Madrid was a serious vibe! I loved it & don’t get me wrong it was a fabulous city filled with vibrance, bustle, beautiful streets and some of the best food I have experienced!
My partner travels to Madrid A LOT (like twice a month) so he really did talk it up & sadly we ventured to Madrid on a long weekend for the Spanish so it was definitely on the quiet side with a lot of the good coffee spots I had spent so much time researching closed. Sigh! You know I live for good coffee. But nonetheless, it was a great long weekend and I am here to share the bits I loved the most.
If you need some ideas for how to spend a few days in Madrid, keep on reading.
What to do
San Miguel Markets
When the streets were a bit of a ghost town and that Spanish buzz was amiss, the San Miguel food markets brought back my faith in this amazing culture. The markets were my favourite part of the visiting Madrid. Whilst it is a tourist hot spot & I’m not sure the locals really visit here, it is so good. This large hall is full of epic Spanish food. I recommend the Pimientos de Padrón, which is basically small peppers fried in oil and salt. AHMAZING! Pair it with some Sangria and you will be in holiday heaven.
The Royal Palace (The Palacio Real de Madrid)
Whilst we did not venture in, it was a beautiful palace to see. We sat outside on some steps and people watched whilst listening to a great busker. Whilst here, you can wander the palace grounds and take some pretty snaps.
Buen Retiro Park
This Park is beautiful and definitely worth a leisurely stroll, stopping at one of the lake side spots for an Aperol Spritz. You can boat around the lake, have a look at some of the markets inside the park and just enjoy the sunshine and atmosphere.
Crystal Palace
The Palacio de Crista is a glass conservatory located in Madrid’s Buen Retiro Park. This building is super beautiful and if you go early morning the light reflecting on the glass is just stunning.
Coffee
My travel blogs always include where to get the best coffee. Whilst my research told me I couldn’t miss HanSo Cafe and Coffee & Kicks – they were both closed.
However, we did venture to Toma Cafe which was open and serving fantastic coffee. This cool cafe is located in Madrid’s Malasaña Neighbourhood which seems to be where all the good coffee lives.
Where to eat
El Social
This was a great find that had great reviews online so we decided to visit for dinner. The staff were so friendly and recommended some fantastic dishes. We decided on the Moroccan spring rolls and the mussels to share….they were unreal and so was the local wine.
Rosi La Loca
The cocktails are cool and the food is served in a super fun and quirky way…if you go you will see what I mean. It’s a fab restaurant with the staff making it a great experience. The food was such a different take on tapas, it’s not your usual which was so refreshing!
Eat Jamón (Ham)
Mix it with the locals and grab a bite to eat standing in one of the many market halls sprinkled throughout the town. The jamón and sangria can not be beat for taste and price. This is a super cheap lunch option that will see you through the day.
Where to stay
H10 Puerta de Alcalá
This hotel was great! I couldn’t recommend it enough as the rooms were quite large and very clean. It had a rooftop where we could lap up the sun, grab a cool drink and soak in the reviews of Madrid. It is situated in the Salamanca precinct near the famous El Retiro, Park which is only a 5 minute walk away. There are also streets lined with beautiful cafes and restaurants to eat your way through this amazing city!
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Schweppes Building in Madrid
I so so so have to go here. Pictures and of course you are beautiful xx
It’s such a great city, I couldn’t recommend enough ❤️