Madrid was our popover city. I had gotten so many notes from people saying that I had to stop and see what the capital city of Spain had to offer. I am so thankful that we worked in Madrid to our 10-day itinerary. We didn’t allocate a ton of time which means I have to take a trip back to this marvelous city. Heat and all. Here’s a look at what we did in two days in Madrid, Spain. Be sure to check out my travel vlog and my recap of Lisbon, Portugal.
Madrid, Spain: The Capital of Spain
Day 1
We arrived in Madrid around 7:00 pm after a slightly delayed TAP flight. Overall, the experience with TAP was good. It was easy to retrieve our checked luggage in Madrid and the Chocolate treat that they gave us on board was delightful. We checked into our Airbnb after a quick ~25 euro taxi ride. It was easier to do this than to take two separate Ubers.
We chose to stay in Centro because of it’s close proximity to all the touristy sights of Madrid. It was also pretty well connected so that we could get to all the places by foot or metro pretty easily. We loaded up the Metro Card with a multi-user 10-trip pass. The metros in Spain were incredible! NYC could never be clean and on time.
Evening Activity: Getting Acquainted
We got in a lot later then we thought we would and were pretty hungry. We went straight to dinner after getting everything settled and changing into new outfits. Madrid is hot. But, it’s a tolerable kind of heat. I sweat more here in the city at 75 degrees than I did when it was 85 in Madrid. I was alright with it. So, walking was a lot more tolerable than I would have assumed. We took an easy stroll through the streets of Centro in search of food.
We were originally going to grab some tapas from the stalls of Mercado de San Miguel. But, we decided that it would be easier to pick up lunch or breakfast at the market. We wanted to sit down and eat a proper meal of Spanish tapas and of course, enjoy a glass of excellent Sangria.
Dinner: Taste Gallery
I would say that usually you probably shouldn’t eat anywhere on the square around a major tourist attraction. But, Taste Gallery did not disappoint. You could select a predetermined assortment of tapas from their menu or sit outside on their terrace and choose your own. We ate inside and the ones that they chose for us were absolutely delicious. We were extremely full and extremely happy after our delicious meal.
After dinner, we wanted something a little sweet. You must check out La Chocolateria San Gines. It is an extremely famous place to get churros and the interior is precious. It was honestly my aesthetic in a shop: white marble, evergreen accents, and warm chocolate.
PRO TIP: Drink the warmed chocolate. It tastes just like chocolate pudding. We ended up peer pressuring each other into taking a sip, but it was actually really good.
Day 2
We made the mistake of diverging from the itinerary and stopping into a random breakfast place on the square close to our Airbnb. It had an excellent brunch menu, apparently, but our waiter kept telling us that none of it was available. I will say that the fresh orange juice that we had was out of this world. It may have been some of the best orange juice that’s ever been created. Other than that, the place would be a waste of your time.
Morning Activity: El Retiro Park
El Retiro Park is one of the most beautiful parks I’ve ever seen with my own eyes. It is extremely well landscaped and has beautiful sculptures and gardens every turn that you make. My favorite part was the area surrounding the lake. You can rent boats here for 8 euros for 45 minutes which is plenty. It was a great place to snap pictures in front of the Monument to King Alfonso XII. There were also tons of restaurants and carts around to buy snacks and drinks. Michelle and I ended up getting huge Pina Coladas because we are literal children. They were delicious and came with chips. If you have time, I would also take a jaunt over to the Crystal Palace.
Lunch: Takos Al Pastor
You can take a quick metro over to the Sol area. This plaza is actually incredible. I wish I would have snapped a picture while I was there. You’ll then want to take a quick walk to Takos Al Pastor for lunch. This is not Spanish food, but for one euro per taco. I don’t even care. They were so good, too. It’s right off Plaza Mayor, so you can take a peek at that major tourist spot at the same time!
Afternoon Activity: Centro de Arte Reina Sofia
To escape the afternoon summer heat, I’d recommend popping into the stunning art museum, Reina Sofia. We were in Madrid on a Sunday and incredibly, the museum also has free entrance from 2:30-closing. We got to see a ton of Picasso and Dali. The huge and incredibly famous Guernica painting is on display here and it is magnificent in person. The drama and craftsmanship were insane.
Sunset Drinks: Circulo de Bellas Artes
The base of this incredibly iconic rooftop spot in central Madrid is a museum which I didn’t know until we were waiting outside to take the elevator up. It is {at the time of writing} 4 euros per person to take the elevator up. It was frankly not bad as a cover in Manhattan for a similar view would be at least 15 dollars. The drinks were pricy, but my strawberry mojito was legendary. It was pretty packed, but you’ll find a seat eventually. There’s also a very fancy looking restaurant on the roof that looks yummy.
Dinner: Platea Madrid
I think this was the biggest let down of our trip because it had so much promise. There were several things wrong. It was way too expensive and the music did not fit the vibe. The DJ was playing legitimate EDM club music when a classier selection of music would have fit the vibe more. The general morale of the customers around us was grim. Everyone looked glum. It was just not a good experience.
We had to save the day after that dismal choice and found a yummy gelato place called Eccolo Gelato a short walk from our Airbnb. We also were scared half to death by a statue that we thought was a person dressed up pretending to be a statue. Y’all should have seen the four of us tiptoeing by this legitimate statue. It was probably a wild sight.
Day 3
Breakfast: Mercado de San Miguel
I’m glad that we waited to enjoy what Mercado de San Miguel had to offer. They had a super tasty selection of fruit, pastries, and coffee. I forgot what my pastry was called but it was delicious and the cafe con leche was smooth, slightly sweet, and perfect for a morning in Madrid.
Morning Activity: Breakfast in the Gardens of the Royal Palace
It sounds really fancy, but really we carried our pastries, fruit, and coffees to the public gardens surrounding the Royal Palace. We ate, sipped, and listened to a local musician play a couple of songs for us. He was the cutest old man and his easy strumming was the perfect start to the day.
We didn’t have time to go into the Royal Palace, but as I said in my Lisbon guide, take every opportunity to get an audio guide or tour to major historical locations. You’ll learn so much this way.
Lunch: Habanera
I still have dreams about the lunch special at Habanera. I’m actually a little confused about how it even makes sense for them. The quality was incredible and the service was great. We had the nicest server who answered all of our questions. We were legitimately in disbelief that we would get an appetizer, an entree, a dessert, and a glass of wine/beer for 13 euros. The portions were generous too.
We couldn’t get brunch since we didn’t go on the weekend, but I’m sure that is excellent as well. The sangria, or summer wine, was incredible. I mean I don’t know what they did to make it. But, I would like to be buried with a bottle of it. The decor reminded me of The Marbella from Jane the Virgin which if you know me added a star on top of the five they already received.
Traveling to Barcelona
We booked our train to Barcelona relatively late and the prices spiked from what we had originally seen on the website. We booked our tickets in advance on the incredibly difficult to navigate Renfe website. At the time we bought our tickets, the preferred seating was actually cheaper than Coach. I don’t know why but I will probably never buy coach tickets for trains ever again. The premium service of the preferred cabin was totally worth it. You got unlimited drinks, snacks, and newspapers [if you’re into that]. There was plenty of leg room and chargers.
The train ride itself went by quickly and was a little under 3 hours. Overall, I would 100% do it again and I would definitely recommend that you do it. The Spanish countryside was also quite beautiful as well.
I loved the city of Madrid even though we had some of the lowest lows and highest highs when it came to food choices. The architecture was stunning and I got a sense of the Spanish culture which is lacking in Barcelona for obvious reasons. I’ll be back soon, Madrid. Gracias!
