09/22/2021
Chase and I flew from Phoenix to Madrid with one layover in Chicago. I chose to have a layover in the States rather than another country in Europe. Pre-Covid I wouldn’t have cared but since each country has their own restrictions, I didn’t want to worry about extra precautions. I used the app, Re-open EU as a tool to keep me up to date with Covid restrictions. We also used the app VeriFLY by American Airlines. You’re able to download all of your travel documents, once they’re submitted they’re verified and you’ll get a pass that you show at check in. With this, it allows you to skip lines and have a smoother travel experience.
Once we arrived in Madrid, we got an Uber from the airport to our hotel, which was €15 euros and a taxi was about €35. So I definitely recommend getting an Uber. It’s unclear where to pick up the Uber while you’re at the airport. But you have to cross the street and go into the parking structure and go to the floor level that it says on your app.
Barcelo Torre de Madrid: A 5 star boutique hotel that was affordable, pretty modern, and had a decent sized room with a large bathroom. The hotel is centrally located and is off one of the main streets in Madrid, Gran Via.
We walked a lot while we were there–I think one day we walked 26,000 steps lol. Most must see things are no more than a 30 minute walk from the hotel we stayed out. There was also a metro station on the corner across the street from the hotel. The metro system was very easy to use and the trains were clean. Uber is also an option.
- Walk along the Gran Via— great for shopping
- Prado Museum— is a must do!! Be prepared to spend a couple hours there, so wear comfy shoes.
- The Royal Palace: I was told that it wasn’t worth seeing, but I actually really enjoyed the tour. Some of the rooms in the palace were so beautifully decorated and the building itself is gorgeous.
- Retiro Park: I love a great park and this one is beautiful. It kinda reminded me of Central Park– Madrid itself actually gave me major NYC vibes which is why I think I really loved our time there.
- Walk to the Crystal Palace within the park. It’s so beautiful!
- See the lake that is located in the heart of the park. You can rent a boat but we thought it looked kinda lame and it was also very hot that day.
- Plaza Mayor: A beautiful plaza that has stores and restaurants inside. Although I wouldn’t eat there because everything is overpriced. We took a break and had a drink at one of the cafes.
Bars:
- 360 skybar at Riu Plaza— the coolest rooftop bar I’ve ever been to!! Great vibes, great drinks, and stunning 360º views of the city. I recommend getting there about at least an hour before sunset because the line gets very long to get in and you want to make sure you’re able to experience the sunset from the top. There is also a glass walkway stretching between two wings of the building.
- Espit Chupitos: A little bar with a huge variety of shots. Each shot is mixed and you don’t know what is in it–which makes it fun! If you don’t like a certain spirit, you can let the bartender know. My favorite was the Harry Potter shot.
- La Venecia: A local hangout of Hemingways. They only serve Sherry wines, which was not my cup of tea. But it was definitely worth visiting and hanging out there.
- El Jardin del Ritz— a chic garden atmosphere. We only had cocktails but they also served food. It’s part of the Mandarin Oriental Ritz that is located across the street from The Prado (prime location). We had such a great time relaxing there while sipping on aperol spritz
- La Rotonda at the Palace Hotel– housed beneath a beautiful stained glass cupola. The price point for cocktails is very cheap considering the environment you’re in. They also served a small appetizer with the drinks, which I’m always about.
Restaurants:
- The federal Cafe: a quaint cafe, great for breakfast and coffee. There are multiple locations throughout Spain. We loved it so much while we were in Madrid that we ate at the location in Girona.
- Market of San Miguel: A local market with a variety of vendors. I ate some of the best empanadas I’ve ever had. It’s worth noting that lunch time gets very busy, so you may have to stand while you eat but it’s definitely worth it.
- Cafe de Oriente: a cafe terrace with views of the Madrid Royal Palace. The food was okay but the atmosphere was amazing!
- Habanera: Cuban staples with old Havana decor. The vibes here are great! Definitely recommend for dinner.
- Trattoria Sant Arcangelo: Our friend found this spot after we visited The Prado. It’s primarily tapas but has a variety of Italian dishes. They offer a great lunch special which consists of a 3 course meal for €12/person. They also had fantastic sangria and of course we ordered multiple pitchers (something that was done often during our time in Spain).
- Takomama: We stopped here for a quick drink and snack. I only had the nachos but the hot sauce was so good that I can only imagine how amazing their tacos are.
- Most restaurants start serving dinner at 8 PM but people don’t show up until 9/9:30 PM.
- Check business hours because some do take a siesta.
- Don’t eat at Plaza Mayor.
- During the summer, the sun sets around 930 PM.
- Buy tickets for top attractions in advance.
- Like most popular cities be aware of pickpocketing, especially while walking along the Gran Via.
- Most businesses give you an option to pay in Euros or USD when paying by card.
