Madrid

¡De Madrid al cielo!

Centrally located in the heart of the country, Madrid is not only the capital but the largest city in Spain.  With over three million residents in the city and over 6.5 million within the greater metropolitan area, Madrid is the third largest city in Europe (after London and Berlin).

Quick Facts:

• Official term for a local: Madrileño (madri-len-yo)
• The official language is Castellaño (Spanish), but there are several other regional languages spoken throughout the country:  Basque (Euskera), Galician and Catalan.
• One of the best metro (subway/underground) systems in the world.  Stations are unbelievably clean (especially the newer ones), it is the sixth largest in the world and has over 1,600 escalators… more than any other metro system.  Some stations are so large, they contain museums, skate parks, and host festivals.
• The symbol of the city is the “oso y madroño,” or the Bear and the Madroño Tree.  The Madroño is a small tree that produces a fruit similar to a strawberry.  The tree is the namesake of the city, and the locals make a special liquor from the berries (souvenir idea).
• Suggested Stay: 3 Days to 1 Week

Insider Tip:

While wandering around a city mindlessly is fun, while traveling, you have to make the most of your time – So start with a tour! As a local, you despise the large groups of tourists walking around blocking the sidewalks, but as a traveler, it’s the best way to get yourself quickly oriented to where you are – giving you more time to enjoy where you are.  Luckily for travelers coming to Madrid, we have one of the best international touring companies in the world at our disposal every single day – Sandeman’s New Europe!  And best of all, IT’S FREE!  If you are unfamiliar with Sandeman’s, a quick Google search will take you their main website, which will have all the information you need regarding the company.  To make things slightly easier, I have included a link to their Madrid page here.  The FREE walking tour is an amazing way to learn your way around, not to mention they hook you up with great deals and loads of free advice.

Below I have included some information about the major highlights, as well as some info on some of my favorite things that are slightly off-the-beaten path.

The Must Sees:

1. Parque del Retiro – The Park of Retirement

El Parque del Retiro is one of the most beautiful places in the city of Madrid and an absolute MUST on a nice day.  The park is filled with many fun things to do from paddle boats to beautiful soccer fields to kick a ball around.  Make sure to check out the Crystal Palace and grab a cup of coffee from one of the many outdoor cafes and if you have time, bring a blanket and grab a little patch of green to have a picnic or to read a good book.  Retiro is located off line 2 (the red line) and even has it’s own stop located within the park.  For a detailed history of the park or for more information regarding activities, visit their website at http://www.parquedelretiro.es.

2. The Prado Museum

Madrid is home to a handful of world renown museums, the most well-known being the Prado.  Home to over 40 masterpieces and room after room of Goyas and Picassos, the Prado is a small paradise for those who appreciate some of the finer things in life.  However, a visit to this palatial museum is not cheap.  I would not recommend visiting if you have smaller children or if you are not a big art enthusiast.  If you would like to go, general admission is around 12 euros and plan to spend at least 3 to 4 hours to make it worth your while.  For more info about the Prado, visit their website at http://www.museodelprado.es

3. El Palacio Real – The Royal Palace

El Palacio Real, also known as the Royal Palace in English, is a must see on your visit to Madrid.  The Spanish palace, while the official residence of the Spanish King, is not actively used as his home, but strictly for official state business.  The Royal Palace is the largest castle in Europe at almost 1.5 million square feet of living space, and with over 2,800 rooms, it is truly a sight to behold.  While the outer façade may seem rather simple, the palace is incredibly ornate, and its inner walls contain some of Spain’s most valued treasures.  Plan to spend at least half a day on the royal grounds.  After a visit to the palace, make your way to the Almudena Cathedral (the National Cathedral), which is seated opposite of the castle, or the surrounding gardens.  Metro: Opera

4. La Plaza Mayor – The Old Plaza

The Plaza Mayor is quite possibly the most well-known site in Madrid, but what makes this plaza so unique is not the buildings or the shops, but its history.  Truth be told, the plaza is rather boring from day to day – it is after all a plaza.  However, this seemingly simple space has seen more Spanish history than any other place in the city.  From markets and bullfights to soccer games, public executions, and the signing of the Spanish Constitution, La Plaza Mayor has seen it all.  Entrance into the plaza is FREE so head on over for a cup of coffee and indulge in some good old-fashioned people watching.  Metro: Sol

5. La Puerta del Sol – The Gate of the Sun

Commonly referred to as “Sol,” Puerta del Sol is point zero – the dead center of the entire country.  There is a special plaque marking kilometer 0, and every major road in the country is measured starting from that one point.  Be careful when heading to Sol, it’s a tourist gold mine, and as such, pickpockets are always on the prowl. As you are passing through, stop into El Corte Ingles, which is the flagship of the Spanish retail world.  They literally have everything.  You can go grocery shopping, get your hair done, and buy a custom Armani suit while you are there – it’s kinda like WalMart for those with slightly more expensive taste.  Also, don’t forget to stop by La Mallorquina bakery located on the corner of Calle Mayor.  They are a Madrid institution and have been serving up the sweetest delights since the dawn of time.  Metro: Sol

6. El Estadio Santiago Bernabéu – The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

Hopefully, you have heard of the saying, “When in Rome…,” well even though Rome is about 1,300 miles away, when in Madrid, you should go to a “futbol” game.  Soccer or Futbol (pronounced “football”) is a way of life in Spain as in much of Europe and the big name in Madrid is without a doubt, Real Madrid.  There are a few other teams in Madrid, but Real Madrid takes the cake.  Their stomping ground is the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, which is located in the heart of the city closer to the business district.  Obviously, timing is everything with these things, so if you can squeeze it into your travel plans and they are playing at home, I strongly recommend going.  If you want to see the stadium, it is located on line 10.  Metro: Santiago Bernabéu.

7. Gran Vía

The main drag in Madrid is Calle Gran Vía, which more or less stretches the entire length of the city.  You can find everything on Gran Vía from spectacular views of buildings to great shops, hotels, theaters and restaurants.  There is nothing of incredible note on the street, but I do recommend walking up and down at least once to see the busy city life.  In fact, go at night when all of the cool lights and signs are lit.  Metros: Plaza de España, Callao, Gran Vía, or Banco de España.

8. Serrano 

Without a doubt, the best shopping scene in Madrid is in Serrano (which is the name of the main street as well as the neighborhood).  While Madrid is not known as a fashion capital, she has no shortage of big names – from Louis Vuitton and D&G to Prada, all of the elite names have claimed their own little piece of Serrano.  She is also home to Loewe, which is arguably the largest designer out of Spain.  After you have dropped a couple grand on the little luxuries this fabulous place has to offer, you can sit down for a fantastic meal in one of the many restaurants in the neighborhood.  I personally recommend “El Paraguas,” but you really can’t go wrong in this area – just be prepared to spend about 20 to 30 euros per person. Metro: Serrano

9. La Puerta de Alcalá – The Gate of Alcalá

The Gate of Alcalá can be found in the Plaza de Independencia in between Retiro and Serrano.  It is one of many large gates scattered across the city, but (in my personal opinion) it offers the best views and places to take pictures.  Metro: Retiro

10.  La Chocolatería San Gines – Churros y Chocolate

Portugal has pasteis, France has croissants, and the US has cupcakes, but Spain is the home of churros y chocolate; and in my professional opinion, the best C&C in the city is at San Gines.  A “churro” is nothing more than a golden wand of fried dough. In fact, if you asked me, it’s pretty boring which is why someone came up with the idea to serve it with chocolate. With that being said, Spaniards traditionally just have the churros plain or dip them in their coffee. I’m convinced the chocolate is just included as a way to market them to tourists… Either way, the best churros are served warm and with hot chocolate. I made the horrible mistake my first two times in ordering churros from some random café, and they were served COLD! Do not fall for this stunt. Cold churros are gross – there is nothing appetizing about cold, greasy, fried dough. If you are going to break your diet, make it worth your while.  If you go to San Gines, they serve your churros nice and warm – so don’t worry!  The are located just a few blocks away from Puerta del Sol off Calle Mayor.  Metro: Sol

Digging a Little Deeper:

So say you are going to be in Madrid for at least a couple days, then you have more than enough time to add some really exciting things to your list.  Frankly, I find this list much more interesting than the things previously mentioned – they take you a little deeper to give you a better sense of the Spanish culture and way-of-life.

1. Templo de Debod
2. El Mercado de San Miguel
   
3. Restaurante Botín (Coming Soon)
4. Las Caboneras (Flamenco)
5. La Reina Sofia (La Guernica) (Coming Soon)
6. La Cava Baja (La Latina) (Coming Soon)

Comida y Bebidas:

People are always asking me where are the best places to go to eat and drink.  Well… that always depends on the person.  I have included the names of some personal favorites below.  Most of my choices are on the cheaper end because that’s usually what I can afford, but I promise it still tastes amazing.

1. Toma Café (Best Coffee) – I recommend the cappuccino with both cocoa and cinnamon.
2. Diurno (Best Menu of the Day) – Get the “Pack Diurno” for 8,90€ you will not leave hungry.
3. El Tigre (Tons of FREE Tapas) – Order any drink and get a plate of tapas!
4. 100 Montaditos (Cheap) – On Mondays and Sundays everything is 1€.
5. Lateral (Best Pinchos) – I recommend the stuffed red peppers and “solomillo” with caramelized onions.
6. La Mallorquina (Best Bakery) – Without a doubt, chocolate croissants and café con leche.
7. Juicy Avenue (Best Snack) – The Tsunami Smoothie
8. Carmencita’s Bar (Best Brunch) – Weekends only, but the Huevos Rancheros and Huevos Benedictos are excellent!
9. Tierra Burrito Bar (Best Burrito) – It’s like Chipotle, Qdoba or Moe’s but in Spain!
10. Museo de Jamón (Also Cheap) – I strongly recommend dropping by here to pick up a bottle of water.  A large bottle (1.5L) is only 1€, which is a great deal.