Madrid Greatest Hits
Madrid Greatest Hits
Eat, drink, and walk your way through Spain's cosmopolitan yet laid-back capital city.
The elevator pitch: If Barcelona is a mix of Miami and LA, Madrid is Spain’s New York. A political, cultural, and economic center, it’s got something for everyone, and tapas for days.
When to go: Madrid is sunny and temperate, with hot, dry summers (average highs can reach 90°F / 32°C) and cold winters (average lows can reach 38°F / 3°C). Like the rest of Europe, summers are crowded, winters less so. We love spring or early fall for easy weather and slightly thinner crowds.
Where to stay: The quintessential hotel in Madrid happens to be a Westin - the historic, legendary Westin Palace Madrid ($300+), located near the Prado and the Retiro. Don’t believe us? Past guests include Hemingway, Picasso, and Christina Aguilera. A slightly less ornate option is 7 Islas ($120+), an industrial and art-forward boutique hotel right off Gran Via. For budget travelers, the trendy hostel (yes, you read that right) Generator Madrid has a rooftop patio, private rooms ($90+), and bunk rooms ($20+).
How to get around: Madrid is very walkable, and their metro system is also cheap, easy to navigate, and efficient - if you’re there for a few days, we recommend trying it out. Ubers are another easy option.
Odds and ends: Compared to Barcelona, where most residents speak English, Madrid can be hit-or-miss. A little Spanish goes a long way! Due to siestas, Madrileños eat lunch and dinner later (8pm onward), so you might be a little lonely at a 7pm dinner reservation.
TRIP OVERVIEW: Greatest Hits
What this is: how to eat, drink, and (slightly) sightsee your days through the Spanish capital.
What this isn’t: recommendations on walking tours or bullfighters.
Day 1: Classic Sights + Classic Food
Breakfast at Chocolateria San Gines
Visit the Plaza Mayor
Walk by the Palacio Real de Madrid
Lunch at Mercado de San Miguel
Visit the Puerta del Sol
Explore Malasaña
Dinner at Mama Chico
Cocktails at Macera Taller Bar
Day 2: Get to Know Madrid’s Neighborhoods
Coffee at La Bicicleta
Explore Chueca
Lunch at Pez Tortilla
Visit the Reina Sofía
Explore Lavapiés
Explore La Latina
Dinner at La Perejila
Cocktails at Santos y Desamparados
Day 3: Relax in the Retiro
Breakfast at Casa Dani
Spend the morning at El Retiro
Visit Museo Nacional del Prado
Lunch at Rosi La Loca
Shop and sightsee on the Gran Via
Grab a drink at Azotea del Círculo
Dinner at El Cisne Azul
Cocktails at Salmon Guru
THE DETAILED GUIDE
Day 1: Classic Sights + Classic Food
Chocolateria San Gines
Breakfast in Sol
map | site | @chocosangines
Historic and simple. Who says you can’t have chocolate for breakfast? Stop by this famous chocolatier and grab an order of their churros.
Plaza Mayor
Start your trip at Madrid’s historic esplanade
map | wikipedia
Historic and airy. Start your Madrid journey in this enormous public square. It dates to the 16th century and is one of the symbols of Madrid. Walk the 5 mins east to the Royal Palace for your next stop!
Palacio Real de Madrid
Visit this palace close to the city center
map | wikipedia
Sprawling and awe-inspiring. Madrid’s Royal Palace is one of the largest in the world. Take it in from outside, or spend 12 euro to go inside.
Mercado de San Miguel
Lunch in Sol
map | site | @mercadosanmiguel
Popular and bustling. A 5-min walk from the Palacio Real, this market is the city’s most famous. Grab lunch here at one of the many tapas bars inside.
Puerta del Sol
Visit the real center square of Madrid
map | wikipedia
Busy and electric. Visit the spot that serves as the namesake for the central neighborhood of Sol. It’s usually very busy, with more locals than the Plaza Mayor, and it serves as the end point for many shopping streets. Soak up the energy of the main square and then explore the neighborhood!
Malasaña
Trendy, hipster enclave just north of Sol
map | wikipedia
Cool and enchanting. Walk around this hip neighborhood, full of cafes, vintage shops, and tattoo parlors.
Mama Chico
Dinner in Malasaña
map | reserve | site | @mamachicomadrid
Chic and authentic. This sleek restaurants serves up Italian-Argentinian fusion (we’re hungry already!) in a beautiful space. As you’d expect, their wine list is amazing.
Macera Taller Bar
Cocktails in Chueca
map | site | @maceratallerbar
Buzzy and inventive. This trendy cocktail bar with an industrial vibe would be at home in Brooklyn or Downtown LA. They’re known for their G&Ts, but we love everything on the menu.
Day 2: Get to Know Madrid’s Neighborhoods
La Bicicleta
Breakfast in Malasaña
map | reserve | site | @labicicletacafe
Charming and cool. This cute cafe is a popular all-day spot, even serving drinks at night. Grab a coffee and pastry to start your day off!
Chueca
Explore Madrid’s cool, gay neighborhood
map | wikipedia
Hip and busy. The West Hollywood of Madrid, Chueca is traditionally a gay neighborhood and has become one of the best spots for nightlife in Madrid. Walk around during the day to get your bearings, in case you come back at night… which we would, of course, support!
Pez Tortilla
Lunch in Malasaña
map | @peztortilla
Cozy and authentic. If you’re a fan of Spanish tortillas, you’ll love this hole in the wall spot. It gets quite crowded, so expect a wait!
Reina Sofía
Visit the Prado’s more modern sister
map | wikipedia
Moving and memorable. While the Prado is the mainstay for historical Spanish art, we love the Reina Sofía’s more modern collection of 20th century art. The main draw is Picasso’s Guernica, an almost 12-foot tall painting depicting the bombing of a small Basque town during the civil war. Even if you’re not an art person, we promise it will make a mark.
Lavapiés
Get to know this edgy, international barrio
map | wikipedia
Diverse and vibrant. Lavapiés is historically a grittier neighborhood filled with immigrants, and has recently started to gentrify. Explore this unique area, home to hipster bars and cafes alongside decades-old Indian restaurants.
La Latina
See tapas bars for days
map | wikipedia
Friendly and historic. One of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, featuring many tiny streets filled with tapas bar after tapas bar. On Sundays, you’ll find a flea market that the city flocks to - feel free to switch days 2 and 3 if this piques your interest.
La Perejila
Dinner in La Latina
map | reserve | site | @laperejilataberna
Cozy and authentic. This old-fashioned tapas bar in La Latina features Southern Spanish treats, such as salmorejo, an Andalusian twist on gazpacho.
Santos y Desamparados
Cocktails in Las Letras
map | @santosydesamprados
Moody and unique. This cozy cocktail bar has inventive cocktails in a gothic-themed space. If you’re feeling adventurous, we couldn’t recommend the wasabi martini highly enough.
Day 3: Relax in the Retiro
Casa Dani
Breakfast in Salamanca
map | site | @casadanimadrid
Friendly and casual. This family-owned spot specializes in tortillas. It can get busy around lunchtime, so we recommend going early (aka - for breakfast!)
El Retiro
Spend the morning walking around Madrid’s major park
map | wikipedia
Relaxing and sprawling. One of our favorite parks in the world, you could spend a week here (we wouldn’t judge). You can rent boats, read on a park bench, or sip an espresso in one of the park’s cafes.
Museo Nacional del Prado
Visit Spain’s major art museum
map | wikipedia
Historic and awe-inspiring. If you’re into art or history at all, we’d recommend spending some time in Madrid’s flagship museum. Chronicling European art through the decades, including Goya, Bosch, and Velázquez’ famous Las Meninas, it’s worth a visit. If you’re bored just reading these last few sentences, just spend extra time in the Retiro.
Rosi La Loca
Lunch in Sol
map | site | reserve | @rosilalocataberna
Quirky and maximalist. This Alice in Wonderland-themed spot features Asian-inspired tapas and tropical cocktails served in kitschy mugs.
Calle Gran Via
Madrid’s major shopping street
map
Busy and broad. This major boulevard is the place to be if you’re looking to shop while you’re in Spain. Friday nights get packed as everyone spills out after work, but it can be fun to see how the Madrileños shop.
Azotea del Círculo
Drinks in Sol
map | site | reserve | @azoteadelcirculo
Scenic and sceney. This rooftop bar, located atop the Círculo de Bellas Artes, features a 360-degree view of Madrid. It can get a little crowded, so expect a slight wait, but it’s worth it!
El Cisne Azul
Dinner in Sol
map | site | @elcisneazul
Inventive and earthy. This traditional restaurant is focused on mushrooms of all types and sizes (except the fun ones, this isn’t Amsterdam). The mushroom range is impressive, but the rest of the menu is similarly solid. It’s equally popular with locals as with tourists, which we always consider a great sign.
Salmon Guru
Cocktails in Sol
map | site | @salmonguru
Fun and unique. This neon-laden bar, helmed by acclaimed mixologist Diego Cabrera, serves up innovative cocktails in a bright space. They cover the classics in addition to the more esoteric, so there’s something for everyone.
What didn’t make the list?
Visit the Templo de Debod, an ancient Egyptian temple gifted to Spain by Egypt, at sunset for a picture-perfect Instagram backdrop
Hop on Madrid’s cable car system, el Teleférico, for a gorgeous view of the city
Get a ticket to a Real Madrid game
Go clubbing at Kapital, the infamous 7-layer club, if you’re into pretending you’re still studying abroad
If you love Madrid, you’ll also love
Nearby places to visit
Toledo. This medieval Spanish capital is a perfect day trip from Madrid.
Sevilla. This sun-soaked Spanish city is about a 3 hour train ride south. Jaunt coming soon!
Granada. The Alhambra is the major draw of this idyllic college town, about a 3.5 hour train ride south. Jaunt coming soon!
Feedback, ideas, additions, criticisms? Leave us a comment below!