Madrid on my own

Monkey61

Hey,

Having never taken a holiday on my own before I have booked a weekend to Madrid in September. I am starting to learn Spanish so thought it might be a fun way to put my very basic skills into use (asking the time and saying that i want a corner table in a restaurant etc...hmm)

Anyway a few questions...

1. Will I be grand/safe enough as a girl on my own? Is there anywhere to not wander around by myself in the evening for instance?

2. Is there any particular places that I should explore? I have seen the lists of galleries, churches etc, and while I will probably nip into one or two, I'm not really that pushed on stuff like that. I have only got about 36 hours anyway, so just fancy walking around the place and soaking up atmosphere. Is there anywhere worth taking the metro to just for a ramble?

3. I am going to book a hostel soon. Any areas of preference? I want to be close to somewhere that is lively enough at night, just so I can wander around and not get mugged down quiet back alleyways making my way home.

4. Any tips for cheap food? Supermarkets? I am a vegetarian which seems to rule out an awful lot.

5. Any bars worth definitely checking out? I am happy enough to sit for ages anywhere nice with a drink, a paper and a dictionary.

Thanks for any help.

jeoun

Just seen this thread today, otherwise I would have replied sooner. I was in Madrid last October on my own, so I will give you my experience.

1. I would be a little careful wandering around on your own. I am a 28 yo guy and I did find that I was "targeted" on the metro while going from the airport to the city centre. A tip is to remove all Baggage tags from you luggage, and try and blend in as much as you can.

2. Take the city bus tour. I found it went to all the good places. Just get on and off wherever you like.

3. I stayed in Hostel Santo Dominigo, near Callao station. very secure, nice staff, nice rooms and it was quiet.

4. Try and save a bit of money, and eat out. Loads of places and good variety.

5. I stayed in at night so can't comment.

Hope this has been some help

Mrs OBumble

Monkey61 wrote: »

Hey,
3. I am going to book a hostel soon. Any areas of preference? I want to be close to somewhere that is lively enough at night, just so I can wander around and not get mugged down quiet back alleyways making my way home.

I've never been to Madrid, so can't help with specifics.

But in general I highly recommend hostel booking systems (eg Hostelworld.com) that have up-to-date reviews from previous guests. Reading a few of these gives you a sense of the issues.

Don't look for 100% positive reviews (there will always be some folks with different perspectives) - some poor ones mean that the feedback is realistic.

djcervi

Well the centre of Madrid is really nice. Sol is pretty much the centre of the city. Calle Arenal (beside it) is a pedestrianised street. It's a great place to be based. Near Burger King, there is a really nice outdoor bar where you can relax with a nice drink and a book. Down one of its side roads there is a nice café where you can eat chocolate con churros. A Spanish delicacy, particularly for curing hangovers, but a nice morning/afternoon snack all the same . On Calle Arenal you can sometimes listen to outdoor bands. There is also a really nice Italian restaurant on the street.

As a girl I would say to be careful. Seeing Spanish guys from an Irish guy viewpoint they can be a bit more 'spontaneous'. I've seen situations in Spain where guys will randomly approach girls on the street, but it's usually harmless chat.

For food and supermarkets there is a supermarket near Sol, called Dia. El corte inglés has a supermarket in Sol, where you can buy food but sometimes it can be pricey depending on what you buy.

As a general outline definitely visit El Retiro park, and Centro del Arte de la Reina Sofía, where you can see Guernica (a painting with historical reference to bombing of town of Guernica during WW2, I think). El Prado is another art gallery, which is popular. If you like football there are the stadiums Bernabeú (Real Madrid) and Vicente Calderón (Atletico Madrid). The area at Atocha metro stop is really nice. Take the Madrid tour bus just beside McDonalds at Sol. You can get on the rooftop, and you pass through the centre of Madrid, where you can begin to get your bearings around the nearby area. You can also get off the bus and get back on, from what I remember (but check beforehand).

You'll love Madrid. It is one of those cities that is just really nice. Also september is a good time for the weather. Summer in Madrid is very humid. The Madrid accent is a nice accent to listen to, and easy to understand.

mconigol

i was there on my own for a few days last summer, went on a tapas tour done by neweurope tours which was alright, they bring you around to some local bars in the afternoon and you have a drink and traditional tapas, nothing wild but if there is a few people in the group it can be a good way of meeting people...some of the people I did it with went on their pub crawl later that night (had a crazy night but wouldn't really recommend it!)

snazzy

I am currently a girl who is au-pairing in a northern suburb of Madrid. I go into Madrid every weekend on my own. I´ve only basic Spainish too after I picked it up as part of my degree.
I´m shattered now but I´ll be sure to write more later.

freedomrevolt

Monkey61 wrote: »

Hey,

Having never taken a holiday on my own before I have booked a weekend to Madrid in September. I am starting to learn Spanish so thought it might be a fun way to put my very basic skills into use (asking the time and saying that i want a corner table in a restaurant etc...hmm)

Anyway a few questions...

1. Will I be grand/safe enough as a girl on my own? Is there anywhere to not wander around by myself in the evening for instance?

2. Is there any particular places that I should explore? I have seen the lists of galleries, churches etc, and while I will probably nip into one or two, I'm not really that pushed on stuff like that. I have only got about 36 hours anyway, so just fancy walking around the place and soaking up atmosphere. Is there anywhere worth taking the metro to just for a ramble?

3. I am going to book a hostel soon. Any areas of preference? I want to be close to somewhere that is lively enough at night, just so I can wander around and not get mugged down quiet back alleyways making my way home.

4. Any tips for cheap food? Supermarkets? I am a vegetarian which seems to rule out an awful lot.

5. Any bars worth definitely checking out? I am happy enough to sit for ages anywhere nice with a drink, a paper and a dictionary.

Thanks for any help.

I lived in Madrid for a year from 2008-2009. It's a great city to live in but really not that much tourist stuff.

The centre of Madrid is always dodgy for tourists. I never had any trouble but I've heard stories. Keep your money somewhere safe. My girlfriend had her bag stolen in a fast food place just off Sol. It'll only happen if you're not careful. Be careful going south of Lavapies at night. That's where people try sell you drugs.

You have to go to the Reina Sofia and the Prado. You'll regret not going. There's no churches worth looking at. Nothing old anyway. The retiro park is beautiful. Worth a look. Sol is ugly and full of souvenir shops so i wouldn't bother too much with it. Goya is a great local hotspot for shops and bars. Go there for your ramble. The Spanish don't do pubs like we do (although there are Irish pubs there) but any taberna you like the look of will be enjoyable. There's thousands of them.

Plaza de Espana is nice too. There's an ancient egyptian temple near there that was given to the spanish government for helping the egyptians at some point. It's called Templo de Debod and there's a nice view and a bit of a park there.

if you're a vegetarian and you want cheap food the spanish have the perfect answer. Tortilla. or Spanish omlette. It's delicious and very very cheap. Buy it in any cafeteria (that's a cafe/bar). The cheapest supermarket is ahorra mas if you can find one.

All my favourite bars were around Menendez Pelayo/Ibiza or Tribunal (another great place for a ramble at the weekend) but most places are great. I was there a year and never got tired of trying new places.

The best hostels are probably Mad Hostel and Cats hostel. Central location, cheap enough and very safe.

Enjoy your trip.

Monkey61

A massive thank you to everyone for advice so far, it has been really helpful! Only a few days to go now!

rustyregan

Have a great time. I was there last September for a few days.

There's a few red light areas in Madrid and I'd recommend avoiding these if possible or taking a bee line through them if necessary. There's one at the junction of Calle De La Montera and Calle Gran Via. There might be a couple of other ones. It's a pretty dodgy atmosphere there.

What the other posters said about being mugged is very true. I had my wallet stolen on the metro. Try to keep your belongings out of the reach of any possible thieves. Also, beware of people on the street offering you things and look after your possessions if in a park, drinking coffee outside a cafe or pretty much any public place.

You're probably not as dumb as me, but I recommend avoiding going to a bull fight. It's an unbelievably appalling activity.

I do recommend the Reina Sophia museum, particuarly to see Picasso's Guernica. It really is special seeing it. That was the only museum I went to - the other two major ones are supposed to be world class too. That museum was probably the highlight of my trip - and I'm not even an art lover.

Also, Cordoba is probably worth a day trip. It's a UNESCO world heritage site. The high speed train there was only about €12 and took about an hour. It's an old medival town and former capital of Spain. There's lots of swords for sale, if you need a sword.

There's a renowned flea market ("El Rastro") on Sunday. Worth a look. Slightly meh.

Let us know how you get on.

rustyregan

freedomrevolt wrote: »

Plaza de Espana is nice too. There's an ancient egyptian temple near there that was given to the spanish government for helping the egyptians at some point. It's called Templo de Debod and there's a nice view and a bit of a park there.

+1. The Egyptian temple is fascinating and excellent views of that huge park and the surrounding suburbs of Madrid and the hazy sierra in the distance. Very nice.

freedomrevolt

rustyregan wrote: »

Also, Cordoba is probably worth a day trip. It's a UNESCO world heritage site. The high speed train there was only about €12 and took about an hour. It's an old medival town and former capital of Spain. There's lots of swords for sale, if you need a sword.
.

I'm sure you mean Toledo, as Cordoba is in Andaluscia, which is quite far. Other than that you're spot on. I don't agree about the bullfighting but that's off topic and I don't even feel that stongly on the subject.

rustyregan

freedomrevolt wrote: »

I'm sure you mean Toledo, as Cordoba is in Andaluscia, which is quite far. Other than that you're spot on. I don't agree about the bullfighting but that's off topic and I don't even feel that stongly on the subject.

Yes, Toledo, good spot. We'll agree to disagree on the other thing.

helimachoptor

Just back from Madrid, was visiting a Greek friend who works there. He lives beside Alvarado station. We did a lot of walking and seen a lot and really enjoyed it. Some great native bars, but as my friend looks spanish but speaks very little and i dont look spanish and speak even less we had no problems ordering food or beers. And no hassle walking around any part of the city in the early hours and my friend would fall over due to a stiff breeze

Watched the game on saturday in the Dubliners pub just of Sol great atmosphere with a mix of locals, irish, english, dutch and some aussies.

Also around the corner went to a very trendy tapas bar for Chorizo and steak for lunch

I will most certainly be going back!

japanesebanana

Bump! I'm heading to Madrid on my own in Feburary. I'm pale, blonde and small and just a bit apprehensive as it'll be my first time away on my own. Going for 3 months and I only have "survival Spanish". Just wondering about safety and getting by with little Spanish, really.

CorkMan

I was in Madrid September 2008 and didn't get any hassle at all, nor feel endangered. Having said that, I am a man of solid 20 stone so that could have played a part, but there are no "run-down" areas at all in the city, or the suburbs from what I saw. When I was in Salou I was hassled oven by people inviting me into restaurants, not a bit here.

I stayed in Los Amigos Sol Backpackers Hostel just off Sol, and I highly recommend it. There beds are comfy, you get lockers to store your stuff if you have your own key. Best of all you get a safe where you can put your most valuable documents when out (passport, etc). Extremely clean as well, picturesque too. €15 a night when I was there, right in the middle of Madrid.

The only inconvenience I encountered was the prostitutes always offering me their service on Calle Arenal (Arenal Street). Everytime I passed down they would try to stop me, to get me to have sex with them. I did have one session for €50 if you're into that type of thing, but I was a 21 year old foreign male traveller, so I was an obvious target.

Japanesebanana, many people in Madrid speak English. Every person behind a hotel counter does, and 40-50%+ plus IMO of people under 35 have a functional command of english. I asked a man in his twenties "Donde esta este calle?" (where is this street), he replied back to me in English. I ordered food in a restaurant, 3 people behind the counter all spoke english. I got tickets at the Bernabeu for a Real Madrid match, the sellers spoke english.

I never-ever got a dangerous vibe TBH, not an unsafe city. Plus it is very clean, no-one gets drunk in public, I mean no-one. I was with a group of people and one had a drink before heading out, people "sniffed" when they pass by him due to the faint smell of drink. Drunkeness in public is really frowned upon. Overall, I would really recommend it.

Feeling good

What a usefull thread I've found
Thanks to everyone who posted, so interesting to read!

hrtfreeman

Hi!
1. Madrid is a safe city for a girl, but you'd better stay in the center of the city.
2. Visit el Museo del Prado. But you will need more than one day! Also, la Cibeles and the Santiago Bernabeu football stadium.
3. Why don't you better rent an apartment? there are cheap ones in this website: http://www.ok-madrid-apartments.com/en
4.Madrid is the capital of Spain, so you won't have problems finding any kind of food.
5.Go to the center of the city. there are plenty of bars and discos!

helimachoptor

Just back from another trip to Madrid at the weekend, brought the OH with me this time and she really loved it. Stopped off at the famour chorizo place i mentioned above just off Sol, its Argentinean i found out but it's fantastic.