Quick answer: Chueca, the LGBTQ+ heart of Madrid, hides two big secrets: the bones of Saint Valentine in a glass urn at the church of San Antón (Calle Hortaleza, 63), and the Casa de las Siete Chimeneas in Plaza del Rey, a 16th-century house with a ghost legend. For tapas, El Tigre gives you a mountain of food with every drink.
Chueca is named after a composer, Federico Chueca, and now it’s famous worldwide for Orgullo (Pride), one of the biggest fiestas in Europe. Trendy bars, rainbow flags and energy that doesn’t stop. And, between the terraces, a saint and a ghost.
Chueca secrets
Saint Valentine’s bones in Madrid: the church of San Antón
Valentine was a Roman priest who secretly married soldiers when the emperor had banned it. He was executed on 14 February. In the church of San Antón, on Calle Hortaleza, there’s a glass urn with bones said to be his: a skull, two thigh bones and more. A pope gave them to King Charles IV, and they stayed hidden until 1984.
And every 17 January, for San Antón, the same church blesses pets: queues of dogs, cats and even rabbits in the street.
—Even the saint of love ended up alone in a glass box —says la Vikinga.
—Calla, que le está pidiendo novio —dice Puri. (Shh, she’s asking him for a boyfriend.)
- Where: Iglesia de San Antón, Calle de Hortaleza, 63
- Metro: Chueca (L5)
- Your Spanish: media naranja = your other half
Casa de las Siete Chimeneas: Madrid’s house of seven chimneys and a ghost
In Plaza del Rey stands a 16th-century house, today the Ministry of Culture. They say the ghost of a woman called Elena walks around it, and that the seven chimneys are the seven deadly sins. Across the square there’s a statue by Benlliure of Jacinto Ruiz, a young hero of 2 May 1808.
- Where: Plaza del Rey
- Metro: Banco de España or Chueca
- Tip: look for the granite sundial on the building
- Your Spanish: ser un pecado = a real shame (or very, very hot)
Free PDF · No-Guiris Madrid · download it now
Want all 30 secrets, with la Vikinga and Puri, where to eat in every barrio and the Spanish you need at each stop?
Where to eat and drink in Chueca
Sidrería El Tigre (Calle de las Infantas, 30): order one drink, get a mountain of tapas. At a crowded barra, catch the waiter’s eye and wait your turn. Then sit on a terrace in Plaza de Chueca, but ask first if the chair is free.
Spanish you’ll need: at El Tigre
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Hola, ¿la bebida incluye tapa? | Hello, does the drink include a tapa? |
| Sí, claro. | Yes, of course. |
| Vale. Una caña, por favor. | Okay. A small beer, please. |
| ¿Una o dos? | One or two? |
| Una. ¿Cuánto es? | One. How much is it? |
Spanish you’ll need: on a terrace in Plaza de Chueca
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Perdona, ¿está libre esta silla? | Excuse me, is this chair free? |
| Sí, claro. | Yes, of course. |
| Gracias. Soy de Australia. ¿Tú eres de Madrid? | Thanks. I’m from Australia. Are you from Madrid? |
| Sí. ¿Estás de vacaciones? | Yes. Are you on holiday? |
| Sí, y estoy aprendiendo español. | Yes, and I’m learning Spanish. |
Where do these stories come from?
I’m writing a novel about a copywriter who walks around Madrid when she can’t sleep, when a man leaves her, or when a deadline is eating her alive. Two voices walk with her: la Vikinga, who speaks English and has no filter, and Puri, who speaks Spanish and is shocked by everything. Every secret on this page is one of her walks.
The novel is Una felación al día (yes, that’s the title, and yes, it’s a novel, not self-help): a copywriter in Madrid, love, desire, friends and a mystery, all in Spanglish. When it goes on sale, this Madrid guide will come with it as an extra. For now, it’s free: download it directly from this page.
📖 Read the first chapter of Una felación al día for free. And if you’re learning Spanish, my book How to Speak Spanish with a Narco, a Philosopher and a Real Human is the next step after the guide.
More secret Madrid, barrio by barrio
- Secret Madrid: 30 Hidden Places and the Legends Behind Them
- Madrid de los Austrias: Secrets and Legends Near Sol
- La Latina, Madrid: Hidden Walls, Secret Gardens and the Best Tapas Street
- Lavapiés and Tirso de Molina: Corralas, a Severed Head and a 1916 Cinema
- Malasaña Legends: the Fish on Calle del Pez, Manuela’s Scissors and the Missing Number 109
- Gran Vía Secrets: a Rhino, a Naked Man on the Roof and the Street of Disappointment
- Retiro and Calle de Alcalá Secrets: the Fallen Angel, the Two-Faced Gate and Tonnes of Gold
- Chamberí and Beyond: the Ghost Metro Station, Sorolla’s House and a Mine Under Madrid
FAQ
Where are Saint Valentine’s relics in Madrid?
In the church of San Antón, Calle de Hortaleza, 63, in Chueca, inside a glass urn.
What is the legend of the Casa de las Siete Chimeneas?
Legend says the ghost of a woman called Elena walks around the house, and the seven chimneys represent the seven deadly sins.
When are pets blessed at San Antón?
Every 17 January, the feast of San Antón, patron saint of animals.
What is the best tapas bar in Chueca for budget travellers?
Sidrería El Tigre on Calle de las Infantas is famous for serving a big plate of tapas with every drink.
— Monica Bernabe Perez