CHAMBERÍ METRO STATION

Ride along Line 1 of the Madrid Metro and, between Iglesia and Bilbao, you might glimpse an empty platform as the train slows slightly. Not only that, but there’s the accompanying sense of looking through a timewarp—such is the vintage billboards and antique furniture briefly on show.

This is—or was—chamberí, which became one of the city’s first eight stations when inaugurated in 1919. Five decades later, with trains

HIDDEN GEMS

lengthening and platforms needing to follow suit, it was deemed more profitable to abandon Chamberí.

That saw it bricked up in 1966—and most of its historic features were unwittingly preserved.

It’s now possible to visit, and to enjoy a window into the past. Accessed from Plaza de Chamberí, the station opens on Fridays (4-8pm), Saturdays (10am to 2pm; 4-8pm) and Sundays (10am to 2pm). Entry is free on 40-minute tours