- Madrid
- (176)
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Spain
This tip is for visitors to Spain who bank with Santander. When using Santander ATMs to withdraw euros, the usual cash handling fee and foreign exchange fee do not apply.
I'm not here to advertise Santander, but since this tip will save me lots of money I thought it might help others too.
This is a place that we very much recommend. Not perfect by any means but the prices are fantastic. Bottles of wine can be bought for €8!
The starters are brilliant and very large. The portion of mussels was huge and very good. The desserts are mouth watering.
The main weakness of this place is that some of the meat based mains are not as good as the rest of the menu. The fish based mains are good.
Staff are businesslike rather than friendly - food comes quickly but having said that there is no push to get you out if you are nursing your drinks.
One other note - bread is not free!
Plaza El Ángel 12, 28012 Madrid, Spain
+34 913 691 059
Google map: bit.ly/oODb9o
Laurie Lee, best known as the author of Cider with Rosie, set out to walk from the north to the south of Spain in July 1935. Why Spain? Because he knew enough of the language to ask for a glass of water. By the time he arrived in Andalucia a year later civil war had broken out and he was evacuated by a British destroyer. This is real adventure among the wild beauty and blazing heat of the countryside he trudged through, and the poverty of the people he lived among. He reflected afterwards: “I was perhaps never so alone and never so alive again."
As I walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee
Market under the arches that ring the square where people sell stamps, coins and old bank notes.
I bought some Franco era peseta coins as souvenirs. These coins cost only 50c or €1 each and are a reminder of Spain's dark days.
Plaza Mayor (Nearest metro Sol)
9am - 2pm every Sunday
Google map: bit.ly/qF8NUX
Really good food, vodkas and wines and excellent value. Set lunch at 15 euros includes drink. Evening meal a la carte 35-40 euros. Staff are eager to please and speak English. Relaxing, appetising, clean ambience! Convenient five-minute walk to Thyssen and Prado museums.
Calle del Prado 15, 28014 Madrid, Spain
+34 914 293 659
Google map: bit.ly/i6kmAy
An alternative to the big city art establishments is La Tabacalera. A community-run gallery/workshop space/music venue/café/bar in the multicultural barrio of Lavapies, this old tobacco factory is the laid back, graffiti-walled hangout for the cool kids, mums and dads of Madrid. If you want to mix with locals and brush up on your Spanish the vibe is friendly, the art is edgy and the drinks are cheap. Any given night of the week there is bound to be a salsa-class, skateboarding practice, art exhibition or workshop in session, open to anyone and all for free.
Calle Embajadores 53, Madrid
latabacalera.net/
Metro stop: Embajadores
Best seafood on the planet, straight from the Atlantic coast of Galicia.
www.lacasagallega.com/
Calle Bordadores, 11, 280013 Madrid
+34 91 54 19 0 55
Google map: bit.ly/eJmfRG
Most books on sale here have been either written by women or talk about women. It promotes feminist literature and was founded in 1978, when over 200 women, including famous women from the political and cultural Spanish arena, joined forces to create a cooperative to finance it.
Calle San Cristobal, 17, 28012 Madrid, Spain
www.unapalabraotra.org/libreriamujeres.html
Google map: bit.ly/ciriML
Another classic spot for booksellers, located by the Retiro Park. Since 1925, around 30 wooden stalls buy and sell second-hand books here, along with new publications. In the old times, several fairs were located in this area, which became a meeting point for traders and clients. Eventually, intellectuals and bookshops asked the Town Hall to allow for a space for this daily literary fair, which still trades today. It even stayed open during the Civil War!
Cuesta de Moyano (Calle de Claudio Moyano). Madrid, Spain
Like many other old town streets in Madrid (curtidores - tanners, cuchilleros - knifemakers, etc) , it's named after the tradesmen and craftsmen that worked in the city centre from the early 20th century. Calle Libreros is a tiny street off the central Gran Via, previously called Ceres Street. It is not so well-known these days, but not so long ago, university students still went there to sell their previous academic course's textbooks and sell the next ones. At the end of the 19th Century, Doña Pepita made this fashionable as the old main University was located in the nearby San Bernardo Street. The few bookshops that remain here are specialised in various technical and humanistic subjects, and many keep out of stock volumes. They've been hit hard by the recession and few survive now, so walking into one of them does feel like stepping back in time...
Calle Libreros, off Gran Via, Madrid, Spain
Google map: bit.ly/dp1oBy
It is the first regular fetish event in Madrid, with a strict dresscode policy. A third of the people speak fluent English, as many of them travel often to London, Berlin, etc to attend fetish events.
It can be a perfect weekend getaway for kinky travelers. Obviously it is a recommendation only for those into the fetish lifestyle.
It is a LGBT, queer, CD/TV, poly friendly event.
Street: Barco, 32. Madrid.
devotionfetclub.ticketea.com/ (spanish)
Fetlife: fetlife.com/events/31581
Cheap good value hotel in centre at Opera and five minutes walk to Sol.
C/ Las Fuentes 10, 1-D. 28013. Madrid, Spain
www.hostallasfuentes.com/
Google map: bit.ly/bF0dOL
Very nice arty Jazz club and although in the famous Calle Huertas, is not touristy in that sense. Two sittings and the repertoire changes every a few days.
Calle Huertas 22
+34 914298407, populart.es
Google map: tinyurl.com/2u8dyvb
A comfortable hotel with modern rooms in an old building. The buffet breakfast was good with a large selection and the reception staff was friendly and spoke good English. Good location for sightseeing and there are also lots of restaurants in the streets behind the hotel where we had an evening meal. I think rooms are just under €100 for a double.
c/ Preciados 37
Madrid
The CaixaForum Madrid by architects Herzog and de Meuron, opened in 2008 and is located near the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums.
The converted former power station presents itself like a walk-in sculpture, with several exhibitions and events hosted concurrently. The building looks over the Paseo del Prado with a daringly beautiful planted wall and contrasting Cor-ten steel and brick facade.
My family and I went there after a visit to the botanical garden for a 'quick look' - we stayed three hours and hadn't even exhausted the impressive Richard Rogers architects exhibition (until 18 Oct 2009) with dozens of models. Even the younger kids were happy!
A cool cafe and bookshop rounds of this 'must visit' gem.
Paseo del Prado, 36
28014 Madrid
Tel.: 91 330 73 00
Metro:
Atocha, línea 1
obrasocial.lacaixa.es/nuestroscentros/caixaforummadrid/caixaforummadrid_es.html
I can rightly claim the "hombre más baratas en Madrid" crown after surviving a weekend on €38.
The Madrid Metro – the Orient Express compared to the London Underground – runs from the airport to city for a paltry €2. Visit the Parque del Retiro and explore the Crystal Palace art installations, monuments including the beautiful but sinister El Angel Caído, go boating by Alfonso XII's grandiose statue, then watch free street performers and puppeteers. Sip your sangria and toast the Madrid teleférico's 40th anniversary at the terminal bar: the skyline's not as exciting as Barcelona but it's relaxing and cheap.
Window-shop the Gran Via and continue to Plaza de España, Teatro Real, Palacio Real and Plaza Mayor for some classic Spanish architecture. Don't miss the El Rastro fleamarket on Sundays: calling it a flea market is a disservice to the sprawling city of stalls filled with delicious food and exotic crafts. It covers several blocks and gets very crowded so mind your valuables.
Madrid's gloriously rowdy tapas bars were out of my budget so I made do with the supermercado for flavoursome food. Ubiquitous Carrefour City and Express stores stock tasty Iberico ham, chorizo and other Spanish treats at unbeatable prices.
From horrific realisation to splendid sunny weekend of exploration, Madrid is perfect for a Spanish holiday on the cheap.
Metro - €2 one way from airport to central city, daypass tickets available. www.metromadrid.es/en/viaja_en_metro/tarifas/billetes/contenido07.html
Teleférico - €5.10 round trip, Paseo del Pintor Rosales, nearest metro Arguelles. www.teleferico.com/tarifas
El Rastro - start at Puerta de Toledo metro from 10am on Sundays. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Rastro
Parque del Retiro (and other locations) - madridspain.ca/attractions/retiropark.html
Carrefour store finder (use Google translate) - www.carrefour.es/
Fabulous market, recently revamped, brimming with good vibes + interesting crowd + food/drink of all descriptions, from morning cafe con leche to long after midnight. Reasonably priced. Brilliant site for people watching round the clock, not to mention the food - one of the most amazing places in the entire city!
Just a minute off plaza mayor
Another great gay hostel in Madrid - this cool modernist building is in the Chueca area - great for gay nightlife and parties.
The staff are extremely welcoming and will give out any advice on things to see, gay/lesbian advice, free vouchers for clubs, saunas etc...
The rooms have ensuite and have great facilities - tvs, free internet, safety deposit boxes, linen and towels.
Calle Pizarro 14 -1,Madrid, Spain, 28004
www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/spain/madrid/31404/
This is a great gay hostel with really friendly staff - who are always willing to offer you advice on where to go and what to see - they even hand out free club passes!
The rooms are more like a hotel than a hostel, with TVs, comfortable beds and balconies overlooking Puerta del Sol square. There's also free internet and a free breakfast of freshly baked buns.
The location is excellent, you are right in the center of town, so we could walk everywhere.
Puerta del Sol Square, Madrid
www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/spain/madrid/3468/
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