Visiting Madrid for the fist time can be a bit overwhelming. With impressive historical sights, endless shopping, vibrant nightlife, and delicious food — all spread out over 200 square miles — where do you begin? When planning an itinerary of the top sights in Madrid, don’t forget to include a few of these activities.
Go on a Tapas Tour
The food in Madrid is undoubtedly some of the best in the world, but how do you narrow down where to go? Consider booking a Tapas tour of Madrid, where you can skip the tourist traps and visit some of the spots where locals hang out.
Visit a Madrid Museum
Madrid is home to a variety of museums — art, archaeological, naval history, and more. The Prado is one of the most renowned art museums in Europe, while the Reina Sofia is home to two of Picasso’s works, ‘Woman in Blue,’ and Guernica. Museo Sorolla is the studio-mansion of Joaquin Sorolla, a renowned Impressionist painter. For history buffs, consider the Archaeological Museum and/or the Naval Museum.
Shop Til You Drop in Salamanca
Located near the historic district, Salamanca is one of the wealthiest areas of Madrid. The neighborhood is renowned for its high-end shopping and late night bars and discos. If you’re looking for hotels in Madrid and plan to stay out late, booking a hotel in or Salamanca might not be a bad idea.
Take an Open-Air Bus Tour
Some travelers are not a fan of the open-air hop on-hop off buses, but I personally love them, especially in large cities where sights are spread out and traffic is high. Rather than spending Euros on cabs stuck in traffic or going underground on Madrid’s subways, you can ride the open-air bus and get off only at the sights you are most interested in, while seeing a larger part of the city.
Eat Chocolate con Churros
A trip to Madrid would not be complete without trying the famed chocolate and churros. It really is all about the chocolate and the churros are just a tool for enjoying the rich, thick chocolate. Spaniards take their chocolate and churros very seriously, so you’ll want to hit a chocolateria for the best experience. It’s a common breakfast food, but you can find it throughout the day and late into the night.
A photo posted by 🍴Our Tasty Travels🍴 (@ourtastytravels) on
Watch Flamenco
If you’ve thought about watching a flamenco show while in Spain, make time in Madrid. Some of the best flamenco dancers are here. In the evenings, you can find flamenco shows at bars, taverns, and restaurants.
Catch a Sporting Event
Futbol is huge in Madrid. Whether it’s Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, futbol is one of the key pastimes in the city. If you’re lucky enough to be in town while a game is going on, consider getting tickets. A word of advice though — big games can sell out quickly so book as far in advance as possible. The other option is to catch a bullfight. It’s not something I personally support, but there is no denying that bullfights are an integral part of the Spanish culture.
This post is in collaboration with Hipmunk for the #CityLoveProject, but as always, all opinions are my own.
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