After returning to Madrid to mark a decade as ambassador for Gioseppo, Elsa Pataky says the Spanish capital has changed markedly. The actress spent her first 24 years in Madrid before moving abroad and now divides her time between Australia and international film sets. Despite her long absence, the city feels more cosmopolitan than ever, she says. New restaurants and hotels are reshaping its urban field, while terraces have also become part of the changing scene.
Tourism figures offer a measure of the city’s changing profile. Madrid recorded 10,426,909 travelers and 20,918,178 overnight stays in 2024, both described as historic highs in municipal figures. A separate Madrid Destino balance for 2025 counted 11,236,564 visitors and 23,829,629 overnight stays. International visitors accounted for 59% of arrivals and 66% of overnight stays, with an average stay of 2.12 nights. The 2024 municipal figures also put international visitor spending at €16.117 billion, up 21% from 2023. Together, the figures show the scale of Madrid’s international tourism and hospitality market, matching Pataky’s description of a city with an expanding offer of restaurants and hotels, alongside more leisure options.
Pataky has a familiar ritual each time she lands at Barajas Airport: meeting friends for dinner at one of the latest trendy restaurants. Madrid’s culinary scene is a major draw, especially for someone who misses Spanish flavors while living in Byron Bay. She always starts with a plate of jamón ibérico and tortilla de patatas, two staples she finds irreplaceable outside Spain.
Family and tradition remain central to her visits. Pataky says the Spanish custom of sobremesa, lingering at the table for hours after a meal, is something she cannot replicate in Australia. She values these long conversations with friends and family, which she considers unique to Spanish culture. Her children, raised in Australia, are fascinated by the traditions and the stories behind them, which are absent from their daily life abroad.
Asked which places stir nostalgia, Pataky points to the neighborhoods and streets where she grew up in Madrid. Although her family no longer owns a home there, she often returns to those areas to reconnect with her roots. As a public figure, she says, crowded spots such as Plaza Mayor can be challenging to visit. Still, she enjoys the city’s vibrant atmosphere and feels warmly received by locals.
For first-time visitors, Pataky recommends walking through the historic center, where they can try tapas, including jamón and tortilla de patatas, before taking in the city’s many terraces. Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor are among the center’s familiar landmarks; the Royal Palace is another major stop. Retiro Park and the museum district also draw visitors, while La Latina offers tapas bars and lively streets. For shopping, she prefers Zara and accessories from Loewe. Diptyque candles are her go-to gift. She picks Arima on Ponzano for Basque cuisine and names Bar Manero as her latest discovery. For a meal with her husband, who appreciates its meat-focused menu, she chooses Restaurante Lana.
Family outings often include one of Madrid’s many shows, a sign of the city’s broad cultural offerings. Pataky names the Thyssen Museum as a personal favorite and recommends meeting friends for cocktails at Hotel Santo Mauro. El Retiro remains her preferred park, and Tacha Beauty is her chosen beauty spot. Chamberí is her favorite neighborhood, thanks to its lively venues and quieter streets.
For a place to stay, Pataky suggests The Madrid Edition, which houses her recommended Oroya restaurant. Recent excursions have taken her to Pedraza and the Casa Taberna hotel. She has also visited Cáceres for a meal at Atrio and a stop at the Helga de Alvear Contemporary Art Museum. In Cercedilla, she discovered Los Ciruelos for horseback riding, and she enjoys exploring the Sierra Madrileña. The Banksy Museum remains on her to-do list.
Madrid’s changing identity is not unique among European capitals. Its rapid modernization and growing appeal to international visitors echo trends elsewhere, as recent coverage of cultural events and urban change has noted. Madrid’s rising profile as a cosmopolitan hub recalls how other European cities, including Brussels, have marked new eras in their histories during high-profile state occasions. One example is the recent royal banquet attended by Princess Elisabeth of Belgium and Japan's imperial couple.
¡HOLA! reports that Pataky sees Madrid’s mix of tradition and modernity continuing to attract locals and international residents. The city keeps reinventing itself while preserving its cultural core, a basic reason for its renewed appeal. That matters especially to people like Pataky, who maintain strong ties despite living abroad.
