november_moon

I will probably be going to Spain in mid-November for work. Another colleague and I will be visiting some clients outside of Madrid for about 3 days, and I would like to tack on a couple days in Madrid at the end. I've never thought much about travelling to Spain and since I only have a few weeks before the trip, I have to come up to speed pretty quickly. My colleague will probably head straight home after we leave our client, so I will be on my own.

I know this is a broad question, but what would you suggest for a first-time visitor in Madrid to see in a day or two? I am looking for a taste of the city - I know I will only be able to scratch the surface. I am generally interested in history and culture, neighborhoods, architecture, museums, palaces/castles. I also like to try the local food and wines. Would you recommend any coach tour or guided walking tour? Maybe a tour one morning and then have the rest of my stay to see things on my own?

I speak passable Spanish and it is the sort of thing that comes back to me fairly quickly once I have been around it a bit, so I am not worried about a language barrier.

Also, what area of the city should I stay in? I'm a woman travelling by myself, so I'll need someplace fairly safe, preferably centrally located since time is short - don't want to spend much time commuting around. Generally my budget for European hotels is 100 euro/night, but I could nudge that up toward the 120-140. Any favorites that you'd recommend?

Thanks in advance. Usually I do a bunch of research ahead of time, but this trip has come up suddenly, so I need to get on the ball.

zeppole

If you don't mind a guided tour, surely that is going to be the most efficient way to get a grip on the history and architecture of Madrid. I would look for one that included a tour of the Royal Palace.

For many people (me included) the Prado and other museums of fine art are the great calling card of Madrid, but some people simply don't enjoy museum-going when they travel in a foreign city. If nothing else, I highly recommend at least an hour in the Prado to see the work of Velasquez and Goya, and a moment in the Reina Sofia to see Picasso's Guernica -- because these paintings are so important to the history of Spain and western art.

The other great attraction of Madrid is its marvelous eats. If you are only going to be there for 48 hours, there is a limit to how much you can eat, but the city has great food, wine, coffee, chocolate, cheese -- lots and lots of tasty dishes. Try posting on Chowhound for tips about where to eat, and state your budget.

It would be a pity to spend all your time on guided tours or in quiet museums and let your Spanish go to waste. I'd look on line for a few self-guided walking tours, too, and recommendations for best friendly cafes and tapas bars. And if you like to shop, Madrid is a European capital of style.

Tripadvisor can be a great resource for budget hotels and b&bs in Madrid.

Nikki

I loved my stay at the Hotel Room Mate Alicia on Plaza Santa Ana. Very nicely designed new hotel in an old landmark building. Great central location, lots of tapas bars and restaurants around the Plaza. Easy walking distance to Casa Patas, a place where I have spent two great evenings watching flamenco. www.casapatas.com

Lots of tips about Madrid in Maribel's guide at www.maribelsguides.com.

danon

"
For many people (me included) the Prado and other museums of fine art are the great calling card of Madrid, but some people simply don't enjoy museum-going when they travel in a foreign city. If nothing else, I highly recommend at least an hour in the Prado to see the work of Velasquez and Goya, and a moment in the Reina Sofia to see Picasso's Guernica -- because these paintings are so important to the history of Spain and western art."

I agree.
Madrid is a very big city ... but, one can walk from Plaza Mayor to the lovely Plaza de Oriente ( where the Palce is located).
Just behind Prado is a beautiful park Retiro and north of the park the elegant district of Serrano-Salamanca.
Sorry, cannot recommend a hotel, but the Search function will give you a lot of info.

november_moon

Thanks for the help - this gets me started. I think that a combination of museums and other sites would be good, of course weather could determine the ratio of inside to outside activities.

Plaza Santa Ana sounds just like what I am looking for as a place to base myself.

cruiseluv

You shouldn't be concerned as a woman to travel by yourself to Madrid. I have done so many times. Just this last summer I stayed for 5 nights at the Hotel Prado , near Plaza santa Ana. I find that this hotel has a high quality to price ratio. It's a solid 3 stars. IMO , the best location is to stay in the Plaza santa Ana area.

kimhe

I recently posted these Madrid suggestions on another thread:

Have breakfast or lunch at Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes in down town Calle Alcalá, 42. One of the city's most emblematic cafés. Grab a window table and watch Madrid life on bustling Calle Alcalá. Take the lift up to the roof topp terrace (the azotea) for the most spectacular views of the city. http://www.esmadrid.com/en/cargarApl...ntificador=179
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/madrid/D51874.html

The Reina Sofia contemporary art museum. The second floor with Picasso, Dalí, lots of other painitings, posters, films, photos etc., dealing with a couple of the greatest civilizational breakdowns of the 20th century, The Spanish Civil War and WWII, completely blew my mind off last year. Free admission on Saturday from 2.30 pm to closing at 9pm, Sundays from 10 am to closing at 2.30 and Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7pm (closing at 9pm).

(And of course Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums)

A stroll in beautiful Retiro Park. http://www.aviewoncities.com/madrid/parquedelretiro.htm

Sunday morning shopping at the Rastro market: http://www.madrid-guide-spain.com/el-rastro.html

The Chueca and Malasaña area, north of Gran Vía, is Madrid's most lively shopping district that "combine both originality and the avant-garde. Specifically, the section made up of little streets perpendicular to Fuencarral and Hortaleza streets is a shoppers’ paradise".
http://www.softguides.com/madrid_gui...ne.html#chueca

Have lunch or some tapas at Casa Granada, on the 6th floor of an apartment building just off Plaza Tirso de Molina. Hard to find and a great terrace if it's not too cold. http://www.tripfilms.com/Travel_Vide...ada-Video.html

Medina Mayrit, an Arab bath-house just off Plaza Mayor in Calle Atotcha, 14. (Mayrit is the old Arab name (from the 9th century) of Madrid, meaning running water and referring to the water sources beneath the city). http://www.medinamayrit.com/

Café Central, just off lively Plaza Santa Ana, is a fabulous jazz venue with live performances from the best artists every night at 10. Entrance 11€. Good food also.

Experience world class flamenco at one of the best tablaos. Madrid is arguably the flamenco capital of the world. Although the art form comes from the South (Andalucía), everybody has to conquer Madrid to get to the top. On their way there, or as an opportunity to try out new things and get an up close audience, many of them work the top tablaos. I recommend Casa Patas and Cardamomo, both close to Plaza Santa Ana.
http://www.casapatas.com/
http://www.cardamomo.es/

Txirimiri in Calle del Humilladero, 6 gives you an idea of why the Basque kitchen is considered among the best in the world. In the midst of one of the best tapas/restaurant districts in town, in and around Calle Cava Baja in La Latina. 5-10 minutes walking from Plaza Santa Ana.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ri-Madrid.html

I never leave Madrid without having had the squid in its own ink and the famous cod at Casa Revuelta, also in the same area. http://11870.com/pro/casa-revuelta

You should also try the excellent salmorejo, a somewhat thicker variant of the tomato/vegetable soup gazpacho, in Según Emma just behind the newly reopened gourmet-oriented San Miguel food market. http://11870.com/pro/segun-emma
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...ma-Madrid.html

This site is great about Madrid. http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do

november_moon

Wow - thanks for the detailed recommendations. Those are terrific.

An update - I will be going to Spain next month, trip is confirmed. I will have a Tuesday afternoon/evening (day of arrival) free, plus Saturday and Sunday before I fly home. So I should be able to get a nice taste of the city.

danon

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&biw...ed=0CDEQnwIwAw
a great spot minutes from Plaza Mayor

Bellas Artes is an interesting building and Cafe is one of my favorites in Madrid.

danon

p.s. the google map is not correct !
Strange.

Viajero2

I (female) spent a week in Madrid by myself and really enjoyed it. I had a pretty good idea what to do each day, including the main sights (Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Parque del Retiro, Prado Museum, Puerta del Sol). I also took guided tours to Toledo, Avila, and Segovia (Pullmantour, Julia Tours, they are very simlar....). I speak Spanish fluently but felt very comfortable been "taken by the hand" by a guided tour. The only "weirdness" was eating by myself, but I just had heavier lunches and lighter dinner meals. Two days will fly by and you will have plenty to do. Do not miss a visit to Artesanias Reyes in Calle Preciados (11) near Puerta del Sol for the most gorgeous Christmas linens at great prices.