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Spain's capital is a late-night city of tabernas, markets and world-class art: the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen line one boulevard, while residents live in their barrios over vermouth, tortilla and cocido. The honest way to enjoy it is to eat where Madrileños do (La Latina, Lavapiés, Chamberí, Salamanca's markets, Usera's Chinatown), not on Plaza Mayor's terraces.
Must-see
The sights to fit in even on a short trip.
- 01Prado Museum
- 02Royal Palace of Madrid
- 03Plaza Mayor
- 04Puerta del Sol
- 05Reina Sofía Museum
- 06Retiro Park
- 07Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
- 08Plaza de Cibeles and Palacio de Cibeles
History & museums 29
- Retiro Park
- Lope de Vega House Museum
- National Archaeological Museum
- Prado Museum
- Puerta de Alcalá
- Royal Basilica of San Francisco el Grande
- Royal Palace of Madrid
- Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
- Sorolla Museum
- Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
- Almudena Cathedral
- Naval Museum
- Plaza Mayor
- Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando
- CaixaForum Madrid
- Crystal Palace (Retiro)
- Las Ventas Bullring
- Museum of the History of Madrid
- Reina Sofía Museum
- Monastery of the Descalzas Reales
- Museum of the Americas
- Plaza de Cibeles and Palacio de Cibeles
- Temple of Debod
- Liria Palace
- Plaza de la Villa
- Puerta del Sol
- Church of San Ginés
- Museo ABC
- Royal Tapestry Factory
Where to eat 66
- Biang Biang Bar Chueca
- Empanadas Tita de Buenos Aires
- Killer Sobo
- La Sanabresa
- 100 Montaditos (Calle del Príncipe)
- Bar La Campana
- Casa Dani
- Kitchen 154 (Mercado de Vallehermoso)
- Pez Tortilla
- Taberna El Sur
- Takos al Pastor
- Chocolat
- DiverXO
- El Rincón de Jaén
- Paperboy
- StreetXO
- Chocolatería San Ginés
- Mercado de San Antón
- Mercado de San Ildefonso
- Sobrino de Botín
- Yakitoro
- Casa Lucio
- El Tigre
- La Pecera
- Lhardy
- Taberna La Bola
- La Mallorquina
- Tiki Taco
- Casa Ciriaco
- Bammbao
- Bar Postas
- Casa Álvarez
- Casa Labra
- Casa Mingo
- Casa Revuelta
- Casa Rúa
- El Brillante
- El Ñeru
- Guo Rong
- Helaotai
- Hong Du
- Hong Kong 70
- Juana La Loca
- Jurucha
- La Casa del Abuelo
- La Gran Tasca
- La Pizzateca
- La Rebonita
- La Saletta Fiaschetteria
- La Tasquería
- La Tasquita de Enfrente
- Lakasa
- Lao Tou
- Le Bistroman
- Los Bocadillos (Argüelles)
- Malacatín
- Picante de Sichuán
- Royal Cantonés
- Sylkar
- Taberna de Antonio Sánchez
- Taberna El Almendro 13
- Taberna La Tienta
- Taberna Laredo
- Taberna Pedraza
- Tandoori Station
- Tripea
Night out 25
- Angelita
- 1862 Dry Bar
- Salmon Guru
- Azotea Forus Barceló
- Del Diego
- Café Berlín
- Corral de la Morería
- Casa Camacho
- Clamores
- The Hat Rooftop
- Azotea del Círculo de Bellas Artes
- Bodega de la Ardosa
- Café La Palma
- La Vía Láctea
- Museo Chicote
- Sala La Riviera
- Café Central
- Joy Eslava
- Teatro Kapital
- Bodega de Ángel Sierra
- Cine Doré
- El Cielo de Chicote (Hotel Montera terrace)
- La Venencia
- Taberna La Dolores
- Teatro de la Zarzuela
Locals only 29
- Fundación Juan March
- Geominero Museum
- Lázaro Galdiano Museum
- San Antonio de la Florida Chapel (Goya's frescoes)
- Campo del Moro Gardens
- Cerralbo Museum
- Madrid Río
- Matadero Madrid
- Museo de San Isidro (Origins of Madrid)
- La Casa Encendida
- Mercado de la Paz
- Mercado de Maravillas
- Museum of Romanticism
- Mercado de Antón Martín
- Mercado de San Fernando
- Museo del Traje
- National Library Museum
- Palacio de Velázquez
- Mercado de la Cebada
- National Museum of Decorative Arts
- Antigua Pastelería del Pozo
- Café Comercial
- Café Gijón
- Casa Mira
- Confitería El Riojano
- Convento de las Carboneras (nuns' biscuits)
- El Capricho Park
- Faro de Moncloa
- Mercado de Vallehermoso
Walking routes 7
- 01Madrid de los Austrias: Sol to the Royal PalaceThe Habsburg core in one line: Km 0, the churrería, Plaza Mayor via a calamari counter, the oldest square in town, nuns' biscuits, then the cathedral and palace.
- 02Paseo del Arte and the RetiroThe 'Golden Triangle' of art along the Paseo del Prado (UNESCO Landscape of Light), with the vertical garden, then into the Retiro for the lake and glass palaces.
- 03Food graze: Sol, La Latina and LavapiésA neighbourhood grazing walk: cod at Casa Labra, a warm napolitana, a calamari sandwich, a La Latina market, tortilla and croquettes, then down to Lavapiés for a market lunch and Madrid's oldest tavern.
- 04Barrio de las Letras: sherry, churros and a market lunchThe Literary Quarter at eating pace: Lope de Vega's house, churros, the Antón Martín market, a cheap set lunch and sherry at La Venencia.
- 05Malasaña, Conde Duque and Debod sunsetFree city museum and Baroque doorway, the Romanticism garden, vermouth at 1890s taverns, an aristocrat's palace-museum and sunset at the Egyptian temple.
- 06Usera: Madrid's Chinatown food walkA short loop from Metro Usera along Dolores Barranco and Nicolás Sánchez, the heart of Madrid's Chinese community: baozi, noodle soup, Sichuan heat and Cantonese roast meats.
- 07Madrid Río: Goya's chapel to MataderoA flat riverside walk (or BiciMAD ride) from Goya's frescoed chapel and a cider-house lunch, along the Manzanares park to the Matadero arts centre.