José Gómez and Maximiliano Zigart from Luzio studio. They have achieved something difficult: that space does not go out of style and turns out to be totally different from the rest of those that we find in Madrid. In addition, they have the kitchen of two Michelin star chef Ramón Freixa.
The sky of Alcalá. H10 Puerta de Alcalá (Near the sky): Here is a terrace with atypical views. Located in a corner of the Retreat from it you can see the entire park and a huge section of Madrid that includes the axis of Alcalá, the Barrio de Salamanca and all the horizon we want to imagine
Lateral-Pozuelo de Alarcón (At ground level): There is life beyond the center of Madrid. This terrace, located in Pozuelo, confirms it. This is the first space of the Lateral group located outside the city. This place could be in Florida or in the 20s. The interior design is signed by Alba Hurlé and Alicia Martín, from the Cousi Interiorismo studio.
Sky Lounge-Hotel Indigo (close to heaven): Teresa Sapey signs a unique terrace. Here there are no wickerwork, nor colonial furniture. The interior designer invented a pop and botanical world, a kind of urban garden, with green as the king of the party.
Nice to Meet You-Dear Hotel (Close to Heaven): From the moment you opened, in 2015, this terrace became one of the most coveted in the city. It has unusual views (Plaza de España, Casa de Campo and Conde Duque) and many spaces in different heights that make it a playground for lovers of terraces.
Callista (At ground level): Madrid is much more than the center. There are interesting terraces scattered throughout the city. One of them is the Calista restaurant, located on the Paseo de la Castellana.
Warehouse (At ground level): It is easy to pass by this terrace and we will do badly because Warehouse is a quite unique place in Madrid. It is a cross between warehouse, restaurant and picnic area. Sometimes, it has even touches of verbena and even has a small vineyard. Mercedes Pérez de Castro signs all the interiors of the group The Haciendas, to which Warehouse belongs.
Vincci The Mint (Close to Heaven): La Vincci is, perhaps, the most flirtatious and collected. Designed by Jaime Beriestain bet on elements such as sofas, which add warmth and invite you to lie down. The green color, predominant in a hotel called Mint, adds freshness to the space, but it is not alone: here it is green, pink and yellow.
