Madrid's gourmet market

Noteworthy for: Instead of air-conditioning, the air is infused with eco-friendly water droplets to cool things down.

This Beaux-Art beauty was state-of-the-art when it opened in 1917 but, thanks to the rise of the supermarket, it fell into elegant disrepair. In 2003, private investors vowed to bring into the 21st century, and the city's last iron market hall was reopened in 2009 after a lengthy restoration.

By day it draws locals and visitors with stalls selling everything from fruit to fish, pastas to pastries, cookbooks to cooking utensils. There’s a café for tapas and tables so you can eat your purchases picnic-style. In the evening, the genial crowd focuses on beer, wine and the oyster and champagne bar.