- Historical Walking Tour (Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, and more)
Seeing the historical and touristic sights of a city with such a rich history as Madrid has to be one of the first things you do there. Despite its size, Madrid is walkable and there is a natural loop that hits all the major sights. So, take half a day to walk the city stopping and seeing sights like the Royal Palace since Spain is one of the only monarchies left; Plaza Mayor where much of the early political and cultural events of the city once took place, including the Spanish Inquisitions; Gran Via, and much more you can add to the route, many found in the list below. Whether you purchase a guided walking tour (available online or around the city) or simply do it yourself, this is an easy way to see a lot of the city at once.
- Party the Night Away in a Discoteca
If you are young or if you like night clubs or dancing even a little, visiting a Spanish discoteca (or nightclub) is a must in Spain’s biggest city. There are too many options to name, so you just need to find one that is more of your vibe, which can be done with a quick internet search. The most popular has to be Teatro Kapital, a 5-story wonder where each floor has a different type of music, almost like completely different clubs separated by space and glass walls. However, other great ones are Teatro Barcelo for drink deals, Icon for an international crowd, Tiffany’s for an almost entirely Spanish crowd, and La Rivera for more space to dance and take drinks with fun conversation.
Tip: Most clubs don’t open until 11pm or 12am and the party doesn’t pick up until 1 or 2am, so plan for a long night (some people party until the metro opens back up at 7am!).
Pro tip: The post-clubbing hunger is real, and one of the best ways to satisfy this late night desire is Kebap (also spelled Kebab), a middle-eastern styled sandwich or wrap stuffed with chicken, lamb, veggies, and kebab sauce. These quick and easy restaurants are everywhere and famously open until 4 or 5 in the morning. Whether you’re extending the night with food and conversation among friends or just on your way home to sleep, stop in and grab a kebab; you’ll thank yourself later that night or the next morning.
- Visit One (or Two or Three) of the World-renound Museums
El Prado, La Reina Sofia, and <other>
- Catch a Flamenco show
If you haven’t heard of flamenco before, its a traditional Spanish dance and music style that is said to have started with poor gypsies who used emphatic song and dance to express the emotion of their bad living conditions at the time. That being said, flamenco shows are long-standing pastime of Spaniards and are full of passion, emotion, and entertainment. There are several options for flamenco shows almost any night of the week, varying in environment and price, from some of the most renound flamenco performers that the capital city attracts to smaller acts from locals performers practicing their art. I would recommend a smaller venue for a more intimate performance, La Mezcaleria <name> has free shows of local performers that come in every Sunday afternoon, or <name> reserves seats for underground shows that are very intimate and intense.
- Spend an afternoon in El Parque del Retiro
El Parque del Retiro is a staple for Madridians as it is the largest outdoors space the city has to offer. It’s so large, you could spend a whole day getting lost in its pathways, and its very well-kept with beautiful fountains, gardens, ponds, statues and art, as well as a glass palace, Palacio de Cristal, that fills with fog twice a day during the week (check online for times). Spend hours walking through its scenery, playing futbol in its grassy areas, or laying down and reading or having a picnic (Does wine and charcuterie sound like a perfect lunch to anyone else?)
*fact check alcohol is allowed
- See the City from Above at a Rooftop Bar
Seeing the city by foot is one thing, and seeing it from 20-30 meters above is something completely different. Madrid is scattered with rooftop bars of all types, from small and cozy restaurant bars like The Hat, which is actually the top of a hostel, to luxury-feeling glass-walled dining and drinks like Hotel RIU. However, whichever rooftop bar you find, you are sure to get a new perspective on the city, and hopefully a beautiful sunset with colors fading and dancing off of the landmark white and red hued Spanish architecture. It should be noted some rooftops will have fees to get to the top, but check online because some are only on certain days and times such as weekend nights.
- Learn to dance salsa and bachata with strangers
If you love to dance like I do, you might be wondering to yourself why this one isn’t at the top of the list. Dancing makes up a large part of Madrid’s nightlife scene, and if you know where to look you can join in on this. Some clubs offer free beginner salsa and bachata lessons like Teatro Barcelo on Wednesday nights, others do for a small cost like ICON Club for just $5 on Tuesday nights. Then if this doesn’t satisfy your dancing itch, you can find bars that have open dancing nights where dancers of all levels, including some really great ones, go to regularly such as the bar Azúcar on Thursdays. My advice, try it at least once, don’t be shy, and even if you don’t think you are good at dancing you can have a fun and unique experience.
- Wander and Look for deals at El Rastro
Spain’s largest outdoor flea market, El Rastro overtakes the streets around El Puente de Toledo* every Sunday morning and afternoon throughout every Spring and Summer*. Venders line the streets with stalls and people flood in to buy clothes, home goods, toiletries, artisanal products, art, and just about anything else you might need. If you aren’t in need of something new (or old), going to the Rastro on Sunday is an experience in itself, walking the streets listening to deals being bargained, performers playing music, and people taking drinks from the many bars and restaurants that line those streets too.
- Buy traditional spanish cookies from the Nuns of Corpus Cristi
A once rather unknown hole-in-the-wall known only to some Madridians, the cookie sale from nuns of the Monastery of Corpus Cristi thrived hidden in plain sight. Located in the city center near Plaza Mayor, the nuns of this convent sell traditional Spanish galletas daily (sometimes twice daily) from a ‘window’ inside the courtyard of their convent. The unique thing is that this particular sect abides by a vow of isolation from the outside world, leading to their unique storefront that consists only of a chalkboard on the street, a small sign listing the types of cookies, and a rotating wheel to exchange the goods for money. If this intrigues you, you will need to find the convent at a time when the chalkboard outside says they have cookies made. Then, go inside and try ordering some for yourself!
Tip: The nuns only accept cash and try to give the exact amount as change is not always available.
- Catch a sunset with a view at Templó de Debod or Cierro del Tio Pio
Sunsets are a beautiful sight in general, but even more so when spilling over the warm colors that make up Madrid’s buildings. However, you’ve got to work a bit to be able to see a view this good. Templó de Debod is the site of a restored temple located on a hill to northwest of the city, and making it up this rewards you with a great view of the Royal Palace and the rest of the city behind it, and if you’re lucky some live music being played in the background. Oppositely, Cierro del Tio Pio is a park located to the southeast of the city, and after a long-ish metro ride and walking up one of the 7 hills of the park, you can relax and watch the sun set over a rather unseen part of of the city.
- Find a one-of-a-kind bar in Lavapies or Sol
Lavapies and Sol are renound as the liveliest barrios (neighborhoods) of Madrid’s food and bar scene. Just by walking the streets for a bit in these areas, you can find some unique, often forgotten bars and restaurants. This makes for an evening of mystery where you might find yourself eating dollar tacos out on the street or picking from a wall-sized menu of shots whose names are mysteries in themselves of what you might be getting served (Hint: some are on fire, some come served in assorted objects, and some require a game overseen by your bartender). I won’t namedrop any places here so that you can go and find something new for yourself, probably stumbling into a place I never knew existed!
- Tapas and Drinks (duh)
When most people think of Spanish cuisine, they think of tapas. And why wouldn’t they? The idea of several entrees served as appetizers and smorgasbord’ed together on a table to make a meal is a fantasy for a foodie. Here’s how it works – you sit down with a few friends, each order 1-3 items that catch your eye, and next thing you know your table is filled with different small dishes that you can pick and choose from as you please. You may be eating garlic shrimp one bite, lamb meatballs another, and toasted pork and cheese with a paprika spicing for yet another. The list goes on and on, and the goal is to try as many as you can. You can find traditional tapas bars just about anywhere, but the ones I would recommend not missing are El Matador for their tostas (the tosta El Matador is the best of course), Casa Toni for their shrimp and prawns, and El Tigre for their massive plates of meats, cheeses, and fries for the price of one drink (no actually, you get a free plate when you purchase a drink).
- Take a Day Trip to Toledo
Toledo was once the soul of the Spanish empire with its prime geographic location and mighty fortress protecting the center of the nation. Now, although it has lost its former glory, it still preserves everything that stood there. Just a 1hr train ride from Madrid’s center, you can visit Toledo and spend a day wandering the now small town, getting lost in time learning about its epic history and admiring its architecture and culture. How often do you get to walk the streets of a fortress that defended the Iberian peninsula? Or casually stroll across a bridge that many invaders tried and failed to cross themselves? As I mentioned, it’s just an hour away.
- Churros con Chocolate
Is you mouth watering after just reading this? To answer your question – yes, it is as good as it sounds. There is nothing quite like the feeling of sitting outside on a crisp morning, dipping a hot churro into even hotter melted chocolate and devouring one after one while the city bustles around you. Good thing you can find a churrería just about on every block, so there really is no excuse to not try this if you like what you just read. The most famous churros in the city are from La Chocolatería San Gines, where you can get giant, rope-sized churros and a coffee mug of chocolate for 7euros*. But, if you can’t wait for that or just want to compare, any cafe that is a good cafe will also have some good churros.
- Try everything you see in a Panadería
I’ve once heard a Panadería described as the most underrated adult candy store someone had discovered. Seeing as I was in one just about every other day with a childish giddiness to pick everything I wanted, I would say this is true. Panadería literally translates to ‘bread store’, and if you go into one that’s just what you will find – baguettes and other plain breads lining the back walls and glass counters filled with sweet breads of all different shapes and sizes and names and colors that you might be overwhelmed as to which ones to choose. My advice, just go with your gut. Or ask the worker behind the counter, they made it themselves so they’re recommendation is as good as the bread itself.
