If visiting Madrid:
- Note that my schedule/itinerary was very random and I took the liberty of doing very little each day, and also not doing it in the most logistically optimal way
- Would definitely recommend cabbing in instead of dealing with the subway unless you live on the same line (Line 8)
- Definitely check out the free hours for the various museums because even if you pay to go in, you may have more you want to see later and it can be helpful to go back for some more at another time
- Know that the Spanish eat really late and dinner is usually 9pm or later; similarly, a lot of service places (e.g. grocery stores and restaurants) are closed from 4-8pm or something like that, so just be careful of opening hours
Overall thoughts:
- Fairly safe place to be alone, especially since people are out way into the night
- On weekends, I saw kids playing on playgrounds well past 11pm…
- It’s tricky to navigate on a North American food schedule but you can always pick up groceries/snacks for those times when nothing is open!
- Lots to see and definitely bigger than Barcelona, and more Spanish culture (Barcelona is Catalan)
- Would want to return to do day trips to Toledo and Segovia
Day 1:
- Arrival into the city around 7pm, cab in from airport (30 euro flat rate)
- Make sure you get a cab at the official queue and the driver has his meter on to 30.00 flat (it should show that the whole trip)
- Stayed in Lavapiés neighbourhood in an Airbnb (private room)
- Very walkable to main sites in the city
- Virtually no need to use metro
- Unfortunately, a bit more complicated to get to from airport
- Lots of diversity in the area with different food choices
- Walk around the area, Plaza de Sol, Plaza Mayor
- Bocadillos are the local specialty (sandwiches) – especially those with calamares (calamari)
- A bit plain for my taste, as a warning – my waiter gave me mayo with it, which was better…
- Be warned if you are dining and choose to sit in the terraza, you may be charged a higher price for your food than if you do take out
- There are often two sets of prices on menus showing this, so just be careful
- Stroll to Gran Vía and see the big shops
- This is part of Europe that has most reminded me of New York, actually, and I kind of loved the rush after so long away from North America
Day 2:
- El Rastro flea market – only on Sundays!
- Lots of cheap Chinese/Asian imports, some secondhand/antique items too
- First time I’ve seen police actively patrolling and checking licenses at a flea market type place
- Sandeman’s walking tour of Madrid – “free” except for tip
- Not a bad tour – very informative
- However, only shows you half of Madrid – the tour of the other half is a paid tour
- They’re a lot pushier about buying their other tours/etc. than when I did the yellow (red?) umbrella tours in Barcelona
- Mercado de Motores (flea market at the Museo de Ferrocarrill, only on second Sundays)
- Very cool to see the trains in the museum alongside many stalls
- Much more of a hipster Brooklyn feel
- Fairly expensive but lots to walk around and feast one’s eyes on
- Museo Reina Sofia
- Free admission for a few hours most days – look these up
- It’s fairly large and also includes two buildings in El Retiro (park), which isn’t the closest…so plan ahead!
Day 3:
- Templo de Debod
- You can usually go in if it’s open – I got there the only day it was closed, so check in advance! It’s free to enter
- Great views of the city from the lookout point behind the temple
- Lovely park to stroll through
- Plaza de España
- Some small vendors in organized stalls but nothing particularly interesting
- Palacio Real
- Very crowded when I went
- They have a set path that you have to follow so it can get very slow and frustrating at times if you’re caught behind big tour groups
- Catedral de Almudena
- Do not go in the museum/dome entrance unless you want to! If you just want to see the church, walk around the building to the other side and go up the long ramp and you can see the church for free…
- Mercado de San Miguel
- Lots of expensive food but if you want to spend and indulge, great choices here!
- Can be crowded so don’t expect to sit if you get food; stand and eat/drink
- Plaza de Independencia
- Not much to do here but it’s a nice sight and it’s near El Retiro
- Corte Inglés at Callao (department store)
- Great views of the city from top floor with lots of restaurants up there
Day 4:
- Prado museum
- Spent awhile in line outside even though I went at 10
- First you line up for tickets then you line up to do security scans to get in
- Plan to spend lots of time here
- Food at cafe is fairly expensive but what can you do…
- El Retiro
- Beautiful park near Prado
- Check out the Crystal Palace and the Palacio de Vasquez
- Lots of places to stroll, sit, stare, etc.
Day 5:
- Breakfast in the Chueca area
- Some old cafés there, including Mama Inés where I ate (thought it was fine but not extraordinary though)
- Paseo Castellana
- Financial district equivalent and if you walk far north enough, you can also see the FC stadium
- I did not make it that far but enjoyed the nicer stores along the stretch and the beautiful buildings
- A lot less touristy so more pleasant to walk around