Things to do in Madrid

Armaghmagic

Hi all,

I booked myself a few days in Madrid from Thursday August 23rd till Monday August 27th and will be flying solo. Staying in the Hilton Airport Hotel.

Can people give me tips on what to do while I am there (sites, shops and nightlife) and also how best to get around.

Also anything I should look out for? Is it true that the locals have very little English?

Thanks

helimachoptor

Metro is awesome, its €1 euro pretty much anywhere but add a 1 euro surcharge from the airport. Think the metro finishes around 2am but cant be sure.

Retiro Park is really nice and a couple of museums around there that are worthwhile.

You can go to the Royal Palace, I think its worth a visit.

Sol is the main square, jam packed but plenty of bars around there

Armaghmagic

helimachoptor wrote: »

Metro is awesome, its €1 euro pretty much anywhere but add a 1 euro surcharge from the airport. Think the metro finishes around 2am but cant be sure.

Retiro Park is really nice and a couple of museums around there that are worthwhile.

You can go to the Royal Palace, I think its worth a visit.

Sol is the main square, jam packed but plenty of bars around there

Thanks very much for that. Do the buses still run when the metro is finished?

Wouldnt mind hitting a club when I'm there so might try Sol, thank you.

Do they do tours of the football Stadium?

NIMAN

Sol is the spot. Have fond memories of O'Connell Street pub, but haven't been in a few years.

Real Madrid definitely worth a visit to the tour.

It should be flaming hot in Madrid this time of year too - beware.

helimachoptor

Honestly couldn't tell you on the buses!

There is a metro stop 2 stations before sol , name escapes me at the moment but that's the main area for lively bars. The metro stops in Madrid are very close together so there's a lot of bars in a short distance.

Gran villa is full of hookers! Yes, the tour is quite good have done it twice.

Don't forget to take a trip to one on the jamon museums. Also in Sol there is a very good Argintinean grill that does an awesome chorizo, try to check it out!

Armaghmagic

Much appreciated. Anywhere on the net that would give me the metro stops where these places are? Do you just buy a tickets like the Luas?

helimachoptor

This is what I used http://www.metromadrid.es/export/sites/metro/comun/documentos/planos/Planoesquematicoingles.pdf

Best thing to do is to get the Metro to Neuvos Ministerios, from there you can get anywhere (to sol etc)

I was staying with a friend in Alvarado when I visited, the metro is fantastic, you can get anywhere on it!

If you have a smartphone you can download the PDF to it and use that

Brianderunner

I echo everything said above. Retiro, Bernabeu, Sol etc.

A few gems;

1) Mercado de San Miguel, between Sol and the Palace
2) O'Neills Irish Bar on Calle de Principe. We went to a few other Irish bars but this was easily the best. Great for sport.
3) The Reina Sofia Art Museum, worth it just for Guernica.

jt_dublin

ArmaghMagic,

You will have a fantastic time in Madrid. It's a great city. My wife and I take a weekend there almost every year.

You are staying a good way out of the city centre, especially if you plan on nightclubbing etc. If you want to go sightseeing during the day and then go back to the hotel for a break before heading out for the evening, you are doing that long journey in & out 4 times a day.

Any chance of changing your hotel for a city centre one? Some hotels allow you to cancel up to 24 hours before arrival. I would look on lastminute.com or similar and get yourself into the city!

JT.

Armaghmagic

Brianderunner wrote: »

I echo everything said above. Retiro, Bernabeu, Sol etc.

A few gems;

1) Mercado de San Miguel, between Sol and the Palace
2) O'Neills Irish Bar on Calle de Principe. We went to a few other Irish bars but this was easily the best. Great for sport.
3) The Reina Sofia Art Museum, worth it just for Guernica.

Thanks, hopefully the Irish Bar will show the GAA on Sunday

jt_dublin wrote: »

ArmaghMagic,

You will have a fantastic time in Madrid. It's a great city. My wife and I take a weekend there almost every year.

You are staying a good way out of the city centre, especially if you plan on nightclubbing etc. If you want to go sightseeing during the day and then go back to the hotel for a break before heading out for the evening, you are doing that long journey in & out 4 times a day.

Any chance of changing your hotel for a city centre one? Some hotels allow you to cancel up to 24 hours before arrival. I would look on lastminute.com or similar and get yourself into the city!

JT.

Thanks JT. See some good deals for Madrid hotels off lastminute.ie and looks as though I can cancel the Hilton up to 4pm on the day of arrival. Are there any hotels you would recommend and what way is best to get there from the airport?

helimachoptor wrote: »

This is what I used http://www.metromadrid.es/export/sites/metro/comun/documentos/planos/Planoesquematicoingles.pdf

Best thing to do is to get the Metro to Neuvos Ministerios, from there you can get anywhere (to sol etc)

I was staying with a friend in Alvarado when I visited, the metro is fantastic, you can get anywhere on it!

If you have a smartphone you can download the PDF to it and use that

Thanks for the link, will give it a whirl

Armaghmagic

JT, no need to advise on hotels as when I logged in to cancel my reservation I got the following little message:

"This reservation is non-refundable and may not be changed or cancelled."

Is this legal?:(

jsd1004

Armaghmagic wrote: »

Thanks, hopefully the Irish Bar will show the GAA on Sunday



Thanks JT. See some good deals for Madrid hotels off lastminute.ie and looks as though I can cancel the Hilton up to 4pm on the day of arrival. Are there any hotels you would recommend and what way is best to get there from the airport?



Thanks for the link, will give it a whirl

Metro is now 1.50 and surcharge from the airport is gone to 3 euro since May or June. Buses run all night and metro finishes around 1.30am. Buy a 10 viaje (journey) ticket for 12 euro i think. Clubs kick off around 3 and finish around 7am. Lots of early morning cafe bars after that. Tribunal and La Latina are cool areas for bars restaurants and clubs. Download the app for metromadrid.es. The Prado museum is essential. Its free on Monday and Tuesdays at certain times. Retiro is a beautiful park recently voted 4th best park in Europe and home to the only monument dedicated to the devil in Europe. There is a cafe bar in Sol that serves a glass of beer and a tapa for 1 euro. Cant think of the name but walk from Sol past KFC for about 200m and it is on the left. When eating (lunch) Menu del Dia (Menu of the day) offers great value with 3 courses and a bottle of wine for about 10euro. In la latina there is a famous bar where everyone goes for cheap pre bar drinks. 5 bottles of beer is 3 euro.. Cool city..enjoy the weather, the city, beautiful sights and beautiful ladies.

Armaghmagic

Thanks for all this guys, will be printing off this thread and have it with me everywhere I go :cool:

Just one question. What time does the metro start at in the morning? If I head into Madrid for the night how will I get home? (whoops, that's 2 questions)

jsd1004

Armaghmagic wrote: »

Thanks for all this guys, will be printing off this thread and have it with me everywhere I go :cool:

Just one question. What time does the metro start at in the morning? If I head into Madrid for the night how will I get home? (whoops, that's 2 questions)

Metro opens at 6am. If you are going home earlier than that you are not trying hard enough. The buses run all night. Taxis are cheap too if you are stuck.

helimachoptor

Brianderunner wrote: »

I echo everything said above. Retiro, Bernabeu, Sol etc.

A few gems;

1) Mercado de San Miguel, between Sol and the Palace
2) O'Neills Irish Bar on Calle de Principe. We went to a few other Irish bars but this was easily the best. Great for sport.
3) The Reina Sofia Art Museum, worth it just for Guernica.

I'd echo this, watched a couple of Irish games here and was full of spanish, irish and non spanish and was good fun

helimachoptor

jsd1004 wrote: »

Metro opens at 6am. If you are going home earlier than that you are not trying hard enough. The buses run all night. Taxis are cheap too if you are stuck.

Agreed, as said above head home and take a rest, some tapas bars get anywhere near busy til close to midnight!
If you do it the Irish way, you'll be on your way home while the Spanish are just going out

jt_dublin

I've watched some GAA matches in this Irish pub. It's not too far from the centre, about 20 minutes walk from Sol, nearest metro stop is Banco de Espana.

http://www.jamesjoycemadrid.com/events2.asp?event_category=Sports&sports_category=GAA

Re: hotel cancellation policy. Yes it is legal alright... It's probably something you agreed to in the terms and conditions when booking.

Maybe also look at the recommendations that I made in this thread.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75171845

I have also seen the Segway Tours zipping around the city and it looks a fun way to see the place. It gets very good reviews on TripAdvisor.

Armaghmagic

All your advice is great, Metro is fantastic and had a great tour of Bernabeu stadium today.

Was planning on heading out tonight but read that they don't allow shorts or sneakers......I have a short sleeved shirt though.

Would clubs let me in with a short sleeved shirt and what is best to wear with regard to trousers and shoes, bearing in mind it is quite warm here.

Thanks in advance.

helimachoptor

It will depend OP, i was wearing brown shoes/runner things along with my friend and we had no issue, It will depend where you go.

Hope you're having fun and get to a Jamon museum!