I have been told the Madrid airport will be DREADFUL at that hour when I arrive in transit from Cairo going to Miami Florida. I have an 8 hour layover starting at 4 a.m.

Any ideas on how to make this less painful?
Is there anywhere to go, anything to see in Madrid at the crack of dawn?
Will the airport have a Starbucks open?
This happens the end of January - is Madrid going to be cold and wet in January?

In early Feb I come back through, but with a more sensible time frame for the layover. If anyone wants to suggest something I MUST see in an 9 hour daytime layover (from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) please feel free to suggest. I'm thinking a great place for lunch and maybe some site to be seen, but I'm open to any suggestions.

Thank you

There is a tube line from the airport to the city center, it wont take you long and it is 1 eur, I think, you can go to have a decent breakfast with chocolate and churros, not something from starbucks.

The Metro starts to run around about 6 in the morning.
http://www.ctm-madrid.es/
A lot of shops and bars at the airport will also not be open that early.
http://tinyurl.com/airportshops

But it is not easy or quick to get to downtown on the metro. Requires two changes so factor that in. However, most of the downtown area except for a coffee shop doesn't really begin to wake up until closer to 10 AM. Which is about the time you need to be back at the airport. Unfortunately, I think you are stuck at the airport. The day time layer over works better.

Thanks for the input. If anyone comes up with a HOT TICKET idea, let me know. I'll check in over here now and again.

I'm always on Fodors answering Egypt questions so I'll come over and see what is happening to my Spain question again.

Then you probably answered some of my questions when I travelled there some time ago!

You may get to Madrid center in a bus also. Am not familiar with timetables. At those early hours there are many bars already open for early breakfast, even a cup of hot just-made caldo del cocido especially around markets as La Latina.

hot just-made caldo del cocido

I googled it - sounds yummy! Am I right in thinking it has something to do with hot chocolate and pastries of some sort?

no.. it is a broth made from a meat and vegetable stew.

chocolate and CHURROS is the hot chocolate and "fried donut sticks".

Hot chocolate and friend donut sticks sounds better for 4 a.m.
Think I'll save the caldo del cocido for the return trip.

Thanks

ha ha ha! I wish I lived there to take you out for this after all your help on my not-happening now Egypt trip. But there will be a tomorrow!