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Madrid is definitely love at first sight for me. It’s not a city full of heritage sites and important landmarks, which makes it perfect for spontaneous wandering without the constant urge to "see everything" and "check things off a list." This is a bustling city where the sun sets only around ten at night. With such a long day, the locals start their day relatively late, have breakfast at 11, and from that moment on, they keep snacking. Throughout the day, except for a short break around three or four in the afternoon, you'll see the cafés and tapas bars filled with people. Unlike us, the Spanish don’t tend to host at home but rather meet their friends outside. And if possible, they’ll have several gatherings in one evening.
Wherever they sit, they’ll order wine or a cold beer alongside a small to medium-sized tapa. The atmosphere in the city is simply addictive, and we, too, found ourselves hopping from a tapas bar to a cocktail bar, feeling like authentic Madrileños for a moment.
We jumped to Madrid for a long weekend—three and a half days that leave you wanting more. Madrid isn’t a city you can "finish" but rather a place that’s always fun to return to and discover new areas.
Accommodation
We stayed at the INNSiDE Madrid Gran Vía, located on the city’s main street, Gran Vía. The hotel is right in the heart of everything, within walking distance of all the city’s points of interest. It’s a small, boutique hotel with modern design, featuring a rooftop bar and restaurant.
Getting around
Most of the time, we chose to walk. The city is very flat and pedestrian-friendly. Walking around allows you to truly experience the city and soak up its atmosphere, and when possible, it’s always my first choice. For getting to farther places, we used taxis via the Cabity app.
Additionally, Madrid has a very convenient metro system, and you can purchase a rechargeable travel card for multiple trips or a set amount.
Points of Interest
Puerta del Sol – "Gate of the Sun" Square is the heart of Madrid and one of the busiest and most central squares in the city. The name comes from the semicircular shape of the square, from which streets radiate out like the rays of the sun. The square is bustling with people at all hours of the day, and in the small streets branching out from it, you can find a variety of restaurants, cafés, street performances, and souvenir shops.
Plaza Mayor – A large and impressive square, accessible through several gates, with a few cafés located in the center.
Plaza de Chueca – A square in the center of the Chueca neighborhood, which is the heart of Madrid's nightlife and entertainment scene. The area is full of various bars and restaurants.
Parque de El Retiro – A huge park located right in the heart of Madrid. Its origins date back to the early 16th century when a royal retreat palace was built in the area for the royal family. In 1561, King Philip II moved the royal court to Madrid and expanded the park around the royal retreat. At the center of the park is a lake where you can rent rowboats.
Palacio de Cristal – The Crystal Palace, built in 1887 from metal and glass, is a major attraction and one of Madrid’s most famous landmarks. Located in the heart of El Retiro Park, it was originally designed to serve as a greenhouse for tropical plants but was later converted into a gallery for art exhibitions.
Vertical Garden – Located in the cultural center of Madrid, this vertical garden features over 15,000 plants from around 300 carefully selected species. These plants were chosen to adapt to the city's unique climate, which consists of very hot summers and very cold winters.
Palacio Real de Madrid – The official residence of the royal family in Madrid, though today it is mainly used for official ceremonies. It is the largest palace in Europe and one of the largest active palaces in the world, with 3,418 rooms spread across 135,000 square meters.
Catedral de la Almudena – One of the largest cathedrals in Europe, located right next to the palace. Its construction took over a century and was only completed in 1993.
Edificio Metrópolis – The Metropolis Building, constructed as an office building in 1911 and adorned with thousands of gold leaves, is one of Madrid's most iconic landmarks.
Things to do in Madrid
Flamenco Show
One day, we spontaneously decided to catch a flamenco show, so we went online to the Teatro Flamenco de Madrid website and booked tickets for a performance that same evening. It turned out that it was the gala performance of the Madrid Flamenco School, which made the experience even cooler and less touristy. In fact, we were the only tourists in the audience, surrounded by the dancers' families who had come to watch the final performance. I highly recommend the experience, and especially this specific theater.
Graffiti Tour with Cooltourspain in the Lavapiés Neighborhood
A graffiti tour in the up-and-coming Lavapiés neighborhood is offered by various agencies. We booked the tour through Cooltourspain website at a cost of 20 euros per person. As it happened, no other tours were booked that day, so we got a private tour in English from a local guide who lives in Madrid. The tour included insights into the character of the neighborhood and its residents, the area’s history, and the stories behind the artworks scattered throughout this vibrant area. I highly recommend this tour.
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