We bookended our trip with the hustle and bustle of Spanish city life in Madrid. While we didn’t stay in this city long, I’ve rounded up some must-visit places from our experience and from a friend who lived there. Here’s my Madrid travel guide.
Where to Stay: Hotel Montera
Hotel Montera is a new five-star hotel in Madrid. The staff is welcoming, the amenities are top-notch and the location is unbeatable. Not to mention the welcome truffles (I’m a sucker for good chocolate) and access to free water at any time during our stay. We also visited El Cielo de Chicote, the rooftop bar, for a complimentary drink.
What to do in Madrid
The Royal Palace of Madrid
With over 3,418 elaborately decorated rooms, The Royal Palace of Madrid is known as the largest palace in Western Europe and one of the largest in the entire world (so wear your Fitbit to make your steps count). The palace, dating back to the 18th century, is still the official residence of the King of Spain and the only residence open to the public. Purchase your tickets online to skip the line.
Plaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor is Madrid’s most famous square located in the oldest part of the city. We stopped by on our way to lunch at Mercado de San Miguel. The square is also the location of the Christmas market in December and the drum parade at Easter.
El Retiro Park
El Retiro Park is a large green space in the middle of the city, covering 350 acres. I highly recommend strolling through one of the gardens, renting a row boat or visiting the Glass Palace.
Prado Museum
The Prado Museum was built in the 18th century and houses one of the world’s finest art collections, including the first copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”. The museum has free entry Monday through Saturday between 6-8 pm. and on Sundays from 5-7 p.m. The museum only allows a certain amount of guests each day (we learned the hard way), so I suggest purchasing tickets online in advance.
Other places to visit
Two places we didn’t have time to visit are Parque Europa and the Puerta del Sol area. Parque Europe has replicas of 18 European monuments, like the Eiffel Tower and the Trevi Fountain. The Puerta del Sol area has shops, and word on the street is it has some of the best churro places too.
Where to eat in Madrid
Mercado de San Miguel
Mercado de San Miguel has been in operation for over 100 years, housing more than 20 vendors that serve quality food from various regions in Spain. We walked away with empanadas and a Spanish tortilla, a staple in Spain made from eggs and potatoes.
Pancomido Café
Pancomido Café has multiple locations in Madrid and is the perfect place to find a good breakfast. I have sticker shock since coming back to America. At Pancomido, we ordered three lattes, fruit, water and a croissant for 12 euros (and it was all delicious).
Pizzaiolo
Pizza hits different in Europe, so Asher sought out the best pizza in Madrid. The owners of Pizzaiolo are Italian, and the pizza is to die for.
Taberna El Sur
Taberna El Sur (which means “south tavern”) was our first dinner stop, mainly because Google told us they had the best paella and sangria in Madrid. We can vouch for the ropa vieja, pimientos de padrón (another authentic dish you have to try) and the seafood paella.
Taberna Mas Al Sur
And that brings us to our next restaurant recommendation — Taberna Mas Al Sur (which means “tavern further south”). The two places are owned by the same people, with this restaurant sitting, well, a little further south. We ended our trip in Spain by ordering the ropa vieja and seafood paella here as well.
Eccolo Gelato
If you’re in Madrid and looking for some gelato (which you should be because VACAY), visit Eccolo Gelato. If you’re dairy-free, they have an amazing dairy-free chocolate sorbet!
Like our Madrid travel guide and looking for more? Check out my Barcelona travel guide.
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