WHAT TO DO IN MADRID
MUSEUMS
PRADO MUSEUM Paseo del Prado Open: Monday to Saturday from 10 hours to 20 hours. (10:00a.m to 08:00 p.m.) Open: Sundays from 10 to 19 hours (10:a.m to 07:00 p.m.) From Monday to Saturday, from 18 hours to 20 hours and on Sundays from 17 hours to 19 hours’ entrance to the museum is free. Metro/Subway: Station: Banco de España https://www.museodelprado.es
REINA SOFIA MUSEUM Santa Isabel Street. Num., 52, 28012 Madrid Open: Monday to Saturday from 10 to 21 hours (10:00a.m. to 09:00 p.m.) Sundays: from 10 to 19 hours (10:00 a.m. to 07:00 p.m.) CLOSED ON TUESDAYS Metro/subway: station: Atocha www.museoreinasofia.es
THYSSEN BORNEMISZA Paseo del Prado, num. 8, 28012 Madrid Open: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 19 hours (10:00a.m. to 07:00 p.m.) Mondays free entrance from 12 to 16 hours ONLY to permanent exhibition. Metro/Subway: Station: Banco de España Information tel: 902 76 05 11 www.museothyssen.org
CAIXA FORUM. Paseo del Prado, num 36. 28014 Madrid Open every day from 10 to 20 hours
SOROLLA MUSEUM Paseo General Martínez Campos, 37. 28010 Madrid Open: Tuesday to Saturday, from 9:30 to 20 hours (09:30 a.m. to 08:00 p.m.) Sunday from 10 to 15 hours (10:00 a.m. to 03:00 p.m.) CLOSED ON MONDAY Information tel: 91 310 1584 http://museosorolla.mcu.es
RESTAURANTS
SOME OF MADRID’S TRENDY RESTAURANTS
- BIBO, Chef: Dani García. Paseo de la Castellana, num 52, informal cuisine – Brunch – (average price 50€) - FISMULER, Sagasta street, num, 29, informal (average price 40€) - ULTRAMARINOS QUINTÍN, Jorge Juan Street, num, 17 (average price 50€) - AMAZÓNICO, Jorge Juan street, num, 20 (average price 60€) - HABANERA, Genova street 28 (Plaza de Colon) (average price 35€)
TRADITIONAL LONG STANDING RESTAURANTS
- CASA LUCIO, Cava Baja Street, num, 35, 28035 - RESTAURANTE BOTIN, Cuchilleros Street, 17, 28005 - CAFÉ DE ORIENTE, Plaza de Oriente, num, 2 Facing the Royal Palace (Kosher corner)
VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS
- LEVEL BISTRO, Menéndez Pelayo Avenue, num, 61 VEGAN, Metro station: Ibiza (average price 30€) - COPENHAGEN MADRID, Ortega y Gasset Street, num, 73, Metro station: Lista (average price 30€)
CITY TURIST OFFICES
Tourist Information point Plaza Mayor - Plaza Mayor, 27 (Casa de la Panadería) Tourist Information point Paseo del Prado - Plaza de Neptuno Tourist Information Point Atocha - Ronda de Atocha, s/n (junto al Museo Reina Sofía), Tourist Information point Plaza de Callao - Plaza de Callao, s/n Tourist Information Point Recoletos-Colón - Paseo Recoletos, 23 Tourist Information Point Santiago Bernabéu Stadium - Paseo de la Castellana, 138 - Junto al Santiago Bernabéu Tourist Information point city centre - Plaza de Cibeles, 1 (Palacio de Cibeles) Punto de Inf. Turística Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas (T2. Entre Salas 5 y 6) Punto Información Turística Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas (T4. Sala 10) Servicio de Atención al Turista Extranjero (SATE) - Calle Leganitos, 19 (Comisaría), Centro de información turística BARRIO LAS LETRAS - Calle Duque de Medinaceli, 2 Centro de Turismo Plaza Mayor - Plaza Mayor, 27 Centro de información turística CIBELES - Palacio de Cibeles, Plaza Cibeles, 1
MADRID AREAS (BARRIOS)
BARRIO DE LOS AUSTRIAS
The name “Madrid de los Austrias” refers to the period when the Habsburgers were in Spain and many of the buildings with their beautiful architecture reflect this period of history. It’s a very stylish district which houses many of the city’s top sights.
BARRIO DE LAS LETRAS
Home to great writers of the Golden Age of Spanish literature such as Cervantes and Quevado, the Barrio de las Letras also boasts the most important museums in Madrid. C/ Huertas is the main artery of the neighbourhood, and there you can find tapas bars and places to have a great time whenever the weekend brings people together, especially thirty-somethings who are out for a beer with friends. Plaza de Santa Ana, with its roomy terraces, is one of the area's big attractions for tourists. The Prado, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums are the three vertices of this triangle located in the middle of the Paseo de Prado in the Barrio de las Letras
CASTELLANA
Financial central axis, with a historical aveunue (paseo de las Castellana) you can find one of the main stadiums of the city Santiago Bernabeu, the Real Madrid Stadium.
LA LATINA
La Latina is Madrid's quintessential neighborhood for beer on tap, tapas, mojitos and terraces, much to the chagrin of some who live nearby. At weekends it's nearly impossible to find a spot to squeeze into the jam-packed bars and restaurants to get lunch or dinner, although on workdays it's a regular, everyday part of the city, with locals shopping at the Mercado de la Cebada and kids playing in any of the numerous squares. Don't miss having a look at the beautiful churches and basilicas hidden in the narrow streets.
La Latina is synonymous with going out for beers in Madrid. Weekends mean trying to get an elbow in to order at a bar, and booking in advance or arriving early for a table in a restaurant La Latina is one of the oldest and most traditional areas in the Spanish capital. The proof is in the city walls, the tiniest to largest churches that seem to spring up out of nowhere along the streets, and even the Segovia viaduct and the Puerta de Toledo that mark the district limits.
CHUECA
Chueca has become the gay district of Madrid in recent decades. From shops, bars, and even travel agencies, the majority of businesses are focused on the gay community which co-exists with older people who have lived in the neighbourhood since they were kids. Their Gay Pride parties, which are held in late June or early July, are famous worldwide.
SOL- GRAN VIA
The Gran Vía is Madrid’s most famous street that connects Calle de Alcalá and Plaza de España. In the past, the avenue used to be called “Avenida de Rusia” because of Russia’s support of the Spanish Republic or “Avenida del quince y medio”. During Franco’s dictatorship, Gran Vía was renamed “Avenida de José Antonio”, after the founder of the fascist party.
The project of the Gran Vía avenue took several decades to complete. The first blueprints of the street date back to 1862, when part of the city center was renovated. However, the final project was not presented until 1899 by the architects José López Salaberry and Francisco Octavio Palacios and the boulevard was finally completed in 1929.
The plaza was built in different stages. During the fifteenth century, La Puerta del Sol was originally one of the gates of the city wall and three centuries later, mid-eighteenth century, the Casa de Correos was established. Finally, between 1857 and 1862, the architects Lucio del Valle, Juan Rivera and José Morer gave it its definite form. During the twentieth century, the fountain was placed in the center of the square and part of it was made pedestrian.
MALASAÑA
From the center of La Movida Madrileña to the trendiest district in town, Malasaña has been through quite a lot of changes in the last few decades. Today modern restaurants and second-hand shops live alongside traditional bars and markets people have been going to for ages. It's also one of the most popular nightlife areas in the city. f it’s in style, you’ll find it in Malasaña. It used to be a district where the grannies and granddads met in the street and gossiped about their neighbours. Then the hipsters showed up, and rents increased, bikes took over and bakeries started charging double for muffins.
LAVAPIES
This barrio represents the fusion of peoples and cultures that Madrid has experimented with in recent years. Indian restaurants stand alongside typical Madrid taverns, and immigrants make up the social fibre that holds Lavapiés together. The August parties celebrating San Lorenzo are well-known throughout the city and beyond, and Tapapiés, an international tapas route that takes place in autumn, is also now a must-attend event.
RETIRO
El Retiro Park has become Madrid’s most renowned park since it was open to the public in 1868. The park’s official name is Parque del Buen Retiro (Buen Retiro Park). El Retiro is packed with things to see like monuments, galleries, statues, lakes and magnificent buildings. There are also numerous activities on every day, from yoga, roller-blading, puppet shows, musicians, fortune tellers and stands with food and different objects for sale.
BARRIO SALAMANCA
The Golden Mile were all luxury stores can be found, restaurants with Michelin stars and the most exclusive night live.