So here I am back in Madrid for the 2nd time (in 2018, I should specify), after my quick stop in the Spanish capital last May (which I told you about here if you recall) to check out the new NH Collection Gran Via. It’s the perfect opportunity for me to offer you a little city guide for the Spanish capital! By the way, I learned during this little getaway that this city, with its 3.2 million inhabitants, is known to be one of the safest in Europe, and also one of the most tolerant (the history of the Chueca neighborhood, which I talk about a bit further down in the article, is very telling in that regard).
Regarding practical info for this Madrid city guide, I’d say the metro is cheap and perfect for getting around the city. As always, for any details regarding your stay, I encourage you to check with the Madrid Tourist Office, it’s always very useful (Plaza Mayor Tourist Information Centre – Plaza Mayor, 27 Madrid).
_
Table of Contents
Getting to Madrid with Ryanair
I admit I had never used the low-cost airline before this trip. To get to Madrid, you first have to take the shuttle to Beauvais airport (the Ryanair airport closest to Paris). You can catch it at Porte Maillot, right next to the Palais des congrès. You can buy your ticket on-site (check shuttle schedules in advance based on your flight time). It costs €15.90 (or €29 round trip) for a 1h15 journey. For my part, I took the 10:45 AM shuttle (arriving at Beauvais airport at 12 PM) for a 1:45 PM flight, and it was plenty of time.
Once there, the airport is quite small. Ryanair is practically the only company operating from it… So there’s very little chance of getting lost. Even so, there are 2 terminals, and when arriving, you need to check the boards to see which one you need to go to.
My tips for passing through security:
- Remember to go through security early enough as there is always a bit of a wait.
- Empty your water bottle in the restrooms before security (it will go through without any issues if empty) and then refill it at the sinks before getting on the plane, as you get dehydrated quickly when flying.
- Put your toiletries (attention: 100ml maximum) in a transparent plastic bag and take them out when you pass through.
- If you have a laptop or a tablet (personally, I don’t like leaving mine in checked luggage), take it out and put it in a tray (it must be visible).
On top of your ticket, you can purchase the Priority option, which allows you to have another small cabin bag in addition to your handbag (otherwise, only 1 bag per person is allowed in the cabin), and it also lets you wait in a special line before boarding the plane.
Good to know: you absolutely must check in before arriving at the airport (unlike most airlines), or you will face a penalty if you have to do it on-site.
Once you’ve checked in online, you must either print your boarding pass or show it on your mobile (but only via the free Ryanair app). In short, Ryanair and its rates can be a great deal; you just need to be well-informed in advance to avoid any bad surprises. Plus, in Madrid, you land directly at one of the city’s major airports, which is quite convenient.
Price of my round trip Paris-Madrid: €62.80 (it really is unbeatable, I have to admit)
_
City Guide: Ideas for things to do and see in Madrid
As usual, here is a selection of ideas for visits and places to discover in Madrid through this city guide. A little extra: I didn’t have time to do it myself, but if you want to take a walk, El Retiro Park is the perfect place to see some greenery in the heart of the city, from what I understand. I’ve made a note to do it on my next visit to the Spanish capital.
_
Stroll through the neighborhoods of Las Letras, Chueca, and Malasaña
These three neighboring districts each have their own vibe and atmosphere, and exploring them on foot can be a great way to grasp several facets of the city. For example, the Las Letras neighborhood is the literary quarter where great Spanish poets used to live (below, you can see the house of Cervantes). Not far from there, Chueca is the capital’s gay-friendly neighborhood, the hub of Spain’s LGBT community.
Finally, the Malasaña neighborhood, which is extremely trendy today, is also the place that saw the birth of the famous Madrid Movida in the 80s, led notably by director Pedro Almodóvar.
I also advise you to take a look at the design shop Studio Kikekeller (Corredera Baja de San Pablo, 17 Madrid) in the Malasaña neighborhood, which is definitely worth a visit!
_
Take a Free Tour in Madrid with Civitatis
Civitatis is a platform specializing in the online distribution of activities, excursions, and guided tours for the world’s main tourist destinations. The great deal is that it organizes Free Tours (free guided tours) in several major cities around the world, which have no fixed price. At the end of the tour, each person is free to give the guide an amount in cash based on their level of satisfaction. This free tour will allow you to learn about the stories and iconic corners of yesterday’s Madrid to enjoy today’s Madrid.
Free tour in Madrid by Civitatis Duration: 2h30 Link to book your free tour
_
Take a tour of the city with the Madrid City Tour
This tourist bus (I had already tested this concept in Barcelona if you recall) allows you to tour the city by offering two routes:
- route #1 historical (which I took)
- route #2 modern
The principle is simple: you buy a 1-day ticket and you can hop on and off the buses in circulation as many times as you want to visit a spot, then continue your tour while listening to the explanations given via headphones, based on the bus’s location. If the weather is nice, I advise you to sit on the top deck of the bus; you’ll get a better view.
The great deal:
- there is a USB port at each seat so you can charge your phone during the ride
- there is Wi-Fi on board
- numerous languages are available for the explanations, including French, obviously (try several seats if your headphones don’t work, as some are faulty)
Madrid City Tour Rates: €21 for 1 day for an adult (€25 for 2 days) / €10 for 7-15 year olds and seniors over 65 for 1 day (€13 for 2 days) / free for children under 7 My advice: to complete the tour of route 1 that I tested, allow at least 2 hours (with traffic in the capital, it can take a bit longer than expected)
_
Chill on the terrace of the Circulo Bellas Artes
This place is a Madrid cultural institution that has existed since 1880. Today, it is housed in a very beautiful iconic building in the center of Madrid, dating from the 1920s. The Circulo Bellas Artes offers a great schedule of concerts, shows, exhibitions, cinema, and more.
The great idea: head to the very top of the building to admire the 360-degree view of Madrid and/or have a drink at the establishment’s rooftop bar.
Circulo Bellas Artes Alcala 42 28014 Madrid paid admission to go to the terrace/rooftop (€4)
_
Visit some museums
The Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum are the three great art museums of Madrid. They are located not far from each other on a large boulevard with gardens and fountains that was created in the 18th century, known as the Paseo del Arte (Walk of Arts).
For my part, as I had already visited the Prado during my first visit to Madrid about 8 years ago, this time I went to discover the city’s two other major museums and a small, lesser-known museum near the La Latina neighborhood to complete my Madrid city guide.
_
Reina Sofia National Museum
This contemporary art museum is certainly the most famous in Madrid, especially because it houses Picasso’s famous painting, Guernica. It is an essential cultural visit if you have never been.
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia Santa Isabel, 52 Madrid Book skip-the-line ticket with Civitatis
_
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
This museum, opened in 1992 (it celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2017), holds a magnificent former private collection, bequeathed to the Spanish State by Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza and his father, Baron Heinrich.
The collection includes works by Van Gogh, Dali, Picasso, Degas, Canaletto, Rembrandt, Hopper, Kandinsky, Monet… In short, it is another cultural essential to discover during a visit to Madrid. The museum also regularly offers very beautiful temporary exhibitions.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum Paseo del Prado, 8 Madrid Rates: €12 / free admission for everyone on Mondays from 12 PM to 4 PM for the permanent exhibition
_
San Isidro Museum
This small museum tells the story of the origins of the city of Madrid. You can discover some prehistoric, protohistoric, and Roman-era objects (from archaeological excavations), as well as the early days of the city founded by Muslims: Mayrit. It is a museum that I strongly recommend if you want to learn more about the city’s history. Plus, the museum layout is modern and quite well-done.
San Isidro Museum
Plaza de San Andrés, 2 28005 Madrid
The great deal: the museum is totally free_
Take a tour at La Casa Encendida
This place is the cultural and social center of the Montemadrid Foundation, housed in a historic building and open to the public since 2002. On the program for this cultural venue: temporary exhibitions on emerging artists (currently, and until early January 2019, the exhibition is titled Lua Cao and presents works by 3 Portuguese artists), festivals, performances, concerts, an educational program, a library… And a nice little bonus, the establishment also has a lovely small café for a gourmet break.
The great deal: the venue also has a photo lab open to everyone, and if you have a project, you can come here to realize it (it costs €4 for 4 hours to get access to all the infrastructure, including the darkroom); free language classes for people in the neighborhood.
La Casa Encendida Ronda de Valencia, 2 28012 Madrid open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 AM to 10 PM all exhibitions are free
_
Attend a Flamenco show
An experience I highly recommend if you want to slip into Madrid life and discover their passion for this music and dance. I think it’s an essential part of any Madrid city guide! A moment charged with emotion that I experienced at the Teatro Flamenco, which I particularly recommend for discovering Flamenco.
Teatro Flamenco Calle del Pez, 10 Madrid
_
Take a Segway ride
I had already tested this type of ride in Barcelona, for example, and I experienced this way of getting around in Madrid again. What I think is nice when you are discovering a city is that with a Segway, you travel more distance faster, and can therefore see more in a short amount of time.
Book Segway ride with Civitatis
_
My great food addresses in Madrid
Eating is a big deal in Madrid, and so is drinking, obviously. So, as usual for this Madrid city guide, I’ve made a small list of a few addresses that I had the opportunity to test during my stay.
Here are also a few tips on specialties to taste in Madrid establishments:
- churros dipped in hot chocolate
- here, coffee is enjoyed con leche (with a little milk)
- the tortilla
- the Vermut (an aperitif I tell you about below)
- beer as an aperitif
- the croquetas obviously (I’m totally a fan)
- the Iberian ham
- for dessert, a kind of Spanish French toast (Torrijas e bartolillos)
- violet candies
- the tapas obviously (personally, I think I could just eat tapas for every meal because they are so good and varied in Spain)
- Madrid wine (produced in the region around the city)
To discover local gastronomy and buy good products, I strongly advise you to take a tour of one of the city’s markets (San Anton or San Miguel).
_
The Hielo y Carbon restaurant at the Hyatt Centric Madrid hotel
This high-end gourmet restaurant is located in the beautiful Hyatt Centric Madrid hotel, which was renovated quite recently.
You eat wonderfully well here in a chic and refined setting, and the icing on the cake is the cocktails (between €12 and €14) offered by the establishment’s bartender are truly excellent!
Hyatt Centric Madrid Calle Gran Vía, 31, 28013 Madrid, Spain Price: dishes between €16 and €32 The little extra: the hotel has a magnificent rooftop that must be super pleasant on sunny days–>
_
Lunch at Vermuteria Gran Clavel
Here is a very good address to note if you want to be introduced to the tradition of Vermouth (an aromatized wine, a sort of aperitif based on wine) in Madrid. You will be able to discover this Spanish aperitif while enjoying a few tapas.
For info, the restaurant is ideally located along the Gran Via.
Tapas price: between €4 and €13.50
Price of a glass of Vermut (there are several types): between €3 and €5
Gran Clavel Calle Felipe V, 6, 28013 Madrid
_
Lunch at Arzabal
This establishment is located right next to the Reina Sofia Museum (you can even access it directly from inside the museum), so it is the ideal place for a lunch break in the middle of your visit, for example.
The restaurant has a superb and large terrace at the back of the establishment, also with a kind of heated glass roof where you can eat in winter while enjoying daylight, which is very pleasant.
As for the food, it is also very good and quite hearty. I recommend pairing your meal with a local wine because it is quite interesting to discover.
Arzabal Restaurant Edificio Sabatini Museo Reina Sofía, Calle de Santa Isabel, 52, 28012 Madrid
_
Dinner at Mercado de San Anton
This market, which I mentioned in the introduction of this section, is the ideal place to go for food! Inside, you will find many food shops where you can buy food and sit at tables in the center of the mercado to devour your culinary finds.
Another possibility: go up to the top floor and settle into the Cocina de San Anton restaurant, as we did.
Mercado de San Anton Calle Augusto Figueroa, 24 Madrid
_
Drink a cocktail at Museo Chicote
It is the most famous bar on Gran Via and also the first cocktail bar in Madrid (it opened its doors in the early 40s), and it has seen many stars walk through its walls, such as Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, and even Pedro Almodovar.
Museo Chicote Calle Gran Vía, 12 Madrid To try: the Clover Club (€10)
_
Dinner at Mercado de la Reina
This restaurant, located right next to the Museo Chicote, is an excellent spot to go eat after having a few cocktails (the advantage is that there is not much walking, and depending on the state you are in when you leave the bar, it can be very practical…).
Mercado de la Reina Calle Gran Vía, 12, 28013 Madrid, Spain
_
Where to sleep in Madrid? Hotel NH Collection Suecia
As I told you at the beginning of this article, during my last stop in the capital in May 2018, I stayed at the NH Collection Gran Via. And this time I was housed in another hotel of the NH Collection brand in the Spanish capital, the Suecia.
This 5-star hotel, which I had discovered briefly during that occasion last year, is located in the heart of the city’s historic center. Renovated in 2016, it was originally inaugurated in 1956 by the Swedish royal family and notably served as a Madrid residence for Ernest Hemingway (hence the name of the hotel’s hidden bar) as well as the revolutionary Che Guevara.
My room
Once again, and as in all the NH hotels I have slept in, the bedding was incredibly comfortable, and I still appreciate the 5-star services with slippers at the foot of the bed and the little chocolate when you go to sleep (yes, I know, one gets used quickly to this kind of luxury taste, but rest assured, I can also do without it).
The Rooftop
The ideal place at the very top of the building for a little aperitif, with super cozy decor and an unbeatable view of the city.
The Hemingway Bar
This hidden cocktail bar is located in the basement of the hotel. You can go there to enjoy a cocktail (even if I didn’t find the quality of them incredible), but you go more for the atmosphere of the place and for the way to get there (a hidden door in the restrooms).
Breakfast
I advise you (as always in NH establishments) to order eggs (scrambled, omelet, or fried), they are absolutely delicious!
Hotel NH Collection Suecia Calle del Marqués de Casa Riera 4 28014 Madrid
_
Thanks again to Ryanair and Madrid Destino for this beautiful discovery and for allowing me to create this city guide for Madrid.
I hope that this Madrid city guide will have made you want to discover or rediscover the Spanish capital, and if you, too, have your own great addresses for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!
Photo credits: Melle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization mandatory before any use–>
