Last month, we were lucky enough to take a big trip to Spain. We started and ended our journey in Madrid and we had about three full days in the city. Unfortunately, the weather was unseasonably cold during our visit, but we still made the most of it!
We definitely could have done more during our time in Madrid, but again, the weather kept us from seeing a few things. We also are not museum people, so we skipped all of the museums while in Madrid. You could easily do everything on this list below and still hit a few art museums if that is your thing!
We stayed at the Circulo Gran Via, Autograph Collection and it was in the perfect location! We were able to walk to almost everything. This hotel also had a casino attached, so that was interesting. The hotel was very clean and the staff was friendly, so I would recommend this one if you go to Madrid.
In terms of transportation, we walked and took a few taxis here and there. Overall, it was pretty easy to get around the city, so I wouldn’t stress too much about transportation! They also have an underground train system similar to the London Tube.
Table of Contents
Plaza Mayor
This plaza is absolutely beautiful! You will definitely feel like you are in Europe after a stroll through Plaza Mayor. There are several restaurants where you can sit and grab a drink or a full meal. There are tons of street performers and pedestrians, so be aware of your surroundings! We visited the plaza a couple of different times during our time in Madrid.
Mercado San Miguel
I think this market might have been the highlight of our time in Madrid. It was foodie heaven! Seriously, you will want to eat (and drink) everything in sight. They had everything including Spanish tortilla, a mozzarella bar, olives and wine. It was always really busy and touristy, but we didn’t mind. Everyone will find something they love while exploring the market. They also have a couple of shops where you can buy souvenirs and Spanish cookbooks. Again, this was the highlight of our time in Madrid.
Metropolis Building
We were really lucky in that our hotel was right down the street from the Metropolis building. This is the iconic building you see in several photos of Madrid. We didn’t go inside, but we had fun taking a few pictures of the building itself.
Circulo de Bellas Artes
I had heard a lot about the art museum with the rooftop bar, so I knew that was something we needed to check out. We didn’t book this ahead of anytime, but you do need to pay to go inside. We didn’t explore the art museum, so we took the elevator straight to the top. The rooftop area was super cute and there was plenty of seating. There was also a small section that was enclosed with dining tables, so I think you may be able to eat up there too! We ordered a couple of drinks and soaked in the views of Madrid. It was neat to get a different perspective of the city.
El Tigre
When you are in Spain, you MUST eat tapas. Several of the tapas bars in Spain actually offer you free food when you order a drink. One of these places is called ‘El Tigre.’ When my husband studied abroad in Madrid, he frequented this place many times. I thought he was crazy when he said he got free food. He definitely wasn’t wrong, though! Not only did we get free food, we got mountains of free food. It was almost comical how much food they gave us for two people. Moral of the story – If you are hungry, go to El Tigre.
Chocolateria San Gines
You really haven’t been to Spain until you’ve had churros with chocolate. Now, most Americans think of churros as pieces of fried dough with cinnamon sugar. This is not the case in Spain! The churros themselves are plain (no sugar), but they dip them into a cup of warm dark chocolate. We stopped here for breakfast one morning and then a couple of days later for an afternoon snack. Be warned, it will probably be very crowded! We had to wait about 20-25 minutes when we went in the morning around 10 AM. I do think it is worth the wait, though.
Royal Palace of Madrid
We attempted to go to the Royal Palace of Madrid on Day 1 of our trip, but the line was insanely long. Instead, we decided to pre-book tickets to come back the following morning. I am really happy that we still ended up going because this palace is beautiful! All of the rooms are very ornate and the detail of the design is fascinating. Be warned: You cannot take pictures inside the palace. I personally really loved the big courtyard area out front.
Sabatini Gardens
Before going into the palace, we decided to make a brief top at the gardens directly behind the palace. Honestly, you may end up liking the gardens more than the Royal Palace! It is free to wander around the gardens, so make sure you add this to your itinerary. I loved all of the trees, and I was shocked at how green everything was! This is definitely a great place for a photo, so make sure to have your camera ready.
Mercado de San Antón
Since we loved Mercado San Miguel so much, we decided it would be fun to check out another market. Mercado de San Antón was much closer to our hotel, so it was an easy place for us to walk to. This market was not crowded at all, and it seemed like it was more for locals. They had tons of fresh produce and spices, so it almost seemed like more of a grocery store in some ways. There was a full restaurant and bar on the rooftop of this market as well. It was very different than the San Miguel market, but we still really liked it.
El Retiro Park
Another must-do item on your Madrid list is El Retiro Park. This park is massive, so it is easy to get lost and wander around for hours. There are several different things you can do once inside the park. There is a small lake where you can rent a row boat and row around for a while. We decided to try this out because we thought it would be something different. There are also several food stands that several snacks and ice creams. Most people just end up walking around the park, but I would try to bring in a picnic lunch if you have time. The only reason we didn’t do a picnic lunch was because the weather was too cold. Overall, it is a great place to kill a few hours of time and it is absolutely beautiful!
Palacio De Cristal
Another attraction inside El Retiro Park is this amazing Crystal Palace. It is basically this big glass building that used to be a greenhouse. They now use it for temporary art exhibits, so you won’t see any plants inside. It is free to go inside, so if it isn’t too busy, I would try to go in! Even if you don’t go inside, I would definitely spend a few minutes walking around and taking photos.
Eat ALL the Tapas
One of the things you HAVE to do while in Madrid is eat all of the tapas. Try new things and get out of your food comfort zone. I personally would recommend trying Spanish tortilla and some of the local jamón ibérico. Also, patatas bravas are always an amazing choice. In other words, be prepared to eat a lot of carbs!
Other Spain Posts:
Overall, we had the best time in Madrid and we didn’t let the cold weather ruin our trip. We probably did a lot more eating and drinking than we had originally anticipated, but neither one of us hated it!
Have y’all ever been to Madrid? If so, what were some of your favorite attractions? I am sure there are a few things we missed!
Leave a Reply