A stroll through the most curious and poetic streets of the Capital

By Mónica de Diego

Photos: Cortesía Unsplash

In Madrid, each street not only bears a name, but it also has a history, a nod to the past or a traditional soul. Some evoke battles, other saints. But there are a handful of them, almost hidden, that stop us with a smile and make us wonder: who baptised this street and why.

Mira el Sol Street

This street has a name that seems to be taken from a verse. “Look at the sun!” isn’t a metaphor: it’s a real street in the multicultural and bohemian Lavapiés neighbourhood, with a flavour of vermouth, street music and alternative bookshops. It’s said that the name comes from the time when streets were oriented by the position of the sun, or from a popular expression addressed to someone to watch the sunrise from the hill. Today, to walk along Mira el Sol is to let yourself be carried away by the living pulse of a Madrid that never sleeps but always finds the time to look up.

Mira el Río Baja and Calle Mira el Río Alta Streets

Located in the famous Lavapiés neighbourhood, these two sister streets owe their name to an important event that took place in Madrid. The origin of these unique names goes back to a historical episode that marked the city in the 15th century. Between October 1439 and January 1440, Madrid experienced an unusual period of heavy rainfall. The Manzanares River, which at that time flowed wildly and uncontrolled through the outskirts of the city, overflowed its banks, flooding low-lying areas and creating a spectacle that was as extraordinary as it was disturbing.

Tradition has it that the people of Madrid used to climb to the high points in the south of the city to watch the swollen riverbed. From these natural vantage points, they would look up and exclaim: “Look at the river!” That spontaneous and collective gesture of astonishment popularised the expression and, in time, gave its name to two streets: Mira el Río Alta, located at a higher level, and Mira el Río Baja, closer to the old riverbed.

Desengaño Street

Located in the centre, near Gran Vía, one of the streets best known for its peculiar name and for its appearance in famous series such as La que se avecina is Calle del Desengaño.  This street has a deep history. In the 17th century, its name came from an anecdote related to convents and frustrated passions. But it also symbolises that wise and somewhat melancholic look that Madrid sometimes adopts that of the one who has already loved, lost, learned... and keeps on walking. Today, it is surrounded by theatres, charming bars and vintage-style shops. An ideal place for those who know that luxury is also in the stories that are not told.

De la Cabeza Street

This striking name has a legendary background. The Calle de la Cabeza in the Lavapiés neighbourhood has a somewhat murky history. It’s said that, in the Middle Ages, a butcher was murdered by his apprentice, who hid his master’s head. Sometime later, the head appeared mysteriously illuminated in a fountain in the area. The street commemorates this macabre event, and today it is a narrow, charming thoroughfare, dotted with taverns and street art. Perfect for a walk of contrasts, between legend and everyday life.

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