Places to live.

This area of Madrid has many positives and only a few negatives but the positives outweigh the negatives, in my opinion, and I don't live too far away from here.

The negatives is that downtown is UPHILL, up the "Cuesta de San Vicente". The buildings along the uphill road tend to be not-so-nice from the 1950s-70s, rather "sooty" from decades of 6-lanes of passing traffic.

The positives are that it's very close to Old downtown Madrid, no tourists go here, at the bottom near the Príncipe Pío station - the flat part near the river - you have not only the shopping mall of the same name but lots of bars and restaurants and a more modern neighborhood. Even along the hill-part has lots of bars but few restaurants. Transportation options are many with metro, bus, and the "cercanías" regional trains too.

For a few months living in Madrid, this is a good choice. You live very near old Downtown Madrid but not IN old downtown Madrid - but it's only a short distance away. Be sure to ask your friend how (s)he likes the area too.

Saludos, MadridMan @ http://MadridMan.com!

yeah, it's a very well communicated area. Wish you the best!