r/MadridTravelGuide

Right, so I've got about 24 hours in Madrid and I want to make the most of it. Already ticked off the Bernabéu, but now I'm after the good stuff.

Food – where do I need to eat? Looking for proper local spots, not tourist traps. Down for tapas, a good market, classic Madrileño dishes (cocido, callos, whatever you rate), and if anyone's got a solid recommendation for wine bars I'm all ears.

Sights – with only a day, what's actually worth prioritising? Retiro, Prado, Plaza Mayor, Gran Vía… but I'd rather hear what locals think is genuinely worth the time vs what's just Instagram bait.

Bonus – any hidden gems, weird little bars, or "you have to see this" spots that aren't on the standard lists?

Cheers in advance, Madrid.

Hello,

Could somebody please recommend me some huge book stores where I can find everything from study manuals to poetry, comics etc.

Does anyone have a suggestion for the best time slot to go to the Prado? Morning or Afternoon? We're heading to Madrid for a week in October. Thanks!

Me and my girlfriend are flying to Madrid staying Wednesday the 14th of October to Monday the 19th for my 19th birthday. I want a nice weekend with good food drink abit of nightlife and overall see the city. Need accommodation recommendations, must be modern and clean. Been looking at chain hotels such as RoomMate however open to apartments and other hotels but can’t really be over €260 a night however will go more if it’s really worth it

Like many people, I have off of work that week and would like to take a family vacation. How crowded will Madrid be during Holy Week? What about day trips to Toledo and Segovia? (By comparison, I have read that Seville is absolutely packed during Holy Week.)

I know that Spaniards also have off during Holy Week and will be taking vacations. At the same time, I’m concerned that many major tourist sites, such as museums and palaces, will be closed during the week. I expect that everything will be closed on Easter Sunday, but what about Palm Sunday and Good Friday?

Thanks.

I am looking for a duffel bag large enough I can put in all my clothes to give more space for my suitcase. Is there any shop selling cheap bags? Like there are Daiso or Donki for Japan.

I am a 31f writer/artist/New Orleanian doing my second Camino de Santiago in September, and this time at the end of my trip I’m planning on spending a few days in Madrid near the end of October. I’m getting a cheap hotel in walking distance to the Prado, which is my number one main attraction.

Is there anything else super important to do, a good bar to party and meet friends for a night, another art museum or park I should visit? Also open to take public transport to a different neighborhood for the day. I’m I know I’m going to be super tired physically and mentally (and broke— I wanna spend maybe €100 or less per day after the hotel price) after walking across the country so I’m trying to be super mellow and low key with one fun night out, but mostly parks, snacks, museums. TIA yall 🤩

EDITED bc why did I say Milan in the middle instead of madrid 🤨

I’ll be in Madrid from 10 am to 5pm. What’s a realistic itinerary?

Hola, me gustaría saber si 4 horas es suficiente si llego desde México a Madrid y después tengo un vuelo a Venecia, no están en la misma reservación. El vuelo a Madrid llega a las 5:00 a.m. y el vuelo a Venecia sale a las 9:00 a.m. ¿será suficiente para pasar migración, recoger mi maleta en la banda, y volverla a documentar? Muchas gracias por su respuesta, no tengo ni la menos idea de cómo es.

Hola.

He encontrado un apartamento para alquilar en la Calle de los Reyes y me gustaría saber qué tal es la zona concreta. Sé que está en pleno centro y que hay muchos turistas, pero, seamos sinceros, yo también soy turista y me voy a quedar varios meses, así que no me importa que haya gente. Lo que sí me preocupa es el ruido excesivo.

La última vez que alquilé un apartamento fue en la calle de Valverde y fue una pesadilla en cuanto al ruido, aunque luego me di cuenta de que las calles de alrededor no eran tan malas.

¿Podrías ayudarme a decidir?

Help!!! My boyfriend and I had a reservation for Lana Monday 8/31 and I accidentally overbooked it with our day in Mallorca. It completely slipped my mind that the reservation was on Monday and I booked us nonrefundable plane tickets to Mallorca that day. He was so excited to try that restaurant, but of course, I checked the website and there are no other available times for our time in Spain. Has anyone had an experience with their customer service? This might be a stupid question but if I call and explain the situation, do you think they’ll work with us to find another day? Also, other steak restaurant recommendations would be greatly appreciated in case it doesn’t work out in our favor. Thank you!

I’m moving to Madrid for my studies and I wanted to ask about the best neighbourhoods. I’m a female so looking for the safest options.

Hello!

I’ll be traveling to Madrid for the first time ever (I’ve never even been to Spain!) the first week of September and staying in Puerta Del Sol.

Hoping you guys might be able to provide me suggestions for the best museums (interest in history and art) and the best times to go, good restaurants, the prettiest neighborhoods for walking about. The best gay clubs (if you know them), and any other helpful suggestions or tips!

I would also love to know if pulling out euros is needed. When I visited Paris I used tap to pay for everything - is it similar in Madrid?

I like to just walk about and get immersed in other cultures, love eating incredible food and taking in sights. I usually start my trips off with a food tour to get acclimated to a city, so if anyone knows any that are really special let me know! (The only food I don’t care for is oysters)

Thank you for all of your help in advance!

Hi everyone! My husband and I are traveling to Madrid in January for our first time ever and we are very excited! Can anyone tell me what the weather is like then and what kind of clothes to pack? Will I need a winter jacket or will sweaters suffice?

Also bonus points for any recommendations on what to do/ see there!

Thank you:)

Hello! My wife and I are planning about 2.5 days through Madrid starting on 18/9. We currently are doing a flamenco and dinner the day we arrive. The 2nd day we are planning a day trip to Toledo. After we get back. We are thinking of doing a food tour. Are they worth it or are we better off soing something different?

For reference, the last day we are going to a flea market and then the Real Madrid game (if we score tickets). Waiting for them to open to the public!

Any local hotels recommended within old town Madrid? I'm not seeing a lot of options online, so maybe they don't partner with big websites....bonus if they are good value

Hi there. I'll be in Madrid in October and would love to get out of the city environment. I looked at locations where I could see vultures but they seem to require a hire car, which I won't have. Where would you suggest I go that is accessible on public transport to be in natural landscapes and potentially see native animals and birds?

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