- Jacques Paillard
At the InterNations Events, I didn't only enjoy dancing the night away at some great venues, but I also got to know some great friends.
American in Madrid? Meet Other Americans and Learn From Their Experience
Are you an American living in Madrid or thinking about moving here? Learn the ins and outs about life in Madrid from our community of Americans. Experiencing other cultures is amazing and never gets old. But there are moments in life when it’s just nice to spend some times with your fellow countrymen. We’re not just talking about Thanksgiving and 4th of July here – having a little network of Americans comes in handy more often than you think. Do you need to know where to find certain ingredients for you favourite American meal? Would you like to find a tax advisor that speaks English? Or would you like a few buddies to watch the Superbowl with? Our community has you covered.
Frequently asked questions by Americans interested in living in Madrid
Where can I meet Americans in Madrid?
If you’re into the idea of just bumping into other Americans in a bar, you can try your luck with places like James Joyce, which is a sports bar that will show major NFL games and the Super Bowl. This also applies to the Irish pubs “Dubliners” and “O’Reilly’s.” But that’s doing it the hard way in our opinion. It’s much easier to make friends when attending specific events for Americans or expats in general. The American Club of Madrid hosts semi-regular events, and our InterNations events are also a great opportunity to meet Americans and other English-speaking expats in Madrid. Our newcomer events are geared towards introducing newcomers to the community, which makes getting your first friends a whole lot easier than trying your luck in a bar.
Where do Americans live in Madrid?
As with most expats, quite a few of our American members live in the more international parts of town. Both international companies and opportunities for international socializing tend to be located in the center of the city. Here are some of the most popular parts of Madrid:
- Malasaña (more residential than other parts of town that central)
- Retiro (great for families and home to the amazing Retiro Park, which adds a lot of quality of life. The downside: it’s rather pricey.)
- La Latina (has a lot of the traditional old charm of Madrid, but housing can be outdated and still very expensive.)
- Moncloa (not as central but a good fit for expat families)
Will I be able to survive in Madrid without speaking Spanish?
Madrid is a very international city that receives a substantial number of international tourists every year. So it’s not too hard to get around with no to very limited language skills. But this will feel limiting at some point. You’ll run into the proverbial language barrier every once in a while, and it will feel frustrating. So ideally, you treat your time in Madrid as an opportunity to learn some Spanish. There is a wide variety of affordable language schools to get you started, and of course, these days there are also very capable apps that allow you to improve on your own time and budget. The most challenging moments usually occur when you have to get official paperwork done, find a flat, see a doctor, etc. To make your time in Madrid a bit easier, we have collected some services that cater to English speakers to help you with the most important aspects of life:
| Name | Description | Contact | |
| **General Practitioner** | Turó park clinics | A full-service clinic with lots of different practitioners. Even the receptionists speak English very well. | https://turoparkmedical.com/english-speaking-doctor-madrid/ |
| **Dentist** | Bordon Clinic | A dentist with multiple English speakers on staff and great reviews. Located in the city center near Sol station. | https://www.bordonclinic.com/ |
| **Emergencies / Urgent Care** | InternationalHM | University hospital with a dedicated multilingual approach. English speaking contact email: international@hmhospitales.com | https://www.internationalhm.com/en |
| **Immigration assistance** | Relocations Espana | They offer relocation- and visa-services with a full-service approach. | https://www.relocationspain.com/en/services/ |
| **Tax advisor** | US Tax Consultants | A tax advisory with experience in both the US and the Spanish tax system. | https://www.ustaxconsultants.es/ |
| **Instant interpreting service** | DayInterpreting | Get connected to a native Spanish speaker on your phone and use the phones loudspeaker to have an instant interpreter with you. | https://dayinterpreting.com/ |
Useful resources for Americans in Madrid
Connect at Our Events in Madrid
Attend our monthly events and join various interest-based groups to get to know like-minded expats and fellow Americans in Madrid. From sailing to spirituality, there is sure to be something for everyone! In most communities, there are also monthly Newcomers’ Events especially for those who have recently joined the American community in Madrid. Take this chance to mingle and meet other expats and global minds in Madrid.
Want to meet other Americans at our events?
Meet other Americans in Madrid
Our Global Partners
Find People Who Share Your Passions
As Spain’s most populous city, Madrid can be a great place for expats, especially with the InterNations community helping you to make the most of your experience!
Do you want to continue with your hobbies — or discover new ones — while living in Madrid? There’s a variety of InterNations Groups you can join, including everything from sightseeing to hiking. These are run by dedicated Consuls with at least one activity each month, such as dinners in Madrid’s finest restaurants or outings with other expats to explore all that the Spanish capital has to offer, from the enormous Palacio Real, one of the most beautiful buildings in Madrid, to the Plaza Mayor, a major public space in the heart of Madrid with plenty of cafes and bars, and much more.
Find other Americans to share your hobbies with
Enjoy the International Experience with InterNations
- Browse our network of members to get to know American expats in Madrid and connect with others.
- Take part in our expat forums to get firsthand tips and information from fellow Americans in Madrid.
- Meet other American expats and global minds at 600 monthly official events and share your interests at more than 4,600 monthly activities in Madrid and across the globe.
InterNations provides an easy, casual way to get to know expats from the USA and further afield in your local community. Sound good? Then let us welcome you into our Madrid Community today!
Meet Fellow Americans in Madrid at Our Events
Our community in Madrid is also very active offline. Our InterNations Ambassadors organize regular events and various expat activities, e.g. a dinner in Madrid’s hippest restaurant or an outing with other American expats to explore the amazing beaches of the Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz. These activities are a casual way to get to know expats from the USA in your local community as well as Americans in Spain nationwide. Interested? Simply become a member and we’ll be happy to welcome you among our Americans living in Madrid!
- Jacques Paillard
At the InterNations Events, I didn't only enjoy dancing the night away at some great venues, but I also got to know some great friends.
- Katharina Berbner
Thanks to InterNations, I found a good language school for expats to take intensive classes in Spanish and socialize a bit more.
