As a young woman, I generally try to avoid walking home alone, especially at night. However, Madrid is one of the few cities where I feel extremely safe, even at night. I still take safety precautions, such as sharing my location with my friends and family, because I am ultimately still a tourist. During the day, walking is even more enjoyable. There is truly so much to see!
The prevalence of walking in Madrid is closely tied to the culture and environment. There is so much to see within the city. I often see local families having dinner together and tourists marveling at Madrid's gorgeous architecture. There are also many street performers who play live music and share magic tricks. This culture of street performing reminds me of New York City, where I was born.
The culture in Madrid also emphasizes a slower pace of life, both literally and figuratively! From a literal standpoint, it was a culture shock for me when I realized people in Madrid often walk much more slowly than people from home. This is linked to the figurative cultural focus on enjoying life as it comes. For instance, it is considered extremely rude for a waiter to rush customers during their meal. The longer I have been in Madrid, the more I have begun to embrace this slower pace in various aspects of my life.
The layout of Madrid can make walking feel more efficient than public transit in some areas. Its dense historic center is an irregular network of winding roads, circles, and plazas (public squares). In comparison, many more recently built American cities are laid out in a grid with long blocks and sometimes diagonal avenues.
