Interview with Aldara Collet (Madrid Spotter)

Aldara Collet, Madrid

An insight into the tips in Madrid from Aldara Collet. What are her thoughts on Madrid and what is a perfect day to her? Read on to find out more about this Spotter from our Madrid City blog.

Vino & Compañia (by Aldara Collet)

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Born in Madrid, raised in Africa, French and Spanish, working for various organizations around the world, enjoying wine and tortilla de patatas….loving the Mediterranean food (nothing can be compared to olive oil!).

Why Madrid? What is a must when you’re visiting Madrid? What is not?
Why Madrid? Because it is fun and crazy and little bit “canalla” (no exact translation for the word, you will have to come and experience it). A must will be all the amazing museums (Prado, Sorolla, Thyssen, Reina Sofía, etc.) and the Cultural Centers that are for free (Caixa Forum, Mapfre, etc.). It is not a must being taken for a tourist at the Plaza Mayor (tourists must pay a visit but must NOT eat there).

Café Mahón (by Aldara Collet)

Which prejudices about Madrid are true? Which ones are not?
Madrid is noisy, very noisy and it is true it never sleeps; you will find always someone in the streets. Although it is false that the city is not green, you will find parks such as la Dehesa de la Villa, el parque del Oeste, parque El Capricho or el Retiro.

Bunkha (by Aldara Collet)

What do you know about Madrid that no tourist will know?
As usual living in a city it is not the same as visiting a city, the day-by -day situations in Madrid are sometimes surreal, Madrilians are very warm but also quite harsh. You have to live there to understand them. What do I know? Well some hidden places I will not share ;0) likes those small cafes you find in every neighborhood.

Can you describe a perfect day in your city?
A perfect day will start with buying wine for an upcoming diner in Vino & Compañia, having a coffee at café Mahón, then buying some clothes at Bunkha and having a chat with the owners Luiz and Asier and maybe having lunch with them at Cisne Azul to eat delicious scrambled eggs with mushrooms.

Cisne Azul (by Aldara Collet)

For more of Aldara’s articles, follow this link. For our other Spotter interviews click here.