Moving Into Barrio de las Letras

Knowing that I was a bit of a cultural buff, my company rented an apartment in the Barrio de las Letras (Literary Neighbourhood), on Calle Lope de Vega.

All the streets (calle) are named after famous Spanish writers

Imagine my shock, when I got out of the taxi with my suitcase, on a narrow cobblestone street with ancient buildings all around me.

That's my apartment door on the right. It's above a popular vegan restaurant that I have never been able to try out because it's always packed with customers when I am home.

More importantly, not only is this apartment is strategically located in an area with plenty of excellent gourmet restaurants, eclectic stores but it is also:

• just a walk away from the Art Triangle of "The Prado, The Reina Sofia and The Thysssen Bornemisza
• within walking distance of the Huerta Quarter, which is filled with restaurants and bars
• within walking distance of Puerto Sol, the center of the city which has plenty of shopping.

Walking west, we would see the following sights

Spanish Congress of Deputies

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Apollo Fountain

Monument to Fallen Heroes