Madrid in a week

9-11.30 am. Awaken your senses with a good hearty breakfast at Café de Oriente. From its terrace or balconies, you will make out the Royal Palace and the gardens before it with their flower beds and statues of former kings. Afterwards visit the Palace, the Almudena Cathedral, its crypt and go up to its dome. On Wednesdays (in spring, autumn and winter) at XNUMX am you can see the Changing of the Royal Guard at the Puerta del Príncipe (calle Bailén).

XNUMX am-XNUMX pm. Immerse yourself in 'Madrid de los Austrias' (old centre of Madrid built during the reign of the Habsburg Dynasty). When you arrive at the Plaza Mayor, have a rest and a caña (small draft beer) and a slice of Spanish omelette or a calamari baguette. Continue until reaching the Puerta del Sol and take a picture with the 'Oso y el Madroño' (the Bear and the Strawberry Tree), the symbol of the city. Why not buy yourself a typical Spanish fan in one of the souvenir shops in the area.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. Heading towards the 'Paseo del Arte' (the Avenue of Art), leaving behind the Congress of Deputies and making out the Jerónimos church in the distance, right behind the Prado Museum, you'll arrive at Plaza de Neptuno. Take a look around you: the Thyssen Museum, "La Bolsa" Stock Exchange, the Ritz Hotel, the Westin Palace Hotel Madrid and the Prado: Madrid is a real luxury for the senses. Brunch in the Ritz or Palace is one of the best options.

Choose any of the museums, if it's Monday we suggest you go to the Reina Sofía Musuem as it closes on Tuesdays. Seeing Picasso's Guernica is an unforgettable experience, along with the rest of the contemporary and modern works of art on exhibition in this Museum.

12.30-5 pm. After soaking up some art, the time has come to take a walk to the Plaza de Cibeles, now a symbol of the city. Afterwards, shopping on Calle Almirante or Prim is a must, where you can find the main fashion boutiques of the most avant-garde Spanish designers. If you prefer, near Calle Velázquez or Serrano there are some more exclusive stores.

XNUMX pm-XNUMX am. For dinner, let's go to Plaza de Santa Ana for some good wine and a variety of tapas. Now we're ready to enjoy the Madrid nightlife: Calle Huertas awaits us with its plentiful bars and clubs to make the most of the Madrid nightlife.

XNUMX am-XNUMX pm. Discover great Spanish painters such as Goya, Velázquez, Murillo, Zurbarán, Ribera, El Greco…. at the Prado Museum, one of the first art galleries in the world that is over XNUMX years old and has thousands of paintings by the great masters. Don't miss the museum's extension carried out by the architect Rafael Moneo in the cloister of Los Jerónimos church.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. The Retiro Park awaits us, one of the main recreation sites for Madrid natives and visitors alike. A green lung in the city.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. Walk along Calle Alcalá, one of the main shopping streets of Madrid that is full of life, until reaching the Plaza de Toros or bullring of Las Ventas. This bullring, which opened in XNUMX, along with the Maestranza in Sevilla, is the biggest in Spain and where the leading bullfighters at present go to fight. In May, the San Isidro Festivities are celebrated, the most important of the year. Try a real bull speciality such as stewed oxtail at Los Galayos or Casa Pedro.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. After soaking up some art, the time has come to take a walk to the Plaza de Cibeles, now a symbol of the city. Afterwards, shopping on Calle Almirante or Prim is a must, where you can find the main fashion boutiques of the most avant-garde Spanish designers. If you prefer, near Calle Velázquez or Serrano there are some more exclusive stores.

XNUMX pm-XNUMX am. In the vicinity is Alonso Martínez, the ideal place to have dinner in one of its fashionable cafés and then a mojito on a terrace or in one of the more lively bars in the area. And continue on through to the small hours of the morning.

XNUMX am-XNUMX pm. Discover great Spanish painters such as Goya, Velázquez, Murillo, Zurbarán, Ribera, El Greco…. at the Prado Museum, one of the first art galleries in the world that is over XNUMX years old and has thousands of paintings by the great masters. Don't miss the museum's extension carried out by the architect Rafael Moneo in the cloister of Los Jerónimos church.

You can have lunch in any of the restaurants in the town and try the different types of meat from the Sierra de Guadarrama. Another option is Alcalá de Henares, a town full of history and tradition that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A visit to its University and the house where one of the most acclaimed Spanish writers, Miguel de Cervantes, was born is a must.

You could also head to Aranjuez to visit the outstanding Royal Palace and its gardens, or perhaps Chinchón, a town with a unique and picturesque Plaza Mayor. Did you know that in Buitrago de Lozoya there is an interesting collection of works by Picasso? It also has a walled enclosure dating back to the XNUMXth century. All of these towns are less than one hour away from Madrid. There are good transport combinations with Madrid by road, train or bus and you can take in the nature, a wide range of gastronomy and enjoy an interesting day out of the city.

XNUMX am-XNUMX pm. Visit another of the art galleries on the Paseo del Arte (the Avenue of Art): the Thyssen-Bornemisza Musuem. A journey through the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century, where we will see Renaissance, Baroque and even Pop Art-style works.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. Let's head towards the Plaza de Colón and the 'Jardines del Descubrimiento' (Gardens of Discovery). Nearby is the neighbourhood of Chueca, one of the areas where the gay community has settled and which every year welcomes millions of visitors from all over the world during the Gay Pride celebration. Chueca has plenty of bars, cafés, shops and businesses.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. Around the Plaza de Chueca or the Plaza de Pedro Zerolo, we come to streets full of shops where there is also a wide variety of gastronomy on offer: from the most traditional restaurants to the most hip. That's Chueca for you! Pick up the most cutting-edge fashion and then sit down and relax in a New York-style setting. Madrid is an open and tolerant city and you'll realise that here.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. After lunch, let's have a coffee or a mojito on the terrace of the Hotel Room Mate Óscar. Take a photo of the Telefónica building from high up and lie back and relax on one of its Balinese beds…

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. Right beside us is Calle Fuencarral, a broad pedestrian street. This street is full of fashionable clothing and designer shops. Stroll along until reaching Malasaña, one of the hubs of nightlife.

XNUMX pm-XNUMX am. You have unlimited choice here. There are bars, taverns or pubs on every street where you can grab a snack or a beer with some tapas. Of course, you can also have dinner in one of its many modern restaurants. We can go out around the Plaza del Dos de Mayo or perhaps walk up to the Plaza de las Comendadoras. You are in the area where the Movida Madrileña was born, one of the strongest cultural movements around the beginning of the XNUMXs and which can still be seen today in many of the bars.

XNUMX-XNUMX am. For day XNUMX, we recommend some nature and fun. It's off to the Casa de Campo we go. The most environmentally-friendly way to get there is on the Teleférico or cable car, which is on Paseo Pintor Rosales. Once in the cable car, you'll be able to see all of the iconic sites of Madrid from above, from the Parque del Oeste to the Telefónica building on the Gran Vía, passing through La Rosaleda (rose garden) and the hermitage of San Antonio de la Florida.

XNUMX am-XNUMX pm. While walking through the Casa de Campo, hire a boat and row on the lake or have an aperitif on a terrace, taking in the local flora and fauna. At El Pabellón de Ondarreta, la Parrilla del Embarcadero, Príncipe Akua, La Fogata, La Pesquera, La Bicicleta, La Masía or Las Marismas, you can taste some of the most well-known dishes of the Spanish and Madrid cuisine.

If you are traveling with your children, make them happy by taking them to the nearby Zoo Aquarium. Species from all continents and giant pandas with their own names will welcome you. And to release adrenaline you can go up in one of the attractions of the Park adjacent to the Zoo. Sunset. There is no doubt about our suggestion for sunset, it is the Temple of Debod. In this Egyptian temple, located in the Parque del Oeste, you can admire some of the most suggestive sunsets in the capital, with views of the Royal Palace.

XNUMX pm-XNUMX am. Nearby is the Plaza de España, presided over by Cervantes and the faithful Don Quijote and Sancho Panza. Going up Calle Princesa, you'll see some steps. Once at the top, continue until reaching the Conde Duque area, where you will find a wide variety of terraces, bars and restaurants where you can have some tapas and see what the night brings.

XNUMX-XNUMX am. Visit the Santiago Bernabéu stadium on day XNUMX. On the guided tour, you'll see the Real Madrid players' locker rooms, the football pitch, the stands, the VIP area…a real treat for fans. Or visit the new and more modern five-star Wanda Metropolitano stadium.

XNUMX am-XNUMX pm. Continuing on to the more modern area of Madrid, you can visit the new Cuatro Torres Business Area. A business park with XNUMX m-high skyscrapers, designed by renowned architects such as Norman Foster or César Pelli, among others. While there, have lunch in the Volvoreta restaurant in the Hotel Eurostars Madrid Tower or stay in the luxurious Hotel Eurostars Madrid Tower, with spectacular panoramic views.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. In the afternoon, go for a walk around the Salamanca neighbourhood and its prestigious boutiques.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. By staying in this neighbourhood, you have several options for dinner, the best interpretations of local gastronomy are awaiting you.

XNUMX pm-XNUMX am. Live music or dancing into the small hours? There are all kinds of bars and clubs in the area to round off the night or see in the new day...

XNUMX am-XNUMX pm. Day XNUMX and now you're just another local in Madrid, so it's time to go to El Rastro and have a few cañas (small draft beers) in La Latina, just like every Sunday and bank holiday in Madrid. This outdoor flea market, with over XNUMX years of history, selling everyday objects, antiques, clothes and accessories, leather goods or simply just rarities, is a real institution in Madrid. It forms part of Madrid's cultural heritage and you have to take a look at its stalls to really breathe Madrid.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. And, naturally, you have to eat a tosta (toasted slice of bread with topping) in El Capricho in order for you trip to taste of Madrid. You can spend the afternoon bar-hopping, meandering through the popular neighbourhood of La Latina, which constitutes part of the old historic Madrid.

XNUMX-XNUMX pm. To round off the trip, wandering around the centre, Gran Vía and its shops is a must. If you look up, you'll see the historical buildings that line this street, and which cohabit alongside cinemas, theatres, bars, restaurants, hotels and shops.

XNUMX pm-XNUMX am. All you have to do is choose the theatre genre you'd like to round off the day with and there you have your plan for tonight. After a casual dinner and a walk around the refurbished neighbourhood of Triball, it's time to say goodbye to Madrid, for now…