Things to do in Madrid: a personal view

When I look back on things to do in Madrid, there are a few that I’ll certainly remember! And maybe you can find some you would like to try yourself by reading my personal view or/and my travel journal.

• Eat at a Spanish restaurant to try the local food. The best restaurant in Madrid for me was Méson Don Carnol (more on Madrid Day 1) because of the friendly service and the Spanish paella! In the end we even got ‘orugo’ which is an alcoholic drink made of herbs. They say it’s to digest your food better. 🙂Did you know Spanish people have different hours to eat? They have Lunch between 2 – 3 PM and Dinner between 9 – 10 PM. Keep this in mind when you go out to eat! For Lunch, the restaurants offer a Menu of the day (Menú del Diá) which usually are two courses: First course – Primer Plato and a Second Course – Segundo Plato.
• To try Tapas, check out the area around Santa Ana. Lots of Tapas Bars there!
• Shopping: The two stores that stood out for me were La Cure Gourmand because of the nice cookies and a shop called Tierra. They sell handmade accessories, jewelry, decoration,… and all made by respecting nature and the environment. More shopping can be found on Gran Via and Calle de Fuencarral. Here you can find the bigger brands like Zara,… There’s also the Spanish department store: El Corte Inglés. And of course the smaller stores in the streets around Plaza Mayor.
• Visit Museo del Prado or one of the many other Madrid museums: Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia…
• Lots of sightseeing, have a look at Attractions in Madrid. We did everything on foot, but even though I didn’t take the Hop-on-Hop-off this time, I’ve done it in other cities and it’s a nice way of seeing lots of sights. In Madrid, it’s called Madrid Vision.

• There is a Madrid Card you can buy that includes a ride on the Madrid Vision tourist bus and free admission to multiple attractions and museums. Click here for more information and prices.
• Final Tip: If you’re sending a postcard, you can buy your stamp (=sello) at the special ‘Tobacco’ places. If you need to ask for one: Is there a tobacconist around here? ¿Hay un estanco por aquí? Of course the post office is also a possibility.

There are so much more things to do in Madrid, but we were only there for 3 days. For more information on Madrid, here is an informative website.