Walking into this neighbourhood is like entering a
different country ... except it's hard to tell which
one it is. One side of Calle Lavapiés is lined with
Indian restaurants, the other with kebab shops. Men in
traditional African clothing convene outside their
businesses for long chats, and people shout to each
other across plazas and streets. Interspersed among
ethnic specialty shops are independent theaters and
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dance studios, and two large arts and cultural centers
— the beautiful Casa Encendida and the Tabacalera, a
former tobacco factory — all of which attract young
crowds. Along Calle Argumosa, the place to go for
drinks, artists and art appreciators with piercings
and dreadlocks convene in the street’s eclectic array
of young, hip bars. Though some of the side streets
can get a little seedy at night, Lavapiés is still the
place to go for those seeking a unique blend of arts
and culture in an international and funky
neighbourhood.
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