Barcelona's eternal rival, Madrid is properly Spanish. That means great food, mad nightlife and hours and hours of sunshine. Make sure you leave plenty of time to enjoy proper two-hour lunches, and don't even think about venturing out at night until at least 22.00 - try getting a drink any earlier and you'll be propping up the bar alone.
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01
Essentials
| 01 |
Say "Hola" to everyone - even strangers in the lift or the man peeing next to you in the lavatory. |
| 02 |
Expect things to run at least half an hour late. |
| 03 |
Expect smaller shops to close for around two and a half hours at lunchtime. |
| 04 |
Central Madrid is all about informal, traditional eating and drinking - for something more corporate, head for the Castellana district, the city's financial capital. |
| 05 |
Come summer time, don't even think about venturing out until after the sun has set. Then find a terrace and enjoy the cool evening breeze until the early hours. |
| 06 |
To drink like a Madrileño, order a gin and tonic at night and wonder at the large measures; order a vermut on Sundays, and blend in with the locals; and choose a tinto de verano in summer, and enjoy that mix of red wine and soda. |
| 07 |
Be prepared for high drinks prices in clubs, however. |
| 08 |
Unless your taxi driver has GPS, be prepared for him to have less idea of where your destination is than you do. |
| 09 |
Don't do as the locals. Double parking and incessant horn-honking is tiresome. |
| 10 |
Do as the locals. Stay up as late as possible, and wonder at all the families with young children still on the streets at 03.00. |
02
Hotels
Independent and easy
Hotel Urban
34 Carrera de San Jeronimo
+ 34 91 787 7770
derbyhotels.com
Dependable chain
Tryp Ambassador
5-7 Cuesta de Santo Domingo
+ 34 91 541 6700
trypambassador.
solmelia.com
Premium
ME Madrid Reina Victoria
14 Plaza Santa Ana
+ 34 91 701 6000
mebymelia.com
03
Dining
Fast breakfast
Café Comercial
7 Glorieta de Bilbao
+ 34 91 521 5655
Business breakfast
Café de Oriente
2 Plaza de Oriente
+ 34 91 541 3974
Mid-morning coffee
Isolee
19 Calle Infantas
+ 34 91 524 1298
isolee.com
Working lunch with colleagues
Castellana Ocho
8 Paseo de la Castellana
+ 34 91 578 3487
castellana8.com
Need-to-impress-clients lunch
Zaranda
5 Paseo de Eduardo Dato
+ 34 91 446 4548
zaranda.es
Lunch on your own
La Finca de Susana
4 Calle Arlabán
+ 34 91 429 7678
Afternoon tea/drink
Café Gijón
21 Paseo de Recoletos
+ 34 91 521 5425
Dinner on your own
Memento
1 Calle Caracas
+ 34 91 448 9958
restaurantememento.com
Dinner with colleagues
Olsen
15 Calle del Prado
+ 34 91 429 3659
olsenmadrid.com
Private dinner
La Piazzeta
8 Plaza de Chueca
+ 34 91 523 8322
Big dinner with partner clients
Real Café Bernabéu
Gate 30, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
+ 34 91 458 3667
realcafe
bernabeu.es
Drink after dinner
Susan Club
23 Calle de la Reina
+ 34 91 521 4779
susanclub.com
Late drinks
Moma Bar
56 Calle José Abascal
+ 34 91 399 4873
moma56.com
Late bite
Fatigas del Querer
17 Calle de la Cruz
+ 34 91 523 2131
fatigasdelquerer.es
On the tiles
Mondo
7 Calle Arlabán
web-mondo.com
04
Reading
Books and CDs
La Casa del Libro
29 Gran Vía
+34 90 202 6402
casadellibro.com
05
Thank yous
Flowers
Anthurium
19 Calle Pelayo
+34 91 522 6929
06
Shopping
Something you can't get anywhere else
China from Antigua Casa Talavera
2 Calle Isable la Católica
+ 34 91 547 3417
Lost luggage - where to buy dress shirts, socks and undies
El Corte Inglés
1-3 Calle Preciados
+ 34 91 379 8000
elcorteingles.com
Something for the kids
Toys from Imaginarium
15 Calle Carmen
+ 34 91 523 8729
imaginarium.es
Something for someone you love
Jewellery from Concha García
38 Calle Goya
+ 34 91 435 4936
concha-garcia.com
Something for yourself
Wine from Lavinia
16 Calle José Ortega y Gasset
+ 34 91 426 0604
lavinia.es
07
Two hour tour
| 01 |
Museo Reina Sofía
52 Calle Santa Isabel
+ 34 91 774 1000 |
02 |
Templo de Debod
(Ancient Egyptian temple)
Paseo de Pinto Rosales
+ 34 91 366 7415 |
03 |
Museo del Prado
Paseo del Prado
+ 34 91 330 2800 |
08
Limousine/car
Aero City
34 Calle Marzo
+ 34 91 747 7570
aerocity.com
09
Transport
Buy a pass
From any metro station or estanco (tobacconists) Abono de 10 viajes - 10-journey metro/bus pass (€6.40).
Rent a bike
Bike Spain
1 Plaza de la Villa
+ 34 91 559 0653
bikespain.info
10
Fitness
Good Gym
Castellana Sports Club
Chamartín train station
+ 34 91 733 8898
castellanasports.com
Running route
Parque del Retiro
Metro: Retiro
Alternative diversion
Lago outdoor pools
Metro: Lago