WHY GO: For a walking weekend, with lots of hits of Sangria
FOR HOW LONG: Can do it in 3 days, if your a true culture vulture, may want a bit longer
WHAT'S MY BUDGET: Cheap! 3 days is doable with about €150 spending money
GETTING AROUND: Walking - it's a small city, so everywhere is doable on foot, however there is a metro system if you slip into a siesta.
LANGUAGE: My travel buddy on this trip is learning Spanish, which totally made our lives easier. We could have got through without, but especially when not in season, clueing up on basic phrases will go along way.
I'm going to break this city down into the Highs and the Lows:
CULTURE & HISTORY
We stayed at Rodrigo's cute Air B&B Studio in Centro district. It was super cheap, Rodrigo and his mum were really accommodating, plus it was a really good location - what more could you ask for. It's really close to Plaza Mayor, the original trading square from the 1600s, so we spent the afternoon there with lots of Sangria and wandered around the Christmas market. This is a beautiful place surrounded by the original Baker's House, and Butcher's House. Although the buildings aren't used for their original purposes, trading still happens here.
For other trading opportunities, on Sunday mornings in El Rastro, there's a HUUUUUUUUGE open air flea market which is worth going to. It's not hard to get lost in there which is always fun.
On Sunday afternoon we did a free walking tour, run by Sandemanns. I find that people like these tours for different reasons, for me, I think they're great if you're away on your own, or if you haven't got long in a city, as it helps to get the lay of the land. So I personally wouldn't recommend this one as it didn't suit my interests. IF you're a history buff then it may be for you. I found this was too much info, and not enough walking; but on the other hand, my travel buddy liked it so YAHKNOW, each of their own. Saying that, they stop for a break in a coffee shop 2 hours in, and we didn't realise that our tour had started off again ... so if you do get the full tour, you may get more about of it. For me, it was a secret blessing, I couldn't take much more in!
On Monday morning, before our flight home we went to the Real Jardín Botánico (aka, Botanical Gardens.) I think this is something you can take or leave. It was only €4, and full of beautiful autumnal colours, in the spring I can imagine it's something pretty special too. If you do go - don't miss the greenhouse on the left edge, it's got tonnes of humongous cacti.
My personal highlight was El Retiro Park. It's something I really do recommend, plus it's not too far from the Botanical Gardens. It has over 15,000 trees, in 125 acres aligned into stunning symmetry. We even saw a red squirrel there, I mean, WOAH! Towards the middle of the park is Monumento Alfonso XII. Oh boy, you should go look at it, and hire a little row boat for a meeeeeasly €6 and go nuts. I was in my element. If you're prepared too, it's an awesome picnic/sangria stop.
FOOD & TREATS
As the ignorant Brit, I was surprised there wasn't more tapas and paella in Madrid. One thing I did learn on the Sandemann's tour, is that many things aren't as authentically Spanish as our stereotype tells us! For example, the Flamenco was actually brought over by Romany Gypsys, and even the Monarchy weren't Spanish for a very long time. I pray tapas is as Spanish as I think it is - maybe they just don't go nuts for it in Madrid!?
On day one, Saturday, we stuck to the Spanish way and had a late lunch. As we were on the Plaza Mayor, we went to Casa Maria, a restaurant tucked up in the corner. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this one, but it was OK. It wasn't crazy expensive but it didn't feel very authentic and the staff were pretty grumpy. If you go just outside the square you'd probably get something better; saying that they had pretty great Sangria, and they will even let you get it to go.
If you are eating in this area, whatever you do, make sure you don't get TOO full, as a real must are the churros from Chocolatería San Ginés. If you've read my previous posts, you'll trust that I have had quite a few, and these ones were the beeeeeeees kneeeeees. One tip is that we soon learnt that Spanish hot chocolate is pretty much melted milk chocolate ... yum, but remember to share, a portion each is way too much!
Being the tourists we also thought it was in our duty to eat at the oldest restaurant EVER. Guinness book of world records and everything. Plus when we were on the walking tour, they said it was authentic, great value and by no means a tourist trap. they lied. (in our opinion!) If you know anyone who had a different experience at Sobrino de Botín, please do comment below, because I'm hoping we just caught this place on a bad day. If you LOVE meat and have pockets of cash to blow then maybe you'd love this place, but unfortunately we aren't rich meat lovers! Some of the staff were lovely, some grumpy. Food was pretty average and overpriced. They charge for everything separately; even a knob butter was €2...
Saying all that, after our meal, our nice waiter showed us round the oldest part of the restaurant, and down into the wine cellar which was pretty cool. If you want to risk this place, I reckon if you call and book you may get a better table and have a nicer experience.
A place we did really like was a cafe called No Pasa Nada where they sell French crepes and coffee. If you go to El Rastro's Sunday flea market it's a good stop. It's tucked away behind a row of stalls, and has some chairs outside. If you do stop by, make sure you have the Praline Coffee. not something you'll forget in a hurry. I'm still dwelling.
The best tapas we had whilst in Madrid was for a speedy last minute meal before flying home, great way to go home on a high. We went to Taberna Tirso de Molina which is just by the metro station and the flower market.
DRINKS & DANCING
Casa De Granada is another recommendation. It's almost like a sneaky speakeasy. You would very easily walk past it, looks like a dingy block of flats, but keep going up those stairs, to the fifth floor, and you'll see the grand modern entrance. It's reasonable prices, every drink comes with a small side tapas dish, and if you're lucky like us, you can get a table with a skyline view. Well worth a visit.
El b_us is another great bar. Sweet teeny place, again reasonable prices, and if you're not going for a meal, you can sit on the old-school cinema seats which you sip away.
If you're in the hunt for somewhere that will stay open later or has some music, I imagine most suggest you head to Huertas district. This is a strip of cheap tourist bars, with a real student vibe... but empty. I imagine in high season this street is rammed, and that it's pretty awful (unless you're into that sort of thing!) We did stop into Planet Bar one night in desperate need for a toilet and paid €8 for the honour, which included a free drink and shot of tequila. This place was hilarious. neon lights. full of cheap tourist pub crawls. and of course, Justin Bieber.
If you keep walking, on the opposite side of the Gran Via there's Bogui Jazz. This place looks awesome, but annoyingly we got there a bit late to hear any jazz. After 11:30 there's a DJ instead, and lets just say it went from Bee Gees to (more) Bieber. That can speak for itself.
WHAT I LEARNT:
Madrid is a pretty cool place. Way back in the day it was a fairly small village between fancy cities and not designed to be capital; but that's why the King chose it, and that's what makes it loveable. This history is obvious throughout the capital as you walk around. On one side it's narrow bendy streets, pretty grimy, street art and hippy shops everywhere. But when you step past the Anton Martin district or head up towards the Gran Via, it's a completely different vibe; super wide roads, incredibly clean, symmetry everywhere.
Although we had an awesome time in the capital, in brutal honesty it's probably not somewhere I'd head back to. Granted you may have a different experience in high season, but even with the cute Christmas market and the grand monuments, I feel like I've got the most out of Madrid and there are other places in Spain I'd rather see. I think Madrid is most suited to those really intrigued by European history and who value the time to stroll around the grand museums that are on offer. Either way, go for yourself, see what you think, and let us know. I hope this guide will help you avoid some bits, and concentrate on soaking up allllllllll the good stuff!
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