How to enjoy life in Madrid !

Madrid is far from being bored, discover unique travel experiences in this lively city.

You want to visit Madrid and its surrounding area but you do not know what to do ? You want some tips about the capital of Spain from someone who lived there enough time to have an opinion on this surprising city ? You only want to have some information about unique travel experiences and access to beautiful photos of Spain ? You are at the right place.

I have been working as a receptionist in the Indigo Hotel Madrid located next to Gran Via for two months. I had the opportunity to live the experience of Madrid and explore various places in the area, that you will discover in this article. Enjoy !

Madrid is undoubtedly a city that exudes the joy of living. If you can decide when to go on vacation, I advise you to go there in May. It is indeed starting to get hot without being as suffocating as it can be in July or August. However, if you visit this city at the beginning of July, you will have the chance to discover the greatest Gay Pride in Europe. It’s a show on every street. Thousands of people from all over the world gather in Madrid at this time to celebrate universal love.

The streets are festive, especially at night. Many barracks are installed on the sidewalks, banners of all colors are hanging from the Madrid balconies, all accompanied by parades of all kinds, dances and music everywhere. Madrid is celebrating all week! Not to be missed, this is the only time of the year that you will see Gran Via completely reserved for pedestrians.

So what exactly is Gran Via? It is the most famous avenue in Madrid, built between 1910 and 1929. It is one of the nerve centres of Madrid and is animated at any time of the day throughout the year (see more details here). You will find the same animation on the Plaza Mayor. Sit on a terrace, or even on the cobblestones, like the young Madrilenians, and watch the spectacle of the crowd walking in this majestic square: you will understand why people fall in love with Madrid. Stroll around this square, walk along these historic streets and soak up the atmosphere. Before reaching this square, you must have gone through another square just as lively as the Plaza Mayor: the Puerta del Sol. Until very late in the night, the square is filled with tourists as well as Madrid. Madrid’s nerve centre, many street shows take place there, just a stone’s throw from the famous kilometer zero, the starting point of the Spanish radial roads.

          Neighborhoods to visit

You want to probe the atmosphere of Madrid? Then you inevitably have to visit the Chueca district. Calle de la Libertad became (and remained) famous for its trendy restaurants. The bars and nightclubs that occupy an ever larger circle of streets around the Plaza de Chueca were (and still are) the starting point for a bustling nightlife stretching across the city. Chueca is today the centre of nightlife, and is synonymous with the Madrid spirit: tolerant, open, taking advantage of the present, sophisticated spirit. Continue your walk in the neighboring area: Malasana. In this maze of narrow streets, a retro crowd overflows with bars. Tapas, bars of all kinds are systematically filled until the end of the night. Finally, I recommend you walk around the San Miguel Market district. Enter this market and enjoy good tapas like delicious fruit juices and then stroll the surrounding streets.

          Living intensely

Madrid is typically the city of good-living! You cannot leave this city without having tasted delicious tapas in the street Cava Baja, in the district of La Latina, like in "the Casa Lucas, no 30." And a good sangria in any bar in the city. If you want to take a break in the middle of the afternoon, I suggest you to stop by the famous chocolate factory San Gines to test the chocolate churros. You will probably queue for a table but it is worth the effort. For nightlife enthusiasts, you must go to the Kapital. The entrance is a bit expensive but this nightclub is composed of seven floors with different musical ambiances on each floor. You will see real shows with big screens, Djs, and froufrous dancers. There is no shortage of nightclubs so if you want to change, try Joy Eslava or the Barcelo Theatre.

For those who prefer to live a night less hectic but just as intense, I strongly recommend you to attend a flamenco show. The most famous show is the Corral de la Moreria, but you will have to put the price on it. For the tighter budgets, you can also enjoy a very nice show at Cardamomo but I recommend you especially the Flamenco Teatro Madrid, the show is wonderful, this will leave you wonderful memories without emptying your wallet. I recommend it !

          Parks, for a walk full of greenery

If you dream of a little greenery, especially if you visit Madrid in summer, you should visit the huge Retiro Park. “El Retiro” is pleasant every day of the week, but on Sundays it transforms into a lively place thanks to street artists, impromptu percussion and dance shows, families who come to picnic and lovers who try to canoe on the lake. Fortunately, the park is large enough for everyone to find their little shaded lawn. Do not miss el Palacio de Cristal, in the center of the park. The other park of the city is the one that surrounds the Temple of Debod. Go there for the sunset, you will have a splendid view of Madrid.

          Monuments and museums not to be missed

As for monuments not to be missed, the first on the list is of course the Royal Palace. Only used to receive receptions, ceremonies and official acts since the kings of Spain reside in the Zarzuela Palace, you will be able to visit it and get acquainted with the history of Spanish royalty. As far as Spanish art is concerned, you will not be disappointed at the Prado Museum where you can learn about the painting of Goya and Velazquez. The Prado houses collections are so rich that you could come to Madrid only to visit it. Also, you can admire «Guernica», the major work of Picasso in the Center of the Reina Sofia that I highly recommend you to visit. You will also find there numerous paintings by renowned artists such as Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró and Vassily Kandinsky.

          Escapades in the surroundings

To finish this blog, I will tell you about the escapades you can make from Madrid. In fact, although Madrid is full of wonders, its surroundings are no less devoid of it. In this way, you can spend a day in Salamanca, listed as a World Heritage City, visit the village perched on its cliff, Cuenca, where you can admire a magnificent panorama overlooking the gorges of the Huecar and Jucar rivers. Segovia also deserves a day: with its 17 kilometre long aqueduct and 160 arches, this city holds one of the largest vestiges of the Roman era in Spain.

If you do not know what to do on a Saturday in Madrid, then I recommend you to visit the Escorial, the journey is easily done by bus. This monastery is a real royal site that rises at the foot of Mount Abantos and deserves a visit. But above all, if you have the opportunity, I urge you to visit Toledo. This city will reveal an extremely rich past with its Muslim, Jewish and Christian history. Follow the successive footsteps of these peoples on your way to the Primada Cathedral, the Transit Synagogue, and the Mosque of Christ of Light.

Finally, one of the trips that will remain forever in my memory is the one in Granada and the visit of the Alhambra. By bus, there is about 5 hours of travel, that is why I recommend you take at least three days to visit this city. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, set in an exceptional site with, as a backdrop, the peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Of course, the majestic palace of the Alhambra is a reason in itself to go to Granada. It faces the Albayzín, ancient Arab city, while troglodyte houses of the Sacromonte still host some flamenco shows. What you will marvel at for a weekend! Guaranteed memories.

I hope you enjoyed this article and please do not hesitate to contact me if you require additional information or if you have any comments I would be happy to respond. 

Take a look at the other destinations I suggest you visit here. And to give you ideas of trips, you will find here my photo gallery.