Madrid, the capital of Spain is a must-visit place as it has a lot to offer in terms of places to see-both historical and modern, famous museums, mouth-watering dishes (tapas!!), lively nightlife, amazing shopping experience and not to mention the extremely popular football club Real Madrid.
A budget-friendly place compared to other European cities, you can have a fantastic vacation in Madrid without burning a big hole in your pocket! A perfect 3 days summer destination, you will remember your time here (like me!) for a very long time.
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Best time to Travel to Madrid:
The months of April, May, June, September, and also October are good months to visit Madrid. It can get very hot during summers and you would not want to waste time sitting inside the hotel to avoid the scorching heat.
Best Hostels/Hotels to Stay in Madrid:
- Wohoo Hostel Madrid: Woohoo Hostel is located in the center of Madrid city which is just 60m from Gran Via Street and 450m from Puerta del Sol. The Callao metro at just 200m, from where you can easily reach the hostel. The rooms are very clean, the staff is very friendly and offers a 24-hour reception and modern rooms with free WIFI connection.
- Hat Madrid Hostel: The first boutique hostel in Madrid and 3 mins walking distance from Puerta del Sol, Gran Via and La Latina.
- room007 Select Sol: A lovely boutique hotel is situated in the city center as well and within walking distance from Plaza Mayor and Royal Palace. Highly recommended.
- Francisco I: Francisco I is located within 250 m of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol. Very clean and easily reachable.
Day 1: Plaza Mayor + San Gines + Cyebel Plaza + El Retiro Park
After settling down into your hostel/hotel, first, enjoy a Spanish breakfast of your choice. My personal favourite was a crusty toast with tomato (Spanish tomatoes are the best), olive oil and a cup of cappuccino to kick start your day.
Plaza Mayor
This stunning square dates back to the 15th century and has suffered 3 major fires in its history. But now fully reconstructed this is a popular place for tourists to shop, walk around, eat and enjoy the outdoors. You can easily spend 1-2 hours in the lovely atmosphere which Plaza Mayor provides.
San Gines
The famous chocolateria San Gines, is a cafe built in 1890 originally to serve as a guesthouse. It then became the place for the production of churros. They serve the best churros with a cup of super thick and delicious hot chocolate to dip in. A very decadent dish, hence San Gines is always full of customers. Also this place is open 24/7 which is freaking amazing! We were in sweet heaven after indulging in these churros. An absolute must-visit when in Madrid.
City Hall of Madrid
It may sound strange how can an administrative building be a place to visit for tourists. Well, there are 2 good reasons. 1st is the incredible art decoration in the interior of this building. 2nd the beautiful aerial view of the entire city of Madrid from this building’s observation deck. You need to buy a 3 Euro ticket after entering the city hall and take the elevator to reach the top. The breathtaking view cannot be missed.
El Retiro Park
Often referred to as the “Green Lungs of Madrid”, this gorgeous park is right in the center of the city. It consists of 15000 trees (spread across 350 acres), a huge lake open for boating, zoological gardens, a stunning crystal palace, lots of restaurants and activities. El Retiro Park will refresh your soul after a tiring touristy day in the capital.
Day 2: Marcedo de san miguel + Sol Square + Roof Top Restaurant + Flemenco Dance
Marcedo de san miguel
This stunning historic building consists of a unique food market that is more than 100 years old and visitors can experience all the flavors of Spain. You can enjoy fresh seafood, yummy olives, exquisite cheeses, high-quality tapas, and also drink sangria from the pubs inside. The foodie inside you will be very happy as this food market undoubtedly highlights Spanish cuisine in the best form.
Sol Kilometer Zero
The main and most popular square in Madrid is Puerta del Sol or Sol Square. It is very pedestrian-friendly and all the nearby parks, shops, bars, restaurants, and museums are super accessible. But a very interesting thing not to miss there is Spain’s kilometers 0. It is a small stone slab and it is from this spot where all the national roads begin in Spain. How interesting!
The stone slab which is the Spain’s kilometer zero from where all the national road begins.
Azotea Roof Top Restaurant
Take a break from walking around Madrid and head over to the vibrant Azotea to enjoy some cocktails and music. With a 5 euro entry ticket, you get access to this cool rooftop restaurant and with great music in the background, a beautiful view of the city, and a great drink with yummy snacks to indulge on. Your mind will be relaxed and refreshed!
Flamenco Dance Show
This Spanish dance show will make you fall in love with this country’s wonderful culture as Flamenco is performed by dedicated artists with immense passion and devotion. A must in your to-do list, the shows are available in lots of restaurants all around Madrid but a pre-booking is required to see it. Check the below link to book (I visited and loved the show) and I can guarantee it will become the highlight of your trip.
Book Flamenco Dance Performance Show: https://www.flamencotickets.com/la-cueva-de-lola-madrid
Day 3: Royal Palace of Madrid + Egypt Temple + Gran Via Street
Royal Palace of Madrid
Visit the home of King and Queen of Spain and have a royal time (literally!). The stunning Palacio Real is open for tourists to visit as the royal family doesn’t live there anymore although the Palace is used for state ceremonies. This is a rare experience which you won’t get anywhere else so I highly recommend doing it. Taking a guided tour is a better option to know the history and working of the Royals.
The Sabatini Gardens are the part of Royal Palace and are beautiful and free to visit for all. So post the Palace tour, get some pretty pictures in these dreamy gardens.
Book your tickets to Royal Palace- https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187514-d190146-Reviews-Royal_Palace_of_Madrid-Madrid.html
Templo de Debod
This unique temple is something we missed as it was an insanely hot sunny day and we had no energy left. But I will highly recommend you to visit Templo de Debod, an Egyptian temple built in the 2nd century and gifted to Madrid by the Egyptian government in the 20th century. How interesting to get the feel of Egypt in Spain and the best part is that it is free to visit!
Gran Via Street
End your final evening by taking a stroll on the lively Gran via streets which is home to Madrid’s Art decor building and countless shops to have some amazing retail therapy (heaven for shopaholics basically). And of course, there are amazing eating options everywhere in Gran via so you will end up spending a couple of hours easily here.
Best Places to Eat
Madrid is heaven for foodies like me where you will be spoiled for choices to select between amazing restaurants. But don’t worry as I am listing down some of my favourite places to eat, so thank me later ;p
- la hummeseria – a beautiful cafe serving delicious Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Food. They are extremely vegetarian-friendly as well.
- artemisa sol – A vegetarian paradise, they serve 3-course meals for so cheap and have great Spanish and European options to fill your tummy.
- vega– one of the best vegan restaurants in Madrid, every dish is perfectly created and is simply fantastic.
Lastly don’t forget to enjoy tapas, paella and sangria wherever you go in one of my favourite cities in the world 🙂
Watch the YouTube videos to get a visual treat of the vibrant city of Madrid
Excited to visit Madrid. Click here to read about the 10 best Vegetarian Restaurants in Madrid.
