There’s an insider secret that one of the best holiday spots is Madrid. Festive ambiance, great food and the characteristic Madrileños are three of many reasons to be seen there in the New Year. Beyond that, it’s a city celebrating life and a tumultuous history of indelible influences.
After the Moors came the French
It took Napoleon’s brother, Joseph Bonaparte, to re-imagine what Madrid could be. After being crowned King of Spain in 1808, Joseph created the blueprint for modern European capitals. His plan slashed entire barrios to widen avenues, enlarge parks, plazas and install landmarks. He was a visionary, embracing classicist principles pre-dating Hausman’s radical plan for Paris.
Madrid today is a thriving confection of grand palaces and majestic hotels, museums, and fantabulously landscaped gardens. It’s also a city of explosive growth, seizing on the freedoms post-Franco to nurture latent talents into icons of style.
It’s a city that’s never slept, a city of nine lives, overcoming occupations and then embracing change with confidence. There’s too much to see and do in a single visit, but for a quick trip, this guide covers the best of Madrid.
Where to Stay in Madrid
Every great city has its share of landmark hotels, but Madrid stands tall combining luxury with entertainment. Location is everything. A hotel between the Palacio Real and Retiro Park places, you’re within walking distance of the city’s highlights. Salamanca, on the other hand, sets you up in the city’s quiet residential tree-lined streets with style-leading local shops and charming cafes.
Antocha
CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha
With so many 5-star hotels in Madrid, CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha works harder than most delivering at a high four. The pool is set in a lush garden, an oasis on hot days in the summer. Breakfast is one of the best, served a la carte with the staff making an effort to get to know you even during a short stay. Opt for a premium room, with his-and-hers closets, and a bathroom so big you can hold your own party in it after the clubs close.
UMusic Hotel
The Spanish love their music, so it seems only natural that the UMusic Hotel brand begins its proposed empire in the capital. The A-side is a hit, delivering on the concept with a theater, piano bar and regular events. It’s hi-octane excitement with a strong back-up on the flip side, where the concierge is ready to make your experience in Madrid an off-the-charts success.
Salamanca
If high design is a must, two offerings in Madrid’s leafy Salamanca are delivering on style, comfort and service. Philippe Starck mines the 1920s and 1930s at the Brach Madrid whilst Lázaro Rosa-Violán marries hedonistic luxury with fun at Bless Hotel. It’s a coin toss, unless you’re keen to bowl, in which case Bless is best.
Retiro Park
If Belle Epoque luxury is your thing, the Mandarin Oriental is not only what you expect of the hotel brand, but it also offers an unparalleled location. On the edge of Retiro Park and the Prado, it boasts tranquil gardens and views on par with the Palace Real.
How to Eat in Madrid
Hotels in Madrid offer some of the best dining in the city with twinkling Michelin stars shining brightly on innovative and memorable dishes. Get out of your comfort zone and head to local eat streets for authenticity on par with destination dining at the city’s premier restaurant group.
Eat Like a Local
If you’re keen to get your Anthony Bourdain on, head to La Consentida de Doré for the city’s most famous gildas. Prepare for standing room only on a pedestrian lane, where locals bump elbows before the best options sell out. It’s on the way to Mercado Antón Martín, an alternative to the city’s iconic Mercado de San Miguel. There are so many cheap and cheerful greats in the area, you’ll be planning your next visit before you leave.
For evenings, the lively Carrer de la Cava Baja is a local favourite. Lined with bars, tabernas and restaurants, it gets going after 9pm when madrileños arrive for loud and lively dinners.
Dining as Entertainment
If chic and cutting edge is where you get your thrills, Madrid is home to some of the great restaurant groups of the world. Showcasing fusion food, music, and design, they guarantee not only a memorable experience but also a buen venido to trends in dining and design.
GLH Group
GLH Group is a one-stop-shop at the apex of food trends. Carbon, in Salamanca takes its inspiration from the asado, whilst others in the group deliver perfection on classical favorites where the soundtrack will linger long after the night is over.
El Perro y La Galleta
El Perro y La Galleta is another mini-empire with its flagship overlooking Retiro Park. Specializing in all things Maria cookie, it’s a fun dining spot that doesn’t pretend to be anything else.
The Library
If you’re crazy about wine, The Library is a boutique restaurant not to be missed. Decanting Gran Crus to order from a list in the thousands, it’s a wine lovers paradise. Showcasing vintages from Priorat to Patagonia, if you can’t find it here, it’s probably not worth drinking.
El Paraguas
The El Paraguas group’s eponymous restaurant places excellent food and cocktails at the forefront of high concept dining. Traveling the globe, one restaurant at a time, each location celebrates fusion cuisine with celebratory interiors and of course, music.
What to See in Madrid
Pace yourself if you’re keen to see it all in a few days. Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights at the Prado may be the draw card, but the history of Spanish painting is the real pleasure. (Remember to peek around the back of Earthly Delights – few people do, and it’s almost as impressive as the painting itself). Tours are well-worth the time, but the earpieces can be a bit iffy on sound quality. Get there early in the morning to avoid the crowds and to book lunch at the restaurant.
The Thyssen-Bornemisza collection was acquired by the Spanish government in 1993, after intense competition from the UK, the Getty Foundation and others. The comprehensive catalogue of late C19 and early C20 art established Madrid’s museum precinct as one of global and cultural significance.
Palace Real Madrid
If the highlight of London’s royal heritage is the crown jewels at the Tower, then the Palace Real is Madrid’s. Each room is an impossible collection of spectacular custom furnishings and sculptural features that defy logic but come together in breathtaking cohesion. Many of the rooms are still in use and the gardens offer a whimsical excursion into the life of the royals outdoors.
Outdoor Landmarks
Puerta del Sol and Plaça Mayor are worth the journey. But for my money, it’s everything in between that makes a trip to Madrid not only memorable, but magical. Madrid has not only thrown off the yoke of colonization — it continuously parades its influences in a never-ending celebration of excellence.
Behind the Prado is Retiro Park and the Puerta de Alcalá. The park itself is a maze of immaculate public spaces and whimsical features. Look out for the crystal palace and lake overseen by a pavilion celebrating Spain’s regal past. It can get stiflingly hot in the summer so avoid siesta in the afternoons, when the sun can do real damage. In winter, it’s bitterly cold so if you plan on jogging, bring your thermals.
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FAQs
Q. What is the best time of year to visit Madrid?
A. Madrid can be stifling hot in the summer and bone-chilling cold in the winter. Peak months to avoid either are March to May or September to November.
Q. Is Madrid easy to get around?
A. Madrid’s centre is walkable, but if you’re trying to get around quickly and save on shoe leather, a tuk tuk is a great way to get from one highlight to another.
Q. When is the best time to visit museums in Madrid?
A. Mondays are free, but very crowded. Early mornings on weekdays guarantee a little more elbow room.
