City Yoga is one of the bigger (and posher) studios in the city, and offers everything from a variety of styles of yoga to pilates, as well as various massages and therapies. Schedules are very accommodating, as there are classes available all day during the week and Saturday mornings. Yoga class size can reach a maximum of 20 students.

Metro: Cuatro Caminos Address: C/ Artistas, 43 Phone: 91 553 4751.

Yoga Flow is a small studio where the experienced instructor, Oscar Montero, teaches Iyengar Yoga. Schedules are more limited than a place like City Yoga, but classes are smaller (eight tends to be the maximum), prices are slightly less expensive, and the attention is very personalized.

Metro: Islas Filipinas Address: C/ Cea Bermudez, 66 5A3 Phone: 91 442 3288.

A few other places worth mentioning are:

Centro Solar, a good, small studio where prices are about 50 euros a month. Metro: Tirso de Molina Address: C/ Cabeza, 15 2 izq Phone: 91 539 9860; 91 527 3561.

Yoga Center, a bigger center reminiscent of City Yoga. Metro: Retiro Address: C/ Serrano, 6 bajo 4 Phone: 91 575 1913.

Bikram Yoga Madrid specializes in “hot” yoga. Metro: Bilbao, San Bernardo Address: C/ Divino Pastor 25 Phone: 91 523 1141.

Shadak is run by one of the big names in Spanish yoga, Ramiro Calle. Metro: Serrano Address: C/ Ayala, 10 Phone: 914 352 328.

Bindu Escuela de Yoga offers “physical” and “mental” yoga classes. Metro: Prosperidad, Concha Espina Address: C/ Pérez Ayuso, 11 Phone: 91 413 8238.

See all yoga centers mentioned above on the map below:

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Cocido is a very filling stew, especially recommended for cold winter days, or for when you have been toiling away in the open air and need to get some of your energies back.

It is usually served in two stages. The first consists of a broth, straight from a large pan where all the stew’s meat has been slowly simmering all morning. The second course is usually presented in a tray placed in the middle of the table containing chickpeas, cabagge, potato, carrot, and all the meat: beef, chicken, ham, chorizo and sometimes morcilla (black pudding).

In the late forties and most of the fifties, when Spain was quite poor, this dish was served in many houses in Madrid six days a week. The exception was Sundays, when something special, like roast chicken, would be prepared.

Where can I have cocido?

• In Madrid, it’s very common to find cocido on Tuesday’s menú del día. It usually appears as two dishes on the menu: the soup as sopa de cocido, and the rest as segundo de cocido.

• Taberna Daniela: Metro: Goya, Velázquez, Príncipe de Vergara Address: C/ General Pardiñas, 21 Phone: 91 575 23 29 Hours: Daily 12-17:30 and 20:00-24:00 (to 1:00 Fridays and Saturdays).

See map below for location:

See larger map

There are two main routes you can take to becoming an English teacher: freelancing, where you pick your classes and schedule, or working in academies or language schools, where you’re guaranteed a certain amount of job (and income) stability.

If you choose to go freelance, put an ad up on Loquo (pick “classes” and then “languages”) and don’t forget to mention that you’re a native. You can also investigate the classifieds in InMadrid or any other English-language publication. Finally, it wouldn’t hurt to put up an ad in any of the English-language bookshops around town. As for rates: aim high, but keep with the going rate. Ask around to get a feel for how much people are charging.

If you go the academy/language schools route, Madrid Teacher is a great resource. There’s a list of many of the city’s academies and then pretty reliable reviews of some of them. The site is full of resources for teachers (freelance, too!), so definitely spend a while looking around.

If you’re North American, there’s one more option for teaching English in Madrid: the auxiliar program. Here you’re not a full-time teacher, instead you work in the public schools helping the English teachers. And since you only work part-time as an auxiliar, you’ll have plenty of free time to pick up some private classes and earn yourself some more money!

There are two major online job search engines that are used throughout Spain: infojobs.net and infoempleo.com. Both of these sites are extremely user-friendly. You can search the listings (narrowing the search by city, industry, sub-industry and key word) without signing up for the site, but to submit your résumé you’ll have to join. Both sites are entirely in Spanish, but you will find the occasional listing in English. A bit of advice — do some online research to find out the Spanish equivalent to your educational level. Most listings include the minimum required degree level and it’s best to know your way around that terminology. Once you’ve applied to a job you’ll be able to check your “status” on your private menu. As the companies review your résumé, they can change your status to “in process,” “finalist,” or “discarded.” If you see that you’re one of the first two, expect a phone call shortly.

Are you looking to work in the hospitality industry? There are listings for these fields on the above-mentioned sites, but your best bet is to wander the streets of the city center (where the bars, restaurants, and hotels are at their densest) searching for help wanted signs. These pop up most frequently in the early summer months when tourism skyrockets. You’ll do best to dress professionally, wander with CV in hand, and expect frequent rejections.

Speaking of the CV, how should you create your Spanish résumé? Start off with the basic personal information. Strange as it may seem to some expats, in addition to the standard address and contact information, your résumé should also include your date of birth, nationality, marital status, and a photograph. From there go on to list your education and work history, and round it out with your special skills — highlight your native English! If you’re in a business or technical field, try to include specific details of your past projects, including, if possible, project scope and the economic figures. Don’t forget the cover letter. Most of the listings on InfoJobs and InfoEmpleo require a cover letter to submit your resume. So write up a good one (in Spanish) and get a native to check it for you. In my experience, that letter can prove more important than the résumé.

Remember: Finding work in Spain is made immensely easier by having an enchufe, or a good connection. Family friends, acquaintances, your new landlady’s brother — all can lend a major hand in helping find employment. So when you begin your search, be sure to get the word out there.

Finally, are you hoping to teach English (or another language) in Madrid? The rules of the game change a little within this industry, so be sure to check out Katie’s upcoming post on this topic.

1. Pick a good place. Hopping bars, sidewalk terraces, busy parks – places primed for people-watching provide an endless supply of conversation topics to get the ball rolling.

2. Be on time and wear something bright. Meeting in a public place with someone that you’ve never even seen before is mildly nerve-wracking. Make it easier on the other person by wearing algo llamativo (something attention-getting).

3. Don’t be shy. Striking up conversation with a total stranger can be somewhat daunting. Chalk it up to a good experience and jump in with both feet.

4. Don’t talk too much. Hint: Intercambio means interchange.

5. Don’t be too nice. Correcting someone else’s speech doesn’t always come easily (unless you were born with the teacher gene). But if you don’t do it then there’s really not much point to the whole get-together. You’re both there to improve so don’t take offense and don’t keep quiet.

We who live in Madrid are, of course, not the experts on places to stay. I’ve taken a place that I know plus other personal recommendations to make this list. I’ll leave the rest up to you in the comments.

• Hostal Angelines: small and family-run with just six rooms. Very close to Moncloa and the University, putting you in a residential neighborhood that’s close walking distance to the true center of the city. A single or double will set you back only 40 euros or 45 euros a night, respectively.
• Hostal María Luisa: similar to the one above with the main difference being that it’s in Chueca, i.e. a very happening place to be. Just a little more expensive than Angelines.
• Hostal Cruz Sol and Hostal Santa Cruz are both recommended by Gary from over at the Notes from Spain forum. They’re in the same building set on a plaza just steps from Plaza Mayor.

I’m going to leave you with a great travel Q&A on the subject from the New York Times that gives several more worthwhile recommendations.

What’s your favorite hostal in Madrid?

See all hostales mentioned above (along with those from the Times) in the map below:

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Make your first stop the forum at Notes from Spain. Find a post or place your own under the Intercambios/Pen Pals section and you’re sure to find others looking for the same — cyber or real. Other great resources are Loquo and craigslist. Most English language magazines available have a section dedicated to the hunt as well.

Be sure also to look into the various language nights offered throughout the city. Located in bars and bookshops and typically starting after dinner, they are the perfect chance to meet a conversation partner. (See details below.)

Remember also that intercambios are like doctors — you can find a really good one by referral. So ask around — at your language school, at the gym, among your friends, and their friends, and their friends’ friends. The intercambio “market” is ever increasing and within those seven degrees of separation you’ll certainly find a willing candidate.

Things to keep in mind:

• The term “market” can be all too true as plenty of people looking for an “intercambio” are also looking for love. If that’s not your goal make it clear early on, so you and your friend are on the same page.
• Intercambios are definitely not limited to “English and …”. Plenty of the aforementioned resources include people looking for a wide variety of languages, including French, Italian, German, Japanese, and even, on one recent Craig’s List posting, American Sign Language!

Now that you’ve found an intercambio, keep your eyes out for the coming post on how to be a good one.

More details:

Language exchanges:

O’Neills: C/ Principe, 12 Metro: Sol Tuesdays 22h.
Café Madrid: C/ Mesón de Paños, 6 Metro: Opera Wednesdays 21.30h.

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Metro: Ópera, Santo Domingo Address: C/ Campomanes, 13 Phone: 91 541 72 91 Hours: 11:00-21:00, closed Sundays.

J & J Books and Coffee is practically an institution in this city, not only for its books, but for its nightly events that nearly always draw a big crowd of expats and English-hungry Spaniards. Tuesdays are teachers’ nights with discounts on teaching materials, Wednesday and Thursday nights are for intercambios (Thursday is more popular), Friday nights there’s a pub quiz at 11, and Saturday nights are all you can drink for 12 euros (beer on tap and wine). There’s free WiFi too.

Metro: Noviciado Address: C/ Espíritu Santo, 47 Phone: 91 521 85 76 Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:00-24:00; Friday and Saturday 11:00-2:30; Sunday 16:00-22:00.

Bacchus Bar and Bookshop is the newcomer to the bunch and is positioned perfectly in a student-heavy neighborhood. In the style of J & J, it has a bar, plenty of books, WiFi, and nightly events. Mondays from 8 to 9 there’s a tertulia (get-together) in English for the non-native speakers out there, Tuesdays there’s an intercambio at 8 with happy hour the two hours before (to get you loosened up, one would suppose?). And their quiz night is Wednesday at 9.

Metro: Moncloa, Argüelles Address: C/ Meléndez Valdés, 52 Phone: 91 544 73 78 Hours: 17:00-1:00 (24:00 midweek), Sunday 11:00-1:00.

See map below for bookshop locations:

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Most newly arrived will not have the means to rent (let alone buy!) a place by themselves, and are consequently thrown into the madness of a market that is ruled by “castings” in pisos (apartments) of varying merit. How to become one of the lucky ones? The Internet, as is so often the case, is where it all happens:

• www.loquo.com is arguably the most popular and effective portal: every ten minutes or so, a new habitación (room) is marketed. Select Madrid from the menu on your left, and select compartir piso / alq habitación. The endless list that pops up is, to an extent, of limited use: the good stuff tends to be gone within 24 hours (depending on the zona (neighborhood) – you may still find a spot in Aluche or Carabanchel available after a few days, but don’t bother with anything in Chueca or Bilbao if you’re late). Regardless of your pickiness, it’s useful to become familiar with the location of the various zonas – they usually refer to metro stations, so get yourself a map of Madrid on which you can easily spot these.
• www.segundamano.es is another popular one, even though the number of rooms advertised is significantly lower. Select Madrid, then Pisos from the drop-down menu, and mark se alquila before clicking Busca to check what’s on offer. Rumor has it that the print version of Segunda Mano (available at newsstands) has more rooms, which are not advertised on the web.
• www.pisocompartido.com has less visibility but can act as an additional resource. Select Busco habitación en alquiler and MADRID from the drop-down menus.
• www.idealista.com has more search options than the others (smoking vs. non-smoking etc.) and you can select your area by navigating a map of Madrid. Do check the date of posting, however: ads are rarely removed. Start by selecting alquilar, habitación and Madrid from the menus on the main page.

When you have spotted a habitación in a zona that you wouldn’t mind living in, call immediately (sending e-mails will most likely get you nowhere). A basic level of Spanish obviously comes in handy here; fortunately, the conversations tend to follow a very clear pattern: you will typically ask if the room is still available (“he visto vuestro anuncio en loquo.com – la habitación todavía está libre?”), and they will either disappoint you (“ya está alquilada”) or make you happy with a sí. Next thing: cuándo puedo venir? (when can I come to see it?). Make a note of day and time, and head out there. Things to double-check beforehand could be: está amueblada? (does it have all its furniture in place? unless, of course, you have your own somewhere in a truck), and: los gastos están incluidos? (are water, electricity etc. included in the amount?).

If you like what you have been invited to see, it is up to you to use your (foreign, mysterious) charm to pass the audition (there are typically between 5 and 20 contestants, depending on zona and season). Note that most habitaciones call for a fianza (deposit), usually one month’s worth of rent.

¡Suerte! (Good luck)

1. Have a lot of cash. Although prices in the Spanish capital compare well with some countries, be aware that secondary costs (i.e. taxes and Dickensian bureaucracy) mean that you should count on paying 20% more than the price of the flat, up front.

2. Be legit. Anglo-Saxon minds may boggle at the rigidity of Spanish banks, who will only consider giving you a mortgage if you have a fixed, permanent employment contract. On the bright side, a friend of mine recently got a – to her mind temporary – job through the Adecco employment agency, for which she was given an immediate contrato fijo.

3. Narrow your desires. Focusing on a particular barrio means you can wander the streets looking for private Se Vende (For Sale) signs. An agent-free process should in theory get you a better deal. The most essential thing either way is to secure a copy of the nota simple informativa (del Registro de la Propiedad), which proves that the seller is the person they claim to be, and that the property is free of debts.

4. (But) don’t be scared of agents. It’s the reverse situation to the banks: estate agents here are a breath of fresh air in comparison to some of the sharks I’ve dealt with in the UK. Honest, punctual and friendly, I was very pleased with the service of everyone but Tecnocasa, a mercenary chain to be avoided like the plague.

5. Ask questions. In addition to deciding what’s essential to you (natural light, elevator, terrace etc.), brush up on other factors such as the monthly comunidad fee and status of the ITE (building maintenance and inspection, respectively). I drew quick plans of every place I saw and built an Excel sheet to cross-reference features and prices. I didn’t regret it.