Madrid on my own

ash xxx

Hey everyone,

Was wondering if anyone could give me a bit of advice. I'll be heading to Madrid to visit a friend at the end of July for a week. But during the week, she has to work so I'm looking for any info on what I could do by myself during the day?

Any help would be great

Aisling xx:D

DARKIZE

Sleep. Seriously, its searingly hot during the day there at that time of year (think 35deg at least), so do all your indoor stuff like museums etc during the day and then have a siesta. Its just too hot to be walking around sightseeing, so plan anything vaguely active for evening/night if you can.

My favourite city though, so have a great time.

ash xxx

I don't really mind the heat at all, I'll be heading up after a week in Murcia.

Even just nice places to go and sit/lie down and have a read of a book.

greendom

ash xxx wrote: »

I don't really mind the heat at all, I'll be heading up after a week in Murcia.

Even just nice places to go and sit/lie down and have a read of a book.

The Retiro would be a nice place do that, main park in the City with plenty of trees to provide shade and kioscos to keep refreshed

Spanish Eyes

DARKIZE wrote: »

Sleep. Seriously, its searingly hot during the day there at that time of year (think 35deg at least), so do all your indoor stuff like museums etc during the day and then have a siesta. Its just too hot to be walking around sightseeing, so plan anything vaguely active for evening/night if you can.

My favourite city though, so have a great time.

Yes it can be hot, but you get used to it.

Take a train out to Segovia (Roman ruins, and a lovely town) or Toledo, or El Escorial. Something different than the big city. Easy to reach on public transport too.

Retiro park is huge and a great place to sit and watch what's going on

Early morning for the art galleries (got to see the Prado and the Thysseman.

Walk, walk, walk. There is a great atmosphere in Madrid, lovely squares Plaza Mayor, and Puerto del Sol.

BEWARE- the nightlife goes on ALLLLLL night! Madrilenos eat late, and stay out early. The tapas bars keep you going. But be prepared to eat at 11pm to midnight, and to bar hop and party until 6 or 7 am on the weekend!

Enjoy.

ash xxx

Thanks guys,

Great advice, keep it coming. :D

Can't wait for the nightlife on the weekends, Madrid is the only major city in Spain that I haven't visited so I'm really looking forward to it. Love my mojitos and I hear they're great there. Yum Yum

southsiderosie

+1 on the day trips and Retiro. Keep in mind a lot of shops will be closed from 2-5:30, and a lot of bars and restaurants will close between 4-9, so it's worth taking a real siesta, since you won't be able to do much anyway in the late afternoon.

Cine Dore in the Lavapies neighborhood is a cool arthouse theater that often shows classic films in their original languages (most movies in Spain are dubbed). So on a really hot day, you can head there to cool off. Afterwards, you can head down to Calle Argumosa to have a drink outside (Bar Automatico is usually open in the afternoons and has good tapas), or go to the Cafe Barbieri on Calle Ave Maria - it looks like something out of a film noir. Along Calle de Leon in Las Letras, Bar Piola is open all afternoon, and you can plunk down there to read for hours, and Gonzales is a stinky-cheese-and-jamon wonderland with marble tables and a big back room. There are also a lot of cute shops on this street, but most are closed for siesta.

Plaza Santa Ana is a great place to have an afternoon/evening drink/read outside, as is the plaza at the bottom of Cava Baja in the La Latina neighborhood (which is worth a wander - it's one of the oldest in Madrid. There are a lot of hidden plazas and good little restaurants and bars. And be sure to try the lomo con pimiento y queso at Juana la Loca). Try to avoid eating in Plaza Mayor - it is a total rip-off and the food is generally terrible. However, the nearby Mercado San Miguel is a great place for tapas and/or to buy some bread/olives/fruit to snack on (perhaps while lounging around Retiro). Don't miss the olives and vermouth counter.

Finally, you have to have a cafe con leche and a napolitana at La Mallorquina, at the edge of Sol on Calle Mayor. Don't be afraid to elbow your way in at the counter among the retired madrilenos.

ash xxx

Thanks so much everyone. Can't wait for tapas and wine, ooh and especially cocktails.

Do the cafe's mind if you just sit there for hours, reading and drinking? Cause I know anywhere in Dublin would tell you to feck off after an hour.

southsiderosie

ash xxx wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone. Can't wait for tapas and wine, ooh and especially cocktails.

Do the cafe's mind if you just sit there for hours, reading and drinking? Cause I know anywhere in Dublin would tell you to feck off after an hour.

Not really - people generally leave you alone once you have a spot. But try not to take up a table during the peak lunch times (2ish-4ish). Some places get so quiet in the afternoons between 4-7, the bartenders will be sitting and reading as well...well, in non-tourist season anyway.

CBFi

Be careful of El Retiro on you're own. Especially if you're a women- men can hassle you there and you can be approached.

I agree that Plaza Santa Ana is a lovely spot for a drink and to soak up the atmosphere- there's a lovely wine bar there on a corner.

I love Plaza de Espana too- off Gran Via- it's a quiet park in the middle of everything! La Latina for nightlife, Calle de Fuencarral for shopping (cute asian market here and boutiques), and go for walk from the musuem triangle, to the post office and up calle Alcala to Gran Via all the way to Plaza de Espana- and just enjoy the architecture.

Madrid is lovely- lived there for 6 months.

ash xxx

CBFi wrote: »

Be careful of El Retiro on you're own. Especially if you're a women- men can hassle you there and you can be approached.

I love Plaza de Espana too- off Gran Via- it's a quiet park in the middle of everything!

Hmmm ok, so El Retiro can be a bit pervy eay?

Would Plaza de Espana be better for hours lounging around with a book?

Thanks
Aisling

southsiderosie

ash xxx wrote: »

Hmmm ok, so El Retiro can be a bit pervy eay?

Would Plaza de Espana be better for hours lounging around with a book?

Thanks
Aisling

I lived in Madrid for six months, went to Retiro weekly, and never had any problems. I generally stuck to the main roads and the area around the formal gardens and the boat pond - there are always loads of people in these areas, especially when the weather is nice. I regularly spent hours reading the newspaper there on the weekends, and the only hassle I've received was from overly aggressive birds chasing after the remnants of my lunch. I've always found the parks on the west side of El Centro to be more creepy/druggy that Retiro.

The one thing I would say be very VERY careful about is pickpocketing. NEVER hang your bag on the back of a chair in a restaurant - always keep it on your lap or between your feet. Always keep it under your arm or in front of you on the Metro. Try to carry a purse that zips shut or has a flap. Be mindful if you take your camera out of you bag that you close it and, again, keep it in front of you while taking pictures. Be careful with any credit card information or receipts. And in general, try to avoid using ATMs that are on the street - use ones that are inside the bank lobby itself, as they are less likely to have been rigged or tampered with. Over an unfortunate two-week period last October, I used a rigged ATM (which froze my account), and someone got a hold of my credit card number and tried to order a bunch of electronics from California. :mad:

CBFi

yeah, I suppose in Fairness, I know loads of people who loved the Retiro as well but I got a load of hassl, and once I was even with my brother! I always found it hassle to be a blonde woman in Madrid tho- v exotic over there

I think Plaza de Espana would be a nice place to spend an afternoon reading.

And Southsiderosie it spot on about pickpocketing- never happened to me but Madrid is notorious for it!

ash xxx

Lucky me so, I'm a brunette and quite dark so I'll fit right in with the locals So maybe they'll leave me alone

KavEnn

Santa Ana is the best place ever for Tapas and just chilling! People playing music and dancing in the square and the wine will be flowing! It's such a chilled city.

We found a fantastic cuban bar where all the people were dancing to the live music.
There is a beautiful park with a big fountain to soak your feet in beside the cathedral-really nice on a hot summers day!
If you were interesed, you could do a tour of the Burnabeau Stadium (where Real Madrid play)-this is a really interesting tour too.
Shopping is ok in Madrid, but nothing to write home about I thought (but I too was there in July and it was so hot, I couldnt think about trying clothes on!)

Enjoy!!