@cruiseluv - Yes, I heartily agree about the cod tapas at Casa Revuelta! I don't remember who I got the heads up on that one from, possibly Revulgo on a google map on TA. Casa Revuelta keeps shorter hours than the tapas bars on Cava Baja, twice we swung by there and they were closed, darn. But we made it there 2 times nevertheless. Delicious!

I think it was Kihme who might have posted on a suggestions post he made a while back for someone. Anyway, it was a nice soul here on Fodor's, too, who opened my eyes!

Nice report and blog. Great info for our first trip in Oct of this year

Hi again, Rebeccah! having just found your great Hungary thread, here you are again doing the same with Madrid, which is another place where we spent a few days one winter a few years ago.

One of the advantages of living in Europe is being able to hop over to place like this for a long weekend or so, and for those who aren't familiar with airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet, it's worth knowing that their luggage policies are quite strict, though they may be relaxed at certain airports, so what holds good at Madrid for Ryanair, may not apply elsewhere. So whilst you watched others taking excessively large bags onto the aircraft, you can't guarantee that would happen if you were flying from a different airport.

Anyway, nice to have so many good suggestions for what to do with a longer stay plus the tapas bars of course, which we love too.

@annhig - Living closer is sure an advantage, the travel from San Diego is...well, long! That and the jet lag. Thanks much for the heads up on Ryanair, I'll make a note of that on the post on the site.

Hi Rebeccah

What a great trip report on one of my favourite cities. I loved your blog especially how you posted a summary of your itinerary. The apartment is amazing. Plaza Santa Ana is my favourite in Madrid. I've wanted to stay there but was concerned about noise levels. How did you find the noise issues for the apartment?

@worldinabag - The apartment has automatic roll-down blackout blinds and double-paned windows which really made a difference with any noise. Funny thing, I'm a light sleeper and the noise from the plaza didn't bother me. Maybe because we were out until midnight ourselves! (Which isn't very late in Madrid, I admit) Steve said a couple of people in the plaza woke him up in the plaza a couple of times but he put earplugs in and went back to sleep. I'd stay here again in a heartbeat, it was a marvelous apartment.

OK thanks Rebeccah, that's reassuring to know. Bookmarked the apartment. Now to save up for the airfare :)

Great report, many of my Madrid favourites and some good new suggestions. Casa Revuleta is always a must, and they also do an excellent squid in its own ink tapa, traditionally a speciality from the Basque Country (Txipirones en su tinta): http://partaste.com/guides/txipirones-en-su-tinta/

Really great blog Rebaccah. Excellent photos, good information, and inspiration. Thanks for sharing.

kimhe, the squid look ... interesting. Wonder how it smells?
I'll confess this is probably more to my liking. :)
http://partaste.com/worldrecipes/esp...chickpea-stew/

lol, Nelson, DS ate spaghetti con seppia e il suo tinto in Venice for lunch one day when he was about 15 and raves about it still, even though he went round all day with black teeth.

Definitely more to his [and my] taste than the chickpea stew.

Who knows, maybe when we are in Spain this October a plate will go by and I'll have a sudden craving. Anything is possibly with enough wine or GTs!

Nelson - thanks for your nice comments!

Kimhe - I'd heard about the squid...that cod was just so delicious I didn't want to try anything else. Next time!

Nelson, build up on GTs or some vermouth/vermú and definitely try the Txipirones/chipirones en su tinta in Revuelta. A traditional thing in the Basque Country but also a well known speciality of seven Michelin star chef Martin Berasategui from San Sebastian. http://www.martinberasategui.com/blo...s-en-su-tinta/