Madrid is not the first choice that most people think of when asked about the most beautiful city in Europe.. So much so that when we say let’s go to Spain, there is a Barcelona or even Ibiza factor that comes to mind before Madrid.. However, those who did this, so to speak, “did it” because Madrid, which we had the chance to visit for the second time this summer, has already put its name in the top 5 of our list of the most beautiful cities we’ve seen in Europe (we always wanted to use this phrase) in gold letters.
Before we start our Madrid travel guide, we won’t be able to stop without making a little trip from here.. We heard that there are some of you who compare Madrid to Ankara.. WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING? Kidding aside, we don’t have a problem with Ankara of course, but don’t do it, don’t associate Madrid with Ankara.. Because we, as people who really go and see and visit every corner, have not made any connections.. (I wish we could) Do not associate these two cities, where it is not possible to find any common features other than being the capital.. You’d be shocked.
** On another trip to Madrid in July 2018, we made some changes to the Madrid Travel Guide and updated most of the topics below, such as accommodation, budget, transportation.
When to go to Madrid?
The people of Madrid have a phrase they use to describe the weather conditions of the city: “9 months of winter, 3 months of hell” Actually, you can easily plan your holiday based on this sentence, because they are right. But if we go into a little more detail:
Winter: If you can’t stop your desire to identify Madrid with Ankara, you are at a point.. Because if we put our primary school information into use, “terrestrial climate” is prevalent in Madrid during the winter months, just as it is in Ankara.. However, in our opinion, if you are one of those people who do not like walking around in crowds and can’t stand the museum queues, going to Madrid in winter may be a good alternative for you.. We do not forget to take our thickest sweaters and umbrella with us, there is a high probability of rain, mud or even snow.
Summer: If you don’t mind sweating like İsmail Türt and can endure the influx of tourists. It will not be a problem for you to go to Madrid in the summer.. During the summer, the temperature in Madrid is around 30 degrees on average and there are many times more tourists than in winter.. However, since the Spaniards like to hang out on the streets like us, there is a fan or a squirt of water, especially outdoors, which makes the heat a little bearable.
Spring/Autumn: If you search the depths of the internet for the best time to go to Madrid, the two most common options you will come across are spring and autumn.. Why? Because the weather conditions are milder. However, since you will not be the only one who thinks about it, you are likely to encounter tourist density.. However, considering that Madrid is not that famous as a “tourist magnet” city, spring semesters may come to the fore as the most ideal option for a visit to Madrid.
Madrid Budget and Transportation in Madrid
It’s hard to say that Madrid is a very cheap city. So much so that, in addition to being considered the most expensive city in Spain, it is also known as the most expensive mystery city in Europe.. Of course, don’t think of it in terms of Scandinavian cities or Paris/London.. We can say that they are a lower level.. So it tastes like a typical European city.. If you want to start by making your flight ticket more affordable in order to lighten the budget of your Madrid trip a little, we can recommend you to take a look at Biletkolik.com, which supported us in our last trip to Madrid.. On the site, you can compare both the different airlines you can use and the most suitable flights.. By the way, since you have followed our Madrid trip on Instagram and asked about the pink car that provides our transfer to the airport, let’s not forget to mention it. This is their own vehicle that they provide for transfer to and from the airport in Istanbul.. In other words, you can also arrange your transfer through them when you buy your ticket. Let’s not skip ahead, If you use the code “biletkolik112” until December 31, 2018, the service fee will be reset for the flight ticket you buy from here to any destination, if you don’t understand, let’s explain it more simply, DISCOUNT, love , you’re welcome.
To give a few examples of the expenses you can possibly make during the day:
Water: Between 1.5-2.5 Euros (Yes, water is in Europe. always unnecessarily expensive). Drinking tap water, keep in mind.
1 glass of Sangria: Between 3-5 Euros
1 glass of wine: Between 2.5-5 Euros
Coffee: Around 2.5-4 Euros (3. For a latte-like coffee at wave coffee shops)
Main meal in an average restaurant: 8-11 Euros
Tapas: Between 2-5 Euros (of course, 5 tapas can be as big as donkeys)
Other things you can do to reduce your budget in Madrid are to enter passes that will cover your transportation and museum trips.. It goes like this:
Madrid Card: If you have decided which museums you will visit as a result of your intensive research and if the ones you prefer are included in the Madrid Card, you will see that this card is quite advantageous in terms of budget. Considering that you will be going to a city that includes some of the most important museums in the world, we think that there is a very high probability that you will allocate some of your budget to museums.
-The card is activated from your first use.
-You with the card You can browse the restaurants and shops where you can get discounts from the booklet provided.. But consider that all of them will be seriously touristic and possibly lousy.
-If you buy the card online, you will have a small discount.. Then you can take delivery from areas spread over many points of the city.
-Click here to find out where the card allows you to enter for free or at a discount.
Madrid Travel Pass: You will use the metro a lot, as Madrid has such a wonderful transport system that you will curse every moment you rot on the metrobus one more time.. Of course, the most logical option is to get a transportation card so that you don’t spend money uncontrollably on a subway system that is so comfortable that you can even try to use the subway, by saying, “The toilet of the restaurant at the previous stop was wonderful, I won’t do it here.” Available in 2,3,5 and 7-day versions. Choose the one you want according to the length of your stay.
-If you are only going to spend time in Madrid, the pass covering Zone A will be enough for you.
-The card is not only for the metro, but also for the bus and It also includes the train.
-Prices vary between 8.5 Euros and 35 Euros depending on the validity period of the card.
-If you plan to reach the center from the airport by taxi, keep in mind, there is a fixed fee of 30 Euros. being implemented. A logical option if you are a few people and are lazy to use public transport.
*If you think that you will only use the metro on certain days during your trip, buying a 10-use ticket for 12.20 Euro is one at a time. It’s more convenient than buying tickets.. Also, bear in mind that more than 1 person can use this ticket at the same time.
Stay in Madrid
In Madrid You have a lot of options in terms of accommodation.. It is possible to find decent hostels or central hotels on a budget.. In Europe, everything feels more humane because the prices are per room, not per person.. We preferred Hotel Moderno on Sol on our previous visit to Madrid and we were very satisfied, we can definitely recommend it to you.. Of course, we cannot say that the hotel is magnificent, but due to its location, it is a very good option to be in the heart of transportation and the city.. Of course, we do not know where they are in this regard as we do not eat breakfast or dinner at the hotel in order to try different places.. We invite you not to eat at the hotel like our grandmothers do.
We can say that we were even more satisfied with the hotel we stayed at in our last visit to Madrid, we shared its details in our article “Madrid Tours Like a Local in 9 Items”, you can take a look there.
*At this point, it might be a good idea to tell you about Artiway.. You may have probably come across it before, but let’s not withhold what we know anyway.. Artıway is a system that allows you to cash back some of your spending on the websites you shop on the Internet.. We have been using it for many years, especially when we are dealing with hotels (from sites such as booking and hotels.com), car rental.. Regardless of the travel area, you may want to take a look at Artıway, especially if you shop frequently, as it covers many brands in many different categories such as Trendyol, Nike, Teknosa, The Body Shop, Media Markt, Gratis, Koçtaş.. If you want to become a member, you can solve this issue via this link.. (When you become a member via the link, a bonus like 10 TL is added to your account)
Match Matter in Madrid
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We can understand you very well if you want to set foot in the city, which is the starting point of a legendary team like Real Madrid, and watch the Real Madrid match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, one of the legendary stadiums.. Although we didn’t go there with only this intention, when we watched the match and found ourselves turned into hooligans, we realized that the atmosphere there was something else.. We are sure that you will be as surprised as we are when you see that they have a more calm understanding of watching a match (like clapping when a goal is scored while sitting with a drink in hand) in our opinion.. But of course it’s still worth going. Especially if you catch a Barcelona – Real Madrid match or something, things can change.. As a result, if you decide to watch the Real Madrid match, it is useful to deal with this ticket in advance, as the matches are generally very popular.. If you are looking for a safe site for this, Pop Event can come to your rescue.. You can buy the tickets for the match you want here without hesitation.
Places to Visit in Madrid
Before you get lost in Madrid and get a taste of the city completely by diving into the street in front of you. first, if it’s your first time to the city, you have tourist duties to fulfill. Then we will release you. (Are we a tour?)
Puerta del Sol
This square is a candidate to be your pole star in Madrid, so if you are stuck, you can return here, a new page You can open it, if you are in a panic of getting lost, you can find a solution by reaching here.. In this large and touristic square, where 10 important streets are connected, you can meet your many needs such as food, beverage, shopping and accommodation.. However, we do not particularly favor you to deal with the food and beverage issue here, because they are too touristic and just as “cheat”.
-The small bear statue, which is the symbol of the city of Madrid, and you won’t lose anything if you don’t see it, is in this square.
-If you try to watch a street show that catches your attention, pay attention to bags and pockets.
-This is definitely one of the most ideal places to start wherever you want to reach.. There is a metro stop right in the middle.
Plaza Mayor
“Oh, is this a single building?” Plaza Mayor, which can also be described as the courtyard of a building wide enough to respond to, is actually a giant courtyard.. Plaza Mayor, where you can often encounter similar constructions in other Spanish cities, is one of the most touristic spots of the city.
-We do not recommend you to eat something or start a souvenir business in this area, because if we say it in a language we can understand, they attract tourist prices and anyway, they present the mediocre state of everything with a tourist, they don’t understand approach.
Gran Via
Gran Via is another street that can be considered as the heart of the city.. It is possible to find dozens of options for shopping and eating and drinking.. (We elaborated a bit more in the shopping section) We estimate that you will come across at least once during your trip to Madrid.
Prado Museum
The most important museum in the world Prado Museum, where you can understand the reason why it is one of the museums of the world, after you step inside, is a museum where you can spend your hours if you have a little interest in art, and can take your days if you say “art is my middle name”.. Skipping this museum where you can see the works of Goya, El Greco, Velazquez, Raphael, Tiziano and many others is like going to Paris and not rocking the Louvre.
-For students and Madrid Free for card holders. Other than that, 14 Euros.
-Open every day between 10-20:00 except Sunday. Until 19:00 on Sundays.
-Make sure to get a map when you enter the museum. Otherwise you will get lost and miss a lot of artifacts.
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
Paseo del Prado from the holy trinity another one, Reina Sofia, is another museum that will delight art lovers with the joy of going to the amusement park for the first time.. It is possible to see the works of famous artists such as Picasso, Rembrandt, Miro, Dali and Monet here.. And to get you even more excited, it features Picasso’s Guernica.
-Contrary to what you might expect, this museum is closed on Tuesdays, not Mondays.
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-Entry 8 Euros. Free to Madrid Card.
El Museo de arte Thyssen-Bornemisza
We came last but not least to the place in Madrid to the last link of the holy museum trilogy. Museo Thyssen Bornemisza, which is smaller than the other two museums, is a museum that many people miss and miss.
– Make sure to stop by the museum’s store on the way out.. In addition to the things you can see in every museum in Europe, very original things are also sold.
-Be sure to follow their periodical exhibitions.. You can come across very successful things.. For example, this summer, we had the opportunity to see the works of many famous artists, from Andy Warhol to Roy Lichtensein, in their temporary exhibition called “Pop Art Myths”.
-Entry 10 Euros.. Free to Madrid Card.
-To get to this and the other two museums that are part of the holy trinity, simply get off at the Banco de Espana stop and catch you down Paseo del Prado.. All of them are close to each other.
-A system has been developed in these museums so that the interior is not very dense.. For example, after you enter the ticket queue and buy your ticket, they tell you your entrance time and you cannot start visiting the museum before that time.. Thus, the inside is not crowded, they reduce the density.. Don’t worry, you won’t be kept waiting for hours, but be prepared.
Royal Palace of Madrid
If you want to stop by the royal palace while in Madrid, your stop is at Plaza de oriente. Even though it is only used for ceremonies today, you may want to take a tour by saying that the palace is a palace, or you can give up walking at the same speed when you learn that it has 2000-odd rooms, the decision is yours.. Of course, you can’t visit all the rooms, but it will definitely take your time.
-You can relax in the beautiful Sabatini Gardens right next to the palace, and enjoy your lunch with a sandwich from the nearby places in this tranquility. you can eat the source in the park. This park, which used to be inaccessible to the public, is now open to visitors.
-The huge and magnificent Almudena Cathedral is located right next to the palace.. The entrance is free, the interior is architecturally wonderful, we think you can take a look at it.
-If you are heading here from the Left side and intend to rest beforehand, II. Opt for the next square, Plaza de Oriente, not Isabel Square. Both the region is more beautiful and the food.
Retiro Park
One of the reasons why we love Madrid so much and are so envious Retiro Park is not one of the parks we know.. Retiro, which takes half an hour to walk from one end to the other, includes palaces, sitting areas, people sunbathing, sleeping, chatting or reading, ponds, various gardens and plants, is like the realization of the park we dreamed of for Istanbul.
– Grab your pizza, churros, beer and magazine/book from places around the park and spend a few hours here. We do not recommend, we insist. Peace of mind guaranteed.
-If you are in Madrid in summer, feel free to sunbathe here.. Unlike us, there is no risk of scavenging on you, it’s a very natural behavior.
-Metro station: Retiro
Plaza de Santa Ana
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This is one of the most preferred tourist/local mixed squares in the city.. You can visit this area for dinner or to watch a Flamenco show.
-You can choose Villa Rosa for Flamenco.. Entry 30 Euros. We must say that if you have watched flamenco in other cities of Spain before, it will not be that satisfying.
Chueca/Malasana/La Latina
Above museums If we discussed the holy trinity, we decided to turn these 3 different regions into another holy trinity, as they are more alternative and hip areas in terms of eating/drinking, nightlife and shopping.. It is possible to find all kinds of cafes, restaurants and shops in these 3 regions, where dozens of people with slippery mustaches, leather pants and ridiculous sunglasses prefer to gather together.. Moreover, they are away from the hustle and bustle of the city.. In summary, we can call it the Karaköy-Cihangir-Çukurcuma trilogy, you know.
So much so that we decided to make a separate post for these 3 regions, and we say let’s leave it briefly for now.
Plaza de San Ildefonso
Another hipster district of the city, Plaza de San Ildefonso, where you can see street art less frequently in Madrid than in other cities in Spain, is a bit overrated by travelers, in our opinion. However, it is still a region where you can discover lovely places.
-Small but big-functioning bookstores that also sell English books come out of the river. Plaza de Cibeles
When you open any Madrid guide, you will see a photo with a 98% probability, Plaza da Cibeles, one of the symbols of the city, is right at the beginning of Paseo del Prado, which houses the museums mentioned above.. In fact, although it does not contain many touristic places that you can go inside and visit, we think it is worth seeing because it contains very beautiful buildings from an architectural point of view.
Lavapies
The city’s immigrant zone can be considered. Lavapies, where the ghetto meets with hipsters, African, Arab, Indian and other people from different races live, is actually a logical option to see a different, non-touristic side of Madrid.
-Acknowledging that it has a subtle Tarlabaşı atmosphere, accordingly, you can take a slightly cautious approach.
-Lavapies is one of the most affordable areas you can come across in terms of food and beverage.
-We don’t know if there is an urban transformation frenzy going on there as of the period, but, There is an influx of young people, whom we call “alterno”, to the region.. You can infiltrate the region by trusting it.
– It is possible to see all kinds of cafes and bars in the area at Calle Argumosa between Reina Sofia and Lavapies metro.. This is definitely one of the streets that young people show great interest in.
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Football fans should go crazy with joy, pile photos on Facebook You don’t need to be involved in nonsense tours for the Barnebeu Stadium trip, which is one of the activities, you can go and visit it yourself.. Also, if you get lucky with a Rolling Stones concert or something like us, we think you should not miss this opportunity.. (the authors want to emphasize that they went to the Rolling Stones concert here)
-Metro Stop: Santiago Bernabeu
-The price of the tour, where you can visit the stadium in great detail, is 13 Euros. Tours are held until 19:30 every day except match days.. On match days, you can visit up to 5 hours before the match time.
-If you intend to go to the match, you do not need to go to the stadium hours before.. Because there is no such chaotic situation as in our matches.. You can go 10 minutes in advance and take your seat calmly.. Of course, if you want to have fun with the fans around, it is better to go a little earlier.
Shopping in Madrid
Salamanca District
Calle de Serrano and the Salamanca District, which covers 5-6 streets such as Calle Velazquez, Calle de Claudio Coello, Calle de Lagasca, shopping in Madrid One of the most ideal regions for those who want to. There are also Spanish stores where you can find original things that you can’t find in Turkey and that you can find original things in this region, which includes familiar stores that taste like a bag.
Metro Station: Goya or Valazquez
ABC Mall
Why are we writing ABC here, which is one of the craziest shopping malls we’ve ever seen? Of course, just so you don’t waste your time here.. Since people do not intend to cram all life into closed spaces and shopping malls, as we do, existing shopping malls are nonsense compared to ours.. In summary, go out, wander the streets, and do your shopping outside.
Gran Via/Puerta del Sol
Gran Via for stores that are a little more affordable especially compared to Salamanca area You can choose ‘ or Puerta del Sol. These are the main areas of Madrid, where you can visit several times during your holiday, so the shops are concentrated in these areas.. However, we cannot say that you can find many different things compared to Turkey.. Let’s say more stores like Pull and Bear, Bershka, Zara, Pimkie. There will be those who ask if the prices of Spanish brands are more affordable than ours.. We answer: No, it isn’t.
Chueca
Snapped from Gran Via and up, that is, on Puerta del Sol Chueca district, which you get into when you go to the opposite direction, is one of the “hip” districts of Madrid.. Therefore, it is possible to find various small boutiques, brands and designers you do not know.. A more bohemian/specific region compared to the ones we mentioned above. We think it’s definitely worth considering.
Metro Stop: Chueca
A Matter of Eating and Drinking in Madrid
Agree or not, personally Spanish We can’t say we’re sick of your kitchen. If you think we are showing a racist attitude on this issue, we do not reject it, yes, don’t expect two people who grew up with Turkish cuisine to admire other cuisines that much. But of course, this does not mean that we say go back without trying, if we summarize the classics as follows; A nice Spanish Omelette if you don’t come back from Madrid without eating, you will be happier people.
Mama Framboise
Mama Framboise, which we went out of curiosity when we heard that she was praised a lot. A place full of locals where you will not find an English menu. It is usually preferred for breakfast or a tea/coffee/dessert combo.. To tell the truth, we were not very satisfied with the breakfast.. However, we can say that we like their desserts and teas very much.. Worth a try.
-In the Chueca area.
-You can easily get off at one of the Colon or Chueca metro stops.
-There is no outside.
Vinoteca
Vinoteca is a place where you can try delicious Spanish wines and have good tapas. The audience can be defined as mixed tourist & local. In our opinion, it’s more ideal for a pleasant lunch than a solid dinner.
-In Plaza Santa Ana.
-There’s the exterior.
Harina
Harina is definitely one of our favorite lunch alternatives in Madrid.. Their burgers, sandwiches and sauces are great. Also, their Sangria is pretty good.. It can be said that they are a bit worn out in terms of service, but in our opinion it is tolerable for the resulting meals.. Also, since it is located right at the beginning of Calle de Serrano, you can have a snack here beforehand if you intend to shop.. If you say you don’t care about shopping, you are a few steps away from Retiro.
-In Plaza de Independencia.
-You can get off at the Retiro metro and walk a short distance.
La Bicicleta
La Bicicleta, which we discovered while getting lost in the streets again and attracted our attention with its cute atmosphere, is a cafe with a bicycle concept, as you can understand more or less from its name.. Its coffee is average, but it has a Portland-esque (we couldn’t find a more sensible way to describe it) vibe, good music, and an atmosphere that makes you think if I lived here, it would be my go-to place.. You know, that kind of place where you can shut up and read your book calmly and no one bothers you.
-Near Plaza de San Ildefonso.
Toma
Toma, the Madrid/Malasana representative of the “cold brew coffee” movement, which has reached the peak of its popularity in Turkey, stole our hearts with its environment and coffees, even though his name strikes fear into our hearts.. In the first place, we didn’t want to be one of those bloggers who wrote every little place they saw, saying, “Oh great, it’s very different…..” After trying a few different drinks, we decided that we found it as successful as we could recommend.. Bon appetit.
Mercado San Miguel
A place you’ll regret if you don’t save a meal here Mercado San Miguel. A wonderfully cute market place where you can find all kinds of seafood, tapas, desserts, food, fruit drinks and whatever God has given you.. Of course, it is a little different compared to our markets, it is closed on the outside, it has its own layout and places where you can sit.. It might even be called the modern market.. Grab your plate and try everything you find from right to left. You’re sure to find something to adore.
-On Calle Mayor, walking distance from Puerta del Sol.
*Weekends It can be said that people flock to restaurants especially in the evening.. That’s why the waiting lists are getting longer.. If there is a place you have your eye on, it is better to go early or make a reservation.
**It is not possible to have breakfast early in the morning on weekends.. At least, most places where you can have a nice brunch or a good breakfast open their doors quite late.
Some Tips About Madrid
–We would like to share with you the most strange situation regarding Madrid.. Almost no one speaks English. This issue, which we read while getting lost in the depths of the internet before we left and reacted as “I’m not exaggerating”, is officially real.. Think about it, we even came across a woman who couldn’t speak in tourist information.. Go prepared accordingly.
-The Spaniards are generally very slow moving and they can drive you mad at times.. This situation may have come to us because we live in a chaotic city, in a constant hurry, because we live in search of an unnecessary pace.. But whatever the reason, this is the case.. If you want an account with you when ordering, it’s a good place, it just arrives.
-Madrid is a different city by night and by day.. An area that is very decent during the day, after a certain hour at night, is filled with prostitutes and people who cannot regulate their level of drunkenness, and the police are running around.
