NAME: Allison
CITY: Madrid
COUNTRY: Spain
YEAR OF TRIP: 2015
HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE? 5 months
BEST TIME TO GO: Late spring/early summer
GREATEST CHALLENGE: Language barrier/ choosing what to do
WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL? It is a huge city, over 6 million in the greater Madrid metro area that has so much life and bright colors and wonderful people. It is so full of culture and history, it is a spectacular, must-see city.
MUST EAT:
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croquetas (any/all types are fantastic)
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paella negra
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jamon iberico (best enjoyed when you can watch the chef cut it off the leg)
MUST SEE:
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royal palace
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museo nacional centro de arte Reina Sofia
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la puerta del sol
MUST DO:
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Take a stroll around el parque de retiro, strike up a conversation with a Madrileño in Spanish! There’s a crystal palace in the center that always has fun art show pop ups.
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Go for tapas, order a cerveza and some small plates and sit outside, enjoying the passersby. I’d recommend going to La Latina (a district) for this.
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Go to a football (soccer) game! Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid have stadiums and you can get tickets for cheap and there is really nothing like a futbol crowd!
Other Recommendations: In retiro, there is a giant pond that you can rent rowboats and paddle around, it’s so fun. Go to as many museums/cathedrals as you can because the art is stunning and the cathedrals are mind boggling. A true Spaniard will go out and bar hop until the metro opens in the morning, which I recommend. You can’t go to Madrid and not have some churros con chocolate at 5 am!
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NAME: Rob
CITY: Madrid
COUNTRY: Spain
YEAR OF TRIP: 2016
HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE? 5 months
BEST TIME TO GO: Early-Mid- Spring
GREATEST CHALLENGE: Language barrier; only younger people speak English, so it’s difficult communicating at restaurants etc.
WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL? Madrid is a huge city that is enriched in culture and history but also provides all the modern amenities you would ever need. The nightlife is superb and the tapas culture is amazing; it’s fun to explore the historic sites during the day and go out in the same neighborhood at night
MUST EAT:
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Arroz con Pollo
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Churros con Chocolate
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Jamon serrano
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Calamares
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TAPAS
MUST SEE:
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Buen Retiro Park
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El Palacio and garden
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Museo de Prado and many more museums
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Sol
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Street art in Malasana
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El Rastro market on Sunday mornings in La Latina
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Gran Via (broadway of Madrid)
MUST DO:
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Go to a local bar and get tapas and a drink
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Row in the lake in Buen Retiro Park
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Go to the rooftop at Circa Bella Artes (AMAZING VIEW)
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Drink tinto de verano (much better/fresher than sangria and it’s what the locals drink)
Other Recommendations: If you are under 26, you can get an unlimited metro pass for 20 euros a month. Explore the different neighborhoods; get off a random stop and walk through the city. Gran Via, Cheuca, La Latina, Chamberi, Moncloa, Malasana, etc. all offer so many different opportunities.