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 91 577 8240
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
casadellibro.com
05
Thank yous
Flowers
Anthurium
19 Calle Pelayo
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