This apartment in the Argüelles neighbourhood of Madrid is almost as sunny as the city that lies outside its four walls. The palm tree feature wall in the living room — as well as the actual potted palm plant that stands in the corner — pop off against the stark white paintwork on the others. We also liked the modern white wire chairs around the dining table and the washed-out blue wood in the kitchen. On the far side of the communal space, a tall window lets in oodles of natural light and also opens up to a small balcony with a view of the street — a pleasant spot to get a blast of fresh air during the summer months. With the bunk-bed in the second bedroom, it's definitely geared towards families and the surrounding neighbourhood is a little more laid-back than the centre of the Spanish capital. Here, it's easy to pass days taking walks through pretty parks — Parque del Oeste is only eight minutes' walk away, for instance — and stopping off at tapas restaurants when hunger strikes.

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