Gran Vía

Avenue Madrid, Spain

Gran Vía is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. Today the street is known as the Spanish Broadway, and it is one of the streets with the most nightlife in Europe. It is known as the street that never sleeps. It leads from Calle de Alcalá, close to Plaza de Cibeles, to Plaza de España. The lively street is one of the city's most important shopping areas, with a large number of hotels and large movie theatres; however, in recent times many of these theatres are being replaced by shopping centres. The street is also noted for the grand architecture of many of the buildings. It is considered a showcase of early 20th-century architecture, with patterns ranging from Vienna Secession style, Plateresque, Neo-Mudéjar, Art Deco, and others.