Living in Arturo Soria and Conde de Orgaz

What Arturo Soria and Conde de Orgaz is like

Calle de Arturo Soria is the backbone of what remains of the Ciudad Lineal — the 'linear city' imagined by the urban planner of the same name at the end of the 19th century — and around it survives something rare in Madrid: low houses, gardens and colonies with streets that barely see a car. To the east, in Hortaleza, Conde de Orgaz takes the idea further, with villas on large plots.

The area's great magnet is the Lycée Français, whose main campus is on Plaza del Liceo. With more than four thousand pupils across its two sites, it draws many French and French-speaking families, and with them shops, clubs and an international atmosphere you will not find elsewhere in the city.

The other argument is location. According to official timetables, line 4 reaches Sol in about twenty-six minutes, and line 8 puts the airport and IFEMA closer than from almost any other residential area. What it does not handle well is the north: the Cuatro Torres are about thirty-seven minutes away with two changes.

What works in its favor

The Lycée Français in the neighborhood

The main campus of the Lycée Français de Madrid — the largest school in the worldwide French lycée network by enrolment — is in Conde de Orgaz.

Low-rise living in the city

Conde de Orgaz and the streets around Calle Arturo Soria keep villas, colonies and low buildings: almost suburban in scale, less than ten kilometres from Sol.

IFEMA and the airport close by

With lines 4 and 8, IFEMA is about twenty-two minutes away and Terminal 4 about twenty-six, according to official timetables. If you travel a lot, you feel it every week.

What to know before moving

• Conde de Orgaz is far from the Metro: from much of the colony it is a long walk to Esperanza or Canillas. In practice, many families rely on the car and on school buses.
• Rent per square metre is 11% above the Madrid average, but the typical monthly rent is 48% higher: the stock is made up of large homes, and small flats are rare.

Does Arturo Soria and Conde de Orgaz make sense for you?

It depends on where you need to be each week and how often. Arturo Soria and Conde de Orgaz can be an excellent decision or an expensive mistake; your routine makes the difference.

Test it in the explorer in about two minutes. Add your budget and regular destinations to see whether Arturo Soria and Conde de Orgaz reaches your shortlist and which other areas compete with it.