2 days in Madrid ?
 

On our way home we will have 2 full days in Madrid. We know this is not much time, but can anyone recommend activities we shouldn't miss ? We will be staying downtown, but have no car. Thanks in advance.

Prado and half-day trip by train (about 25 minutes) to Toledo to walk medieval city and see Toledo Cathedral, which is stunningly beautiful.

If you want to stay in Madrid besides the world class museums, there is Retiro Park, Mercado Saint Miguel, Plaza Mayor, Plaza del Sol.

On of the lesser visited attractions is the Royal Tapestry Factory where they still Goya designs.

I think 2 days in Madrid is plenty. Spend the first seeing the Royal Palace and the Prado - and spend some time in the Plaza Mayor - perhaps explore a little before dinner.

Spend the second day going to Toledo .

We had 3 days in Madrid, it was hot as hell - 99 at end of April - and all we wanted was to go home. We would have paid extra to fly back a day earlier but they didn't have 2 seats.

Depends on when you go, I went in e spring and loved Madrid 5 days was not enough but Madrid is more a city for strolling. I'd go to the Prado and the Treina Sofia just to see Guernica-it is amazing! Don't miss the San Miguel Market for grazing.

I would spend some time just walking around-especially in the evening during the paseo. See the Royal Palace, Walk through the Plaza Mayor and see the Plaza dell Sol. Oh and I'd second Retiro Park.

thanks for your replies. We will be there in early March. Hope the weather will be favorable, but that's our plan.

Weather could be rather cool in early March but hopefully nothing that would deter you.

I didn't expect to like Madrid but have now spent 7 nights there. First trip was planning to do mostly day trips from there and spend two days looking around Madrid. I never took any of those day trips. I love Madrid!

Do go buy the convent cookies! Very cool story to bring home and excellent sweets!

* Old Madrid - Includes the Palacio, La Latina, and Sol neighborhoods

* Prado Museum - European Renaissance art - Velaquez, Goya, El Greco, etc

* Royal Palace (Palacio Rea) - Sumptuous, lavishly furnished national palace.

* Opera House (Teatro Real) - Opposite the Royal Palace opened in 1850

* Plaza de Oriente - landscaped gardens are enclosed in a kind of semi-circular design. It's a leafy area with plants and trees beside broad walkways, one of which is lined with the statues of Spanish kings from the medieval period.

* Descalzas Royal Monastery (Monestasterio de las Descalzas Reales) - Monestary of the barefoot Royal Nuns Founded in 16th c. WOW WOW WOW!!! Worth effort to get in.

* Real Monasterio de la Encarnacion - Church is a splendid example of 18th C architecture by Ventura Rodriguez. In relicry, is vial of San Pantaleon's blood which is said to liquefy every year on 27 July

* Puerta del Sol

* Plaza Mayor (Main Square)

* Plaza Santa Ana

* Retiro Park - Crystal Palace (Parque del Buen Retiro)

* Real Jardin Botanico - small charge - just to the south of the Prado, created in 1774 by Carlos III, tranquil and lush w// green houses a shaded walkway of Spanish vines

* Mercado de Ibiza - Municipal market on Ibiza near the eastern side of Retiro Park

* Grand Via - For walk/architechture/shops

* Chapel of San Antonio de la Florida (Ermita de San Antonio) - Church w/ Goya's tomb plus frescoes by him

* Temple de Debod - 1968, Egypt gave Spain an ancient temple as gift for help in rescuing monuments threatened by rising Nile waters. Original Egyptian temple with fine carved reliefs from 200 BC

* Puerta de Alcala -0 Gorgeous photo op at night

* Plaza de Cibeles - square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city of Madrid. It sits at the intersection of Calle de Alcalá (running from east to west), Paseo de Recoletos (to the North) and Paseo del Prado (to the south). Plaza de Cibeles was originally named Plaza de Madrid, but in 1900, the City Council named it Plaza de Castelar, which was eventually replaced by its current name.

* Mercado de San Miguel - Lavish displays of Jamon, shellfish, cheeses, pastries, wines and beer, and fresh produce.

* Mercado de Maravillas _ Biggest of the Madrid's old-style covered markets. Part of its success must be its location: the Calle Bravo Murillo runs right through the densely populated and traditional neighborhoods of Estrecho and Tetuan.

* Mercado de la Paz - lacy iron-and-glass coverd market was designed in the late-19th Century by Gustave Eiffel (of Tower fame), and today individual stalls showcase an abundance of epicurean fare ranging from hams and cheeses to fresh fruit and vegetables to fresh meats and seafood.

* El Rastro Market - only on Sunday morning

* Plaza de Villa - Pretty pediestrian square and showcase of Madrid architechture from 15th-17th c. Main attraction is the Baroque Casa de la Villa, or town hall. Also note the Torre de los Lujanes, w/ Mudejar arches and a Gothic portal
El Mentidero de la Villa

We have visited Madrid five times, 4-6 days each time.
It is a great city with tons to see and do. we love it.
I would add to PP 's list the upscale, elegant Salmanca district just north of Retiro,
a fantastic Spanish Naval Museum and the house /museum of painter Sorolla.

but with only 2 days, you wil have to pick and choose.

See world class flamenco in Casa Patas, the best tablao in the country in recent years. Just off vibrant Plaza Santa Ana in the heart of town: http://www.casapatas.com/

Casa Patas stages nothing but great artists, and even artists that fill major theaters in New York, Paris, London and all over Spain perform here frequently. Here they get a chance to have an up front experience with the audience where they can test new material etc. Changing artist every week.

Some clips from Casa Patas the past couple of years:

Fuensanta La Moneta, voted best female flamenco dancer 2009 by Spanish critics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbO_lw2xWtU

Pastora Galván, voted best female flamenco dancer 2010 by Spanish critics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY6Vy9tKW3U

Olga Pericet, voted best female flamenco dancer 2011 by Spanish critics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55waEsaBzjM

Fantastic and cutting edge Israel Galván, he has revolutionized male flamenco dance during the past decade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL9Wav9v7Jc

Estrella Morente, now the world's most famous cantaora (female flamenco singer): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sejSYMSQDZo

.

with such short time I would actually let the tourist bus take me around and later visit the museum of your choice. This way you will get a full view of the city from the outside, or if there are two of you and you do not mind no commentary, have a taxi buzz you around most of the route. A night drive is always lovely to see the fountains and buildings lit up.

Do not miss a drink at the mentioned Plaza Oriente looking across at the Royal Palace.

Bookmarking

I can also recommend Café Central, the best jazz venue in town. Also just off Plaza Santa Ana. Top class artists every night at 10pm, entrance 15€. Changing artists every week. Good food. Have had several fabulous nights here: http://www.cafecentralmadrid.com/

But if you go to either Casa Patas (a clear #1 suggestion) or Café Central, I would recommend a genuine Madrid dinner in close by Casa Alberto from 1827: http://www.casaalberto.es/
Still very popular with the madrileños. http://11870.com/pro/casa-alberto

I recommend to go for the midnight performance at Casa Patas. People in Madrid rarely have dinner before 9.30-10pm, so first dinner at Casa Alberto and then flamenco in Casa Patas makes up a genuine Madrid night, or the beginning of it. Fabulous nightlife into the small hours, the madrileños are called "los gatos"/the cats for good reasons...

And you shouldn't leave wonderful Madrid without having had the fried cod tapas at classic Revuelta in C/Latoneros 3, just off Plaza Mayor. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ta-Madrid.html
http://www.smart-travelling.net/en/n.../show/details/
The famous fried cod at Revuelta: https://guidepal.com/madrid/restaurants/casa-revuelta

Yes! That cod is amazing! Just imagine the absolute BEST little piece of fish and chips you have ever swallowed.

Making me want to return to Madrid! We loved it... one thing I did not see above (If it is there pardon the repeat) we loved Mercado San Miguel - we also went to Mercado San Anton but with only two days I would be sure to stop in San Miguel as it was so fun and had such a Spanish flair (to us! :-) )
Don't miss the burrata stand... oh my!

bookmarking

... "just off Plaza mayor".. makes me laugh since there are about 8 streets jutting out from the plaza, if not more, or so it seems, and we always have to ask which way such and such a street is.. it is so easy to get turned around there!

My contribution for Madrid:
Just reopened National Archaeological Museum
http://www.man.es/man/en/home

Madrid Río fluvial park
http://www.esmadrid.com/recursos/doc...4201116412.pdf

Platea Madrid food court
http://www.foodsfromspain.com/icex/c...8040_0,00.html

Cutting edge cultural center: Matadero Madrid
http://www.mataderomadrid.org/index.php?idioma=EN

Real Madrid stadium tour
http://www.realmadrid.com/en/tickets/bernabeu-tour

Cool trendy eateries
http://goo.gl/maps/F8PbE

Small museums: Sorolla and Cerralbo
http://museosorolla.mcu.es/visita_vi...a_virtual.html
http://en.museocerralbo.mcu.es/

Rooftop terraces:
Gymage on Plaza Soledad Torres Acosta, next to the Gran Vía
http://www.gymage.es/?id=terrace

Tartan Roof (Círculo de Bellas Artes)
http://www.azoteadelcirculo.com/category/azotea/

Gau Café in the multicultural neighborhood of Lavapiés.
http://www.gaucafe.com/en/galeria/#.U5tBnvl_uSo

Jardines de Sabatini
http://www.jardinesdesabatini.com/en/