Madrid Weekender

Dodge

I'm heading over to Madrid for a weekend next month. Looking for tips on places to eat/drink. Transport info, Must sees etc. Just booked it on a whim so haven't any clue what to do over there

Magic Monkey

Avoid Plaza Mayor for eating, the restaurants there are tourist traps. There's a good restaurant off Cl/Esparteros, which is just off Cl/Mayor in Sol, called "Los Pinchos Raciones", I think. €11 for a menú meal, between 3pm-5pm - two (big!) main plates, a drink and dessert. Look around during lunchtime, as most places have menús. Also, try some chocolate con churros (deep-fried pieces of dough dipped in thick hot chocolate); there's a good place in Plaza Jacinto Benavente. There's also a restaurant near there, along Cl/La Bolsa, that does good cocido madrileño, a popular hearty stew.

Get a T-10 if you're using the Metro, handiest way to travel. Watch your belongings, especially coming from the Airport. Pick-pockets usually work in pairs, one with a jacket over their arm, obstructing their hand as it slips into someone's pocket! You can also walk easily enough to see most central sights. A useful option is to get the tourist bus for 1-day, €17, and see the sights in under a couple of hours, then visit them by foot/metro, if you wish, as the most popular sights will be marked on the map.

Appolonia

Hola,

yes the tourist hop-on/hop-off bus is good in order to get a general feel for the size of the place. The bus company is called 'Madrid Vision' and you can buy the tickets in Plaza del Sol (the main square). There are 3 routes - one for historic madrid, another for modern madrid (with Bernabeu Stadium) and a third which I cant remember. You can then return on foot to the places which interested you.

Another nice thing to do is get a taxi ride around the city at night time. There are many beautiful historic buildings lit up at night, and plazas with fountains (like Cibeles, Colon), and taxis are really cheap in comparison to Dublin.

Retiro park is nice for a walk - all madrid seems to go there on a sunday. Its also near the 3 big museums, if they are your thing. The Prado museum is free in on sundays (so sometimes a queue).

There is also a lovely walk from Moncloa Metro towards Plz de Espana - along a park the whole way, with cafes along the route. Halfway along you can also get a telepherique (cable car) over to a huge large park called Casa del Campo which has the zoo. (mind, there are many prostitutes hanging out around Casa del Campo).

The area of Salamanca is the posh area of the city - could be nice to look at, and then pop in for some bargains in Zara/Mango.

The trendy young part of the city is Cheuca and Malasana, just north of Gran Via (the main street). There are also many cars in Plaza Santa Ana near Sol. La Latina also has some nice bars and squares.

As for restaurants, I cant recommend any one in particular, but there are millions. Many have a 'Menu del Dia' (menu of the day) where you can get a three course meal with a glass of wine and/or coffee for about 10euros.

Watch your bag/belongings. Pick pockets are rife (especially in Plaza del Sol). I've had a wallet stolen, a phone stolen and was mugged once. But having said that its not a dangerous city if you just take normal precautions.

Buen viaje!
A.

Magic Monkey

Appolonia wrote:

Halfway along you can also get a telepherique (cable car) over to a huge large park called Casa del Campo which has the zoo. (mind, there are many prostitutes hanging out around Casa del Campo).

Haha, that reminds me of walking up Calle de la Montera, from Puerta del Sol at 3pm, middle of the day, to be greeted by the sight of prostitutes all along the street, practically spaced out at 5ft intervals from each other, and walking along getting "hissed" at (same thing with the drug dealers in Retiro, but funnily enough, the lavender-selling ladies there never seem to bother the guiris)

jonny68

Looks like it's mostly being all covered here id also do a tour of the Bearnbeau Stadium(Real Madrid) i done it when i was in Madrid recommended indeed