Madrid

Churchill and Rita are our two Labradors, mother and son — Rita is a chocolate lab and Churchill a beautiful blond. Rita is spayed, Churchill is not. They are gentle, easygoing and very sociable with people and other animals. They love their walks and their naps in the garden. Simón is our young adult cat, sweet-natured and confident, the older brother of the household. He is neutered, used to spending time outside, and always wears his GPS collar so we can locate him. Mina is our little colorpoint kitten, delicate and affectionate. Benito is a young black cat we've raised from three weeks old — he will be moving to Amsterdam with a close friend in September, so depending on when your stay takes place you may meet three cats or two. All five animals adore the garden, but they have easy access to the street from there, so they need to be watched carefully. While we are away, we prefer the cats to stay indoors, for their safety and for the sitter's peace of mind — we'll leave clear guidance on how to manage this. Everyone is fed twice a day. The cats also have dry food available at all times. All animals get along beautifully and are used to sharing their space with visitors.

Our home is spacious and has many doors and windows that open onto the garden, and the garden itself has direct access to the street. This means the cats — especially Simón, who is used to going outside — can slip out easily if a door or window is left open. When we are home, the animals enjoy the garden freely: we know all their tricks and habits by now, and we can manage it. While we are away, however, we prefer the cats to stay indoors, simply because a sitter can't reasonably know all the little ways they've learned to sneak out. It requires being genuinely attentive: checking doors and windows before opening them, making sure they don't slip out behind you, and paying close attention when coming in and out of the house. Simón always wears his GPS collar as an extra safety net. Beyond that, our animals are healthy, sociable and easy to care for. We'll leave a detailed written routine with everything you need to know.

Our home is a bright house with a garden in Prosperidad, a quiet residential neighbourhood inside Madrid. All daily essentials are within walking distance, public transport reaches the centre in under 20 minutes, and parking is easy in front of the house. Sitters have access to the whole house, including a guest bedroom and a private bathroom, fast WiFi, air conditioning, washing machine and a fully equipped kitchen. Our family is two Labradors and three cats — all sociable, easygoing, and used to sharing space with visitors. We leave a clear daily routine written down, and we're happy to share our favourite local spots to make your stay in Madrid enjoyable.

Madrid is a city best enjoyed slowly, wandering from neighbourhood to neighbourhood. From our home you can easily reach the historic centre, the classic museums — the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen — and El Retiro Park, perfect for a morning walk or a rowboat on the lake. The Salamanca district is lovely for shopping and coffee, and Malasaña and La Latina bring the best of Madrid's tapas, terraces and Sunday flea market (El Rastro).
Our own neighbourhood, Prosperidad, is a genuine local area with lively cafes, weekly markets and beautiful tree-lined streets — a great base to feel Madrid the way madrileños do.