5 day Madrid itinerary help
 

Hi,

Holiday is approaching fast (15 of May), time to get serious with itineraries. Will be in Madrid from 16 till 21 of May, open to any suggestions of how we can spend our time there better!

Day 1. Sat, 16 May (half day, plane will land 1:45 PM)

- arrive to our apartment (Erik Vokel Atocha) ~4 PM
- shower, get some groceries from supermarket around the corner, buy local sim from Phone House
- Reina Sofia is free 7-9 PM (5 min walk from apartment)
- not much else on this day as will be jet lagged etc. (flying from Australia)

Day 2. Sun, 17 May

- El Rastro market (go early!) - not 100% if worth our time?
- Cava Baja street for tapas lunch?
- Retiro park
- Prada museum (free from 5-8PM)
- Cafe Central Madrid for jazz? (very late at night)

Day 3. Mon, 18 May (all museums are free this day!)

- Royal Palace (10 AM - 8 PM) - go early to avoid crowds
- Plaza de la Villa
- Plaza Mayor
- Mercado de San Miguel
- Puerta del Sol
- Ingles shopping center?
- Plaza Santa Ana and surrounds

Day 4. Tue, 19 May

- Day trip to Toledo
- Something else after return? Probably will be too tired..

Day 5. Wed, 20 May

- Plaza de Cibeles
- National Archeological Museum
- Gran Via
- Salamanca district

Day 6. Thu, 21 May

- Bus to Granada

I loved the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales -- maybe they didn't interest you?

Whether 3 hours will suffice for your visit to El Prado depends on your interests. I wanted MUCH more time; you may not.

"Day trip to Toledo ... Something else after return?"

I spent 2 very full days in Toledo. I personally can't imagine running out of things to see there with just a day trip, but of course, closing times make a difference and your interests seem to differ from mine.

Enjoy!

The live jazz at Cafe Central is not that late, every night at about 10pm. Only top of the shelf artists, changing every week. But it's perfectly doable to make a late night out of it here, we've often ended our Madrid nights here and I highly recommend the "early night" concerts. http://www.cafecentralmadrid.com/

Madrid is also the flamenco capital of the world, even though the beautiful and powerful art comes from Andalucia. But all flamencos have to conquer Madrid to get to the top. Two of the finest tablaos in the country are just off Plaza Santa Ana:
Casa Patas: http://www.casapatas.com/
Cardamomo: http://cardamomo.es/?lang=en
Fabulous Paloma Fantova has frequently danced at Cardamomo the past couple of years. Here she tears down prestigious Sadler's Wells in London: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck7hMzNH3b8

When you go for a C/ Cava baja tapas crawl for lunch, I would recommend that you start at Casa Revuelta just 40 meters from the start of Cava Baja. Fabulous bacalao tapa, lots of other goodies and great Madrid atmosphere. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ta-Madrid.html

Something for El Rastro. In my opinion the least interesting stuff (cheap clothes) is on Rastro's main street: Ribera de Curtidores (Tanners Road). To see the most interesting trail you must take the small side streets: Plaza General Vara del Rey, Calle Mira el Río --Alta and Baja--, Calle del Carnero, Calle del Mellizo, Calle de Carlos Arniches, Calle del Bastero. The busiest --and most interesting time-- is from 12 noon to 2pm on a Sunday.
In these streets you will find furniture and scraps of fabric, antiques and ragpickers, old books, cameras, old lamps, tools, vintage and antique shops and all kinds of junk that seem nobody will ever buy.
After touring the Rastro go to a typical tavern to soak up the local atmosphere. My suggestions:
* Try to get a slice of bread topped with either "lacón", octopus, shrimp with alioli sauce … in the overcrowded Capricho Extremeño on Calle Carlos Arniches 30.
* Grab some olives at Jiménez on Plaza General Vara del Rey.
* Enjoy some grilled sardines at Santurce on Plaza General Vara del Rey.
* What about Madrileño snails in sauce at Casa Amedo on Plaza de Cascorro?
* Grilled prawns, fresh clams and vermouth on tap at La Paloma on Calle Toledo 85.

<vermouth on tap at La Paloma on Calle Toledo 85.>

Yes, Rastro and Sunday lunch in Madrid is very much about having a bite and drinking vermouth on tap: http://partaste.com/restaurants-mark...rmouth-madrid/
http://www.saboreagourmet.com/vermouth-time/

bookmarking for upcoming trip

Thank you everyone, lots of good info about tapas and Rastro and the rest! :)

kja, regarding 2-3 hours in Prado I was thinking that if we'll be short we can go any other evening as well (or maybe on 18 of May as it's free). Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, need to read more about it, might squeeze into our schedule somehow, thanks!

As much as we want to spend more time in Toledo we have already booked accommodations for the whole trip in Spain (18 days total), so this time a day trip has to do.

We also going to Granada, Seville and Barcelona, but I'll create separated threads for each city, otherwise it gets confusing, also will be easier for other people if someone else wants to use the advices given in the future.

Does itinerary in general looks alright, or should we add or take more things to each day?

Forgot to add that I was planning to see flamenco in Seville as our apartment will be very close from Casa de la Memoria.

I second Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum if you love art. It was my experience that one must buy the 3-museum pass at the Prado first. Since Reina Sofia would be free, you probably won't save much. Others can confirm.

Please share your experiences here and have a wonderful time.

When I visit a city like Madrid, I visit a museum than skip a day before going to another museum. Another vote for the THyssen

Yes to Thyssen!

We thoroughly enjoyed the English tour at the Real Palacio.

We were disappointed in the shopping experience at Ingles.

Ingles is a department store...if one is looking for upscale shops ,Serrano- Salamanca
is the place to go.
In one day you can get the general view of Toledo( it is small) , see the Cathedral, , the Synagog and
El Greco's house. All we wanted to do.
Art museums in Madrid can be overwhelming , three in a few days might take too much time
from enjoying a grate city in lovely weather..: sitting in cafes, strolling through the parks, people watching...

So many great ideas! Love it. :)

Bookmarking for ideas of how to visit El Rastro. In all my trips to Madrid have never been !

esj, you have covered all the basics, sounds good!

Slightly changed itinerary as on May 18 all museums are free, so decided to do Prado and Thyssen on that day, hopefully won't be too much.

Day 1. Sat, 16 May (half day, will land 13:45)

- arrive from airport with express bus (~50 min, final stop Atocha)
- go to apartment
- by local sim card for the phone (Phone House)
- Reina-Sofia is free 7-9 PM if we have stamina to do it

Day 2. Sun, 17 May

- Quick walk through El Rastro flea market (9 AM - 15 PM) on the way to Royal Palace
- Royal Palace (10 AM - 8 PM, takes ~2 hours)
- Plaza de la Villa
- Cava Baja tapas street or Mercado de San Miguel for lunch
- Plaza Mayor
- Puerta del Sol

Day 3. Mon, 18 May

All museums are free this day!
- Prado museum (10 AM - 8 PM)
- Lunch somewhere around Prado
- Thyssen-Bornemisza museum (12 AM - 4 PM)
- El Retiro park
- Plaza Santa Ana and surrounds in the evening?

Day 4. Tue, 19 May

- Day trip to Toledo (train ~35 min, 9:20 - 17:30, buy tickets ahead!)

Day 5. Wed, 20 May

- Plaza de Cibeles
- Puerta de Alcalá
- National Archeological Museum
- Gran Via
- Salamanca district

And of course, you'll land in Madrid in the middle of the San Isidro festival, celebration of the city's patron Saint and the major festival of the year (May 14-17). Typical dance, music, wine, food, great fireworks and toros: http://www.spain.info/en/reportajes/...en_madrid.html

Programme for this years San Isidro: http://sanisidromadrid.com/

The festival ends with a concert in the Retiro park on Sunday night (17 May) with the Banda Sinfónica Municipal de Madrid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLqpQnhBmlY

Lots of things going on in Plaza Mayor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VEjgu7y9NM
Concerts at night, here wonderful cantaora (flamenco singer) Argentina during San Isidro 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2akaFt7MPw

esj,
I'm grateful for your attempt to organize your upcoming trip as you've done half the work for me! I'm leaving in 2 weeks and am using your threads for Madrid and Sevilla to help me with my planning.

Can't wait! Hope you have a great trip, too!

Paule