Madrid
My video/vlog on how To Experience the Perfect Two Days in Madrid for first timers! My guide is below!
MUST DO
Puerta de Alcalá
+ Puerta de Alcalá
Similar to the Arc de Triumph’s in both Paris & Barcelona, this is a triple arch structure that welcomes you to Madrid in a magnificent way.
+ Royal Palace of Madrid
One of my personal favorites of palaces in Europe. The intricate white exterior is just a dream. Tips:
+ Parque del Retiro
Designate a few hours for this beautiful park to walk around taking in the garden views, row a boat on the lake, check out the crystal palace, and explore the breathtaking grounds.
Tips:
Similar to the Arc de Triumph’s in both Paris & Barcelona, this is a triple arch structure that welcomes you to Madrid in a magnificent way.
+ Royal Palace of Madrid
One of my personal favorites of palaces in Europe. The intricate white exterior is just a dream. Tips:
- buy tickets ahead of time if you are there in the summertime because the line is long in the heat with no shaded areas.
+ Parque del Retiro
Designate a few hours for this beautiful park to walk around taking in the garden views, row a boat on the lake, check out the crystal palace, and explore the breathtaking grounds.
Tips:
- Bring water, or euros to buy if you are there in the summer, because it gets very hot here.
- I wouldn’t wear your nicest shoes as most of this park is walking through soft dirt.
Parque Del Retiro
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+ Mercado de San Miguel
A food and drink market filled with Spain’s finest signature tapas dishes and wines. We went closer to opening time to avoid longer lines as much as possible. + Calle Gran Via Shopping! While in Madrid, we walked here and through the side streets after stuffing up at Mercado de San Miguel. Coming from NY, shopping in Spain is my favorite as stores like Zara, Mango, Bershka, & more are significantly cheaper. Going to Spain, I do not bring outfits for every day as I know that I will be doing a lot of shopping while away. + See a Flamenco show! A must do while in Madrid! We spent the night at Las Tablas. Bought tickets ahead of time that included a drink during the show that was absolutely fabulous. No better way to experience culture in Madrid. + The Prado Museum Another wonderful art museum of Europe. |
WHERE TO EATTapas! It is difficult to find a bad meal in Madrid as it is a food capital of Spain. There are plenty of Jamón ibérico shops at every corner. If you are a picky eater like me, be sure to check out menus before entering restaurants because there were often places I would not eat anything on their menu.
ROOFTOP BARS: + Azotea del Círculo Views of Madrid. Grab a drink here before sunset in the summer. Go earlier rather than later to find a good spot to seat yourself and just take in the tranquility of a European holiday. + Radio at Hotel ME Madrid Come here at night to surround yourself with a good time with the Spanish. Good drinks and can order food if you get hungry. WHERE TO STAY+ Hotel ME Madrid.
We stayed here the first time. The style is modern and it is in a square with restaurants that are always filled with locals. It is nice walking distance (as most places are) to many touristy attractions without being too much in the hustle and bustle. The room is clean along with the rest of the hotel. + Hotel Vincci Centrum. We loved this location as well (pretty close to the ME Madrid), and the environment in this hotel was just lovely. There is an adorable tiny cafe/bar in the lobby that we grabbed a few drinks from and the rooms itself were pretty large for a European hotel. |
Puerta de Alcalá
GETTING AROUNDWalk! We only needed a taxi to get to and from the airport. Other than that, the city is fairly small enough to get around by foot. Plan your days and routes accordingly.
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Royal Palace of Madrid