72 Hours in Madrid, Spain

When I shared with friends and family that Michael and I were traveling to Spain, many people excitedly asked, “Oh, are you going to Barcelona?!” Not a single person asked if we were going to Madrid.

That seems absurd, doesn’t it?

It is the capital of the country after all, and that should count for something right?

But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Madrid doesn’t have the funky vibes and grand architecture of Barcelona, the culture and history of Sevilla, or the sand and sun of Mallorca.

But that doesn’t mean you should skip it.

In fact, I would recommend Madrid as a great starting point and introduction to Spanish culture. Its status as a cosmopolitan and international city makes getting around as a tourist quite easy and it lessens the culture shock, but you’ll always feel that your feet are firmly planted in Spain. With three days in the city, you’ll have just enough time to indulge in plenty of sights and culture at a comfortable pace – and to decide that you want to return. Here’s how I spent three days in the Spanish capital – and what I’d recommend:

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MADRID SIGHTS + ATTRACTIONS

Museo Nacional de Prado

Museo Nacional de Prado | C. de Ruiz de Alarcón, 23, 28014 Madrid, Spain

Even those who start feeling museum fatigue early (*raises hand*) will find themselves in awe at Spain’s national art museum. If you’re traveling to or from Madrid by train this year, take advantage of Renfe’s skip-the-line offer to save time – or to save money, take advantage of the museum’s free evening hours.

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Templo de Debod

Templo de Debod | C. de Ferraz, 1, 28008 Madrid, Spain

Madrid is likely not where you’d expect to find an Egyptian temple, but that’s exactly where you can find one. Admission into the temple is free but expect a wait. If you’re short on time, a stroll around the exterior is almost as exciting as what’s inside.

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Campo del Moro

Campo del Moro | P.º de la Virgen del Puerto, 1, 28013 Madrid, Spain

To be honest, my favorite part of visiting Versailles in France wasn’t the ornate interior – it was the gardens. So rather than paying to enter Spain’s Palacio Real, why not take a lovely afternoon stroll in the gardens instead?

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Parque del Retiro

Parque del Retiro | Plaza de la Independencia, 7, 28001 Madrid, Spain

For our first two days in the city, we used El Retiro as a reference point on the map to determine where we were. Finally, on our last morning in Madrid, we had the chance to explore the park a bit, and it’s much larger than it looks on the map. Like many large parks in big cities, it feels like the people’s living room. You’ll see plenty of families walking through, lovers picnicking on the grass, and old friends in animated conversation on the park’s benches. Short on time due to nearby protests on the day of our visit, we strolled through a section of the park and made our way over to the Palacio de Cristal before heading back to pack up our things.

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MADRID RESTAURANTS

Casa Dani

Casa Dani | Cl. de Ayala, 28, 28001 Madrid, Spain

Casa Dani was our first meal upon arrival in Madrid and a beautiful introduction to one of Spain’s most ubiquitous dishes. The bar/restaurant combo is located within Mercado de la Paz in Salamanca, and they took top prize at the National Tortilla Championship earlier this year. We arrived in the late afternoon to find the restaurant had concluded lunch service and momentarily panicked; thankfully Tortilla is served continuously, and we shared a slice at the bar while watching locals stop by to take a slice home.

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La Colmada

La Colmada | C. del Espíritu Santo, 19, 28004 Madrid, Spain

Still full from last night’s tapas trek? Looking for a light lunch (which is somewhat uncommon, as lunch is typically the largest meal of the day in Spain)? La Colmada is your answer. For €8 on weekdays, you can enjoy a main dish, bread, and drink. If you’re willing to skip the drink and bread, the price is reduced to €5.50. Not bad! [update: it appears this offer may no longer be available]

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Sacha

Sacha | Zona ajardinada, C. de Juan Hurtado de Mendoza, 11, Posterior, 28036 Madrid, Spain

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Sacha. This Madrid institution has been around for over forty years and is known as a chefs’ restaurant – the kind of place chefs want to eat. Ordering challenged our knowledge of the Spanish language; the menu featured many specific, lesser-known ingredient words as well as cleverly named dishes (Google Translate was little help, as I’m still not quite sure what “Sky Bacon” is). We allowed our server to be our guide, suggesting dishes we may not have otherwise ordered – and we ended up with a delightful assortment of dishes. Of course, we knew to order Sacha’s most famous dish: Falsa Lasaña.

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Casa Macareno

Casa Macareno | C. de San Vicente Ferrer, 44, 28004 Madrid, Spain

The Menu del Día at Casa Macareno changes each weekday, but the price stays the same at €12.90 (now €15). It’s a popular place among locals, and even toward the end of the lunch service we barely managed to squeeze onto two seats at the bar. On the day we went, the menu leaned quite heavily on meat-and-fish dishes; it’s perhaps not the healthiest or most environmentally-conscious meal we’ve ever eaten. But the restaurant is a perfect example of a traditional Spanish restaurant.

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Bunny’s Deli

Bunny's Deli | now closed

I tend to hit a wall when we’re traveling and eating rich meal after rich meal when I finally declare that I need a salad immediately. Though it usually takes me a week or more to hit this moment, I found myself saying this after three days. After some furious Googling for a vegan restaurant, Bunny’s Deli (now closed) popped up. Even better, they offer takeaway; we thoroughly enjoyed this meal on our way to Barcelona, and it was way better than anything we’d find at the station or in the cafe car.

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MADRID BARS + TAPAS

Más Al Sur

Más Al Sur | C. de Sta. Isabel, 35, 28012 Madrid, Spain

Más Al Sur isn’t a traditional tapas bar, but when you’re out with a group of seven as we were, it can be tough to belly up to the bar and stick together. Taberna Más Al Sur had enough space for our group and served up plenty of small bites and cheap drinks.

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Tinto y Tapas 2

Tinto y Tapas 2 | C. de San Pedro, 22, 28014 Madrid, Spain

Another space that could accommodate our large group, Tinto y Tapas 2 (there are two locations a block or so apart, so if one is full, try the other!) is perhaps also not a traditional tapas bar, but that didn’t mean the experience felt inauthentic.

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Díaz y Larrouy

Díaz y Larrouy | now closed

We met up with Michael’s family at Díaz y Larrouy (now closed), and though they didn’t have seating for all of us, we did manage to elbow in all together. This tapas bar is located on Calle de la Cava Baja, a street known for the number of tapas spots. Once we wrapped up our vermouth on tap here (a must!) we ambled on, peering inside each contender, listening to make sure the majority of the people inside were speaking Spanish – a good sign of a local place.

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La Perejila

La Perejila | C. de la Cava Baja, 25, 28005 Madrid, Spain

By the time we reached La Perejila, our group had whittled down to five – frankly, that was a blessing as I don’t think our group of seven would have fit! Knees touching, we were seated at a small table in the front and spent a long time sharing dishes and rehashing our day.

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Pajaritos Mojados

Pajaritos Mojados | C. del Humilladero, 3, 28005 Madrid, Spain

Despite being further from Mexico than ever, we couldn’t turn down the opportunity for Mexican food when it was so close by (it’s my favorite, okay?) at Pajaritos Mojados. Michael, his sister, and I shared an order of nachos and were giddy with excitement to receive sour gummies along with the check.

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Bodega de la Ardosa

Bodega de la Ardosa | C. de Colón, 13, 28004 Madrid, Spain

When Michael and I walked into Bodega de la Ardosa, we both looked at each other and said “There’s not enough room for us in here.” I mean, the place was packed. Just as we were debating heading out and finding another place, a bartender waved us over to the bar. We shimmied our way through the crowd to the bar – which she then motioned for us to go under. Confused, we did and found another room in the back, also full of people. We each ordered a drink (but we never could find anyone again to order a snack or a refill) and gazed up at the decorations in the space and listened to the conversations around us.

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Taberna Bodegas Ricla

Taberna Bodegas Ricla | C. de Cuchilleros, 6, 28005 Madrid, Spain

“This is an old-man bar,” I whispered excitedly to Michael, and he nodded in agreement. It seemed that everyone at Taberna Bodegas Ricla knew the bartender, except us – and thankfully that didn’t make our experience any less enjoyable. They have an outstanding wine list, and continue the tradition of providing a little nibble with each glass.

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Lolina Vintage Cafe

Lolina Vintage Cafe | C. del Espíritu Santo, 9, 28004 Madrid, Spain

It was close to closing time when we met Michael’s sister and her husband at Lolina Vintage Cafe, but we had time for one drink in the cute and quirky space. If we had more time in the city and began craving brunch, we’d probably end up back here again.

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MADRID COFFEE + SPECIALTY FOODS

Chocolatería San Ginés

Chocolatería San Ginés | Multiple Locations

Spanish churros are different than Mexican churros – they’re mostly eaten at breakfast and are served with chocolate but without a cinnamon-sugar coating. I can’t usually stomach fried food that early in the morning, so I was grateful to learn that Chocolatería San Ginés is open twenty-four hours. They may be the touristy option (they take up several corners in this part of town), but they’ve also been here for a long time, since 1894.

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Toma Cafe

Toma Cafe | Multiple Locations

If you can get past the pretentiousness of it all, the best cups of coffee are usually served in the hipster areas of cities. In Madrid, that neighborhood is Malasaña. Toma Cafe provided a nice pick-me-up in the late afternoon (dinner starts around 9 or 10 p.m., after all).

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Urbano Specialty Coffee

Urbano Specialty Coffee | C. de Sta. Bárbara, 8, 28004 Madrid, Spain

Urbano Specialty Coffee was a nice, quiet stop for coffee and a light breakfast one morning, and vegans and vegetarians will find a menu designed with them in mind.

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Misión Café

Misión Café | Multiple Locations

We never made it all the way to Hola Coffee, but we did stop in at Misión Café, which serves beans from Hola. This would be a great space to meet up with friends, as many locals were doing.

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WAYCUP Specialty Coffee

WAYCUP Specialty Coffee | Now Closed

WAYCUP has three locations in Madrid (now closed), but we stopped in at the one in Chueca, nearest our Airbnb for a pour-over. Okay, and a cookie.

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Panic

Panic | C. del Conde Duque, 13, 28015 Madrid, Spain

Ordering bread from Panic was a little confusing, but we managed to purchase a half-loaf of bread relatively unscathed (I’m still unclear as to why some breads are available in half-loaves, but others – including the one we wanted, which was already sliced in two – are not). Pastries are on offer as well, and they looked delicious but we were too full from lunch to eat. If you stop and buy one, let us know how it is!

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Quesería Cultivo

Quesería Cultivo | Multiple Locations

Right next door to Panic is a cheese shop – which makes perfect sense, right? Stop in to admire the rounds and wedges, and perhaps take something back to your rental for later (you’re welcome).

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MADRID MARKETS + SHOPPING

Mercado de Barceló

Mercado de Barceló | C. de Barceló, 6, 28004 Madrid, Spain

The owners of Antigua Casa Crespo (below) pointed us to Mercado de Barceló as an alternative to the tourist-focused Mercado de San Miguel, and they were right.

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Mercado de San Miguel

Mercado de San Miguel | Pl. de San Miguel, s/n, 28005 Madrid, Spain

This market is somewhat of a tourist mecca, and while we didn’t purchase anything at Mercado de San Miguel (truthfully, we really only stopped in because we were killing time before meeting Michael’s family) it would be worth a visit if you’re only in Madrid for a few hours because all of the quintessential Spanish dishes can be found here.

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Mercado de la Paz

Mercado de la Paz | Cl. de Ayala, 28B, 28001 Madrid, Spain

This market felt similar to Mercado de Barceló, with a number of meat, cheese, and produce stands. My favorite (other than Casa Dani for tortilla!) was the wine stand, where a group of older men chatted and argued good-naturedly. These glimpses into the lives of others are always my favorite.

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Rughara

Rughara | C. de Sta. Feliciana, 9, 28010 Madrid, Spain

I added this shop to my list after seeing my blogger friend Kellie rock one of their cute vests. Shopping wasn’t huge on my list for Madrid, but I did surprise myself by picking up a pair of chic-as-hell oversized shades.

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Walk with me

Walk with me (now Deren Rice) | Now Online Only

If my suitcase had enough room I would have purchased one of each item from Walk with me’s recycled leather collection. Still, I managed to squeeze in one of their simple and beautiful leather pouches and a key fob; Michael began using his cardholder wallet right away.

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Antigua Casa Crespo

Antigua Casa Crespo | Calle del Divino Pastor, 29, 28004 Madrid, Spain

I wasn’t intending to purchase a pair of Espadrilles in Spain because they’re not really my style, but I found a pair that felt like me at Antigua Casa Crespo. Plus, the husband-and-wife duo behind the shop (fourth generation, as they’ll proudly share with you in Spanish, along with highlighting a copy of their NYT writeup hanging on the wall) are so warm and kind I think I would have left with a pair anyway!

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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: MADRID

You can reach Madrid-Barajas (MAD) from over 190 destinations directly, or the Madrid Atocha railway station in the city center from several Spanish cities as well as Marseilles, France. If flying, the easiest way to reach the city center is via taxi (a flat rate of €30 at the time of publication), but public transit options are available for far less money (however a line transfer is likely needed).

As you’ve likely already heard, the city center is quite compact and walkable, however public transit is an easy way to save valuable time. Pick up a multi-card at a metro station (€2.50) and load it with a 10-journey ticket (€12.20; less in 2023) for Metro Zone A. One card can be shared among users and reloaded as needed. Note, travel to/from the airport costs an additional €3 each way, and those staying outside of the city center may wish to purchase the more expansive 10-journey combo ticket (Michael and I shared the ten journeys for Metro Zone A and did not need to reload our card during our time in Madrid). Google Maps was indispensable for navigating our way around and locating the correct bus stop. This was our first time purchasing a foreign SIM card for use abroad and I’m so glad we did.

I recommend staying near the heart of the city, but not in the very center. Our Airbnb was located on the border of Malasaña and Chueca, and the area could not have been better for our preferred style of travel (plenty of places to explore on foot but easy public transit access, good nightlife, good food, and good coffee). Michael’s family enjoyed their apartment in the quiet neighborhood of Retiro but found it a little far from the places they wanted to visit.

As for the language barrier – knowing a little Spanish will get you pretty far, but politeness will get you even further. Always greet whoever is running the shop or the bar/restaurant (even if it’s a shortened buenas), and don’t forget to say por favor and gracias. Having only previously traveled in Spanish-speaking countries within Latin America, we soon picked up the new-to-us term valé, which simply means “okay.” It’s a phrase you’ll hear everywhere, and I bet you’ll find yourself using it too. Another thing that we found surprising was the frequent use of the informal tú and vosotros as they aren’t typically used by strangers in Latin American countries.

Mealtimes in Spain are as confusing as this comic depicts. And considering they’re in the wrong timezone, work long days, and sleep less than other Europeans, it’s easy to see why. Most mornings we opted to skip a big breakfast and grabbed a pastry along with our coffee, but our stomachs really started growling by the time lunchtime (2-4 p.m.) rolled around. As this meal is the largest of the day, dinner usually comes later and lighter, which proved a bit challenging for the group traveling with us. Thankfully, we had the time zone on our side (Madrid is six hours ahead of Florida) and the free olives or other small bites served with drinks to tide us over.

When dining at a restaurant, be sure to keep your hands above the table, and place your bread on the table rather than your plate; that’s just how it’s done! One thing to note about tipping – the tipping culture isn’t as strong in Spain as it is in the U.S. (but that’s true just about everywhere), though you should round up your bill in bars or tip up to 10% in restaurants. It’s more than many locals might, but it’s a nice thing to do for a server who has had to listen to you butcher their language all night long.

Oh, and before I forget – don’t be surprised to find banks, shops, and other establishments closed in the early afternoon as many places close for siesta. But once the shops reopen, travelers should hang on to their receipts; non-EU citizens can claim a VAT refund of 21% on many unopened/unused purchases.

While in Madrid we never encountered any situation in which we felt unsafe, but you should always keep your wits about. We witnessed the tail-end of a spat over pickpocketing, and Michael’s family were nearly the victims of the crime as well. Watch your pockets (and be sure to check out my tips for avoiding pickpockets!); there is little recourse against someone who commits a petty theft. If you catch them in the act, your best bet is to make as big of a scene as possible and be ready to get called a few creative words in return.

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MAP: 72 HOURS IN MADRID

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• Driving in the South of France
• Traveling Light: Two Weeks in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium Packing List
• Dutch Day Trip: Delft and The Hague
• Rotterdam Day Trip + Visit to Kinderdijk
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