Just a two-minute stroll from Manuel Becerra metro stop, this apartment in Barrio de Salamanca is truly a breath of fresh air in the hot atmosphere of the Spanish capital. Surrounded by boulevards full of vibrant wine bars and restaurants, and eleven minutes on foot from cultural hotspots like the Nuevo Teatro Alcalá, you’ve got plenty of excitement on ground level – but a place to relax on the fourth floor. This striking flat combines historic originals and modern fixtures in the most tasteful way. Bright windows and white walls exaggerate the sense of space, alongside high ceilings with rustic timber beams. We love the use of glass panels above the bedroom partitions, as well as the wooden cabinet with all sorts of books and trinkets within. Waking up in white, zen-like bedrooms is a joy in this busy city. Make yourself an espresso and peer over the windowsill as the streets start to wake up. Take a leaf through your host’s detailed guide of the neighbourhood to pick out a spot for brunch, or find out about the best independent shopping spots for the day ahead. Home truths: *Even though there's a lift in the building, you'll need to climb fourteen steps to get from the street to the front door (also, the lift is fairly small) *A cot is provided for free if you're bringing a little one *There's no private parking, but Manuel Becerra metro station is just two minutes away as well as Bicimad city bike stops outside *The entrance to the building is shared, not private to your home *Guests are kindly asked to keep noise to a minimum after 11 pm *There’s no dedicated workspace, but plenty of laptop-friendly spots such as the dining table *The second bedroom just has a sliding door separating it from the living space, plus it has quite an open en-suite