Madrid Hot Tips

• Mercado de Anton Martin - I bopped around during the day and checked out this market! Awesome jamon/cheese and fruit booths. Fun food restaurants as well. I went around noon and about half of the booths were not open...

• Casa de la Vela - One of the most magical facades full of stories - on the left side, there is a sundial that perfectly marks the time and a legend of how it was made and on the right is a small main view of the houses on the different floors.

• Playa de Madrid Rio - Take a stroll down on the river front and see many great city sites, bridges and architectures.

• Catedral de la Almudena - Beautiful cathedral known for its colorful chapels and Romanesque crypt and museum - LOOK UP!

• Royal Palace of Madrid - Stunning palace that is very much still in use - the palace is the official home of the King of Spain and his family (they don't actually live here though) - at nearly 1.5M square feet!

• Mercado de Vallehermosa - Awesome market with local and fresh foods - great restaurants as well!

• Plaza de Cibeles - a square of complex marble sculptures with fountains that has become a symbol for the city of Madrid.

• Plaza Mayor - Cafes and restaurants line the arches of this stately square with Philip III’s statue in the center. A little tourist, but worth walking through!

• Golf Olivar de la Hinojosa - Went golfing here at this public golf course - 20 minutes from downtown. 59 Euros (Greens Fee) + 10 Euros (Electric Push Cart) + 25 Euros (Callaway Golf Club Rentals) + 1 Euro (Bucket of Range Balls)

Day trips

Would need more than a day trip but we flew to Mallorca after and had an island vacation paired with a city break. Great combo!

Restaurants:

• Bodega de la Ardosa - AWESOME tavern known for its pilsners, Spanish vermouth on tap, salmorejo (a cold tomato soup topped with hard-boiled egg and ham, hata croquettes and tortilla de patatas. One of the oldest bars in Madrid!

• Los Galayos - Tasty restaurant located at the Plaza Mayor - beautiful views with delicious dining! Try the Cochinillo lechón Asado (suckling pig roasted traditional style)

• Taberna La Fragua de Vulcana Madrid - Was told this was a good Spanish experience for food, a good mix of locals and tourists when I visited. Good portions, central location and friendly staff - wine started at 1.8 Euro, beer was 3 euro.

• Cuenllas - Family owned hidden gem! Catch the sunset nearby at Debod Temple. Get the canned goods, fresh foie gras, jamon, stewed snails, and out-of-this-world toasts topped with bone marrow, eel and shrimp! A MUST HAVE IS THE BLACK TRUFFLE RISOTTO - out of this world! One of our favorite meals on this trip for sure, maybe ever...(go later in the night we were there around 8 p.m. and we were the first ones but when we left at 10 p.m. it was packed)

• Washoku - nice lunch spot with a lunch special at the Mercado de Vallehermoso!

Bars:

• Azotea del Círculo - Rad rooftop bar with a 360 view of Madrid! Located in a nondescript museum lobby (need to buy a ticket for rooftop access!)

Dessert:

• Chocolateria 1902 - Churros and Chocolate - MUST TRY!