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The best things to do in Mallorca, Spain
Your vacations are fast approaching and you’d like to visit Mallorca in the Balearic Islands? Discover our complete guide on our travel blog!
- Spain
- Travel Guides
Madrid is a city we love, and we’re sure you’ll find what you’re looking for in this Spanish destination. Clémence lived there as a child and we rediscovered it with friends in April. The weather was perfect and we were able to try out a good number of addresses, which we’ll share with you in this article. We even took advantage of this trip to Spain to take some silver photos. If you’re interested, we’ve included a few shots at the very end of the article. So if you’re looking for what to do in Madrid, follow our complete guide, vamos!
We can wholeheartedly recommend this beautiful hotel, located right in the heart of the city, just 200 meters from Gran Vía. If you like design hotels, you should fall in love with this address. The rooms are elegant and all have marble bathrooms. Some rooms also have private terraces, so be sure to make your choice when booking if this is important to you! This very central hotel will be perfect if you want to visit Madrid in 3 days and still be close to all the city’s major sights.
If you’d like to discover more great places to find a hotel in central Madrid, we recommend you take a look at our dedicated article on the city’s best hotels.
This is Madrid’s main and most famous avenue! So it’s impossible to miss it if you’re visiting Madrid in 3 days. So we suggest you start your tour of the city here. You’ll be able to immerse yourself in the city’s atmosphere and admire Madrid’s architecture as you stroll along. You’ll also find the famous Edificia Carrión with its Schweppes sign that you must have already seen at least once in photos on the internet.
If there’s one thing we love to do when we travel, it’s have an aperitif on a rooftop. In Madrid, you’ll find a wide selection of rooftops, where you can take in the sights and sounds of the city! We had the opportunity to try out the Ella Sky Bar on Gran Vía, and it’s an address we’d recommend. If you’d like to enjoy the sunset here, we’d advise you to come as early as possible, as the number of places on the rooftop is very limited. The place also has a restaurant that we haven’t tested, but which also boasts a beautiful view of Madrid’s downtown buildings.
We suggest you continue your visit with the Plaza de España. You can admire the many buildings and their architecture while enjoying the family atmosphere of the square. Indeed, many children’s games have been installed here, giving the square a very friendly atmosphere. Nearby, you’ll find the famous terrace of the Hotel Riu de Madrid. The terrace was made famous by the TV series Elite. Located on the 27th floor, it offers a 360° view of the city. If you have the time and are looking for ideas of things to do nearby, this could be a good idea.
Located just a few minutes’ walk from the Plaza de España, you can discover the magnificent Palacio Real and its gardens. It’s one of the city’s must-sees, and it’s impossible to visit Madrid in 3 days without stopping by. The interior of the palace is well worth a visit. Count €12 for the basic rate, €6 for children and students.
Madrid’s Plaza Mayor is also one of the city’s must-sees, and one of its most famous squares. Located less than 10 minutes from the Palacio Real, we recommend a visit to admire it. You’ll also find a statue of Philip III at its center. For those with a sweet tooth, this is the place to try Madrid’s best churros con chocolate.
If you’re looking for a nice place to have lunch on your vacation in Madrid, head for the Mercado de San Miguel. This one offers a multitude of stalls and you’ll have something for everyone! We loved the atmosphere of this market, and the products on offer were all excellent. Beware, however, of the prices charged, which can be a little high on some stalls.
The Malasaña district and undoubtedly one of our favorite neighborhoods in Madrid! This is where you’ll find the city’s best cafés and restaurants, all in a very cool hipster atmosphere. This is where the city’s students meet for a drink and some tapas. As with the Palacio Real, in our opinion it’s impossible to visit Madrid in 3 days without stopping here!
If you’re passing through the Malasaña district at snack time, we recommend a stop at La Pecera. You’ll find excellent Japanese-inspired ice creams with fish-shaped waffle cones. An excellent address for gourmands, plenty to recharge your batteries and continue your exploration of Madrid!
Do you love plants and bucolic atmospheres? You’re in for a treat with the next Madrid must-sees we suggest in this article. We start with Madrid’s main railway station, Atocha Station. This is an unusual address, as it features a magnificent tropical garden. The garden boasts over 400 different species from America, Asia and Australia, for a total of more than 7,000 plants! A great spot if you’re looking for what to do in Madrid.
The Parc del Retiro is the city’s true lungs. Here you’ll find a huge park with several notable points of interest. For example, you can rent rowing boats on the park’s pond, visit the Palacio de Cristal and stroll along the paseo de la Argentina. We spent a whole afternoon in the park, playing cards and enjoying the relaxing atmosphere. We highly recommend it for a 3-day visit to Madrid. The famous Museo del Prado is just down the road from the park, so you can also take a tour there if you’re interested.
We finish our list of must-dos if you visit Madrid in 3 days with one of our favorite spots in the city. We spent an entire morning exploring Madrid’s Royal Botanical Gardens, and we absolutely loved it. You’ll find countless different species and a magnificent greenhouse that we visited from top to bottom. It’s just like the Parc del Retiro, a haven of peace and relaxation. Admission is €4 and the garden opens at 10am.
We continue this article with the great food addresses we had the opportunity to try out during our Madrid vacation. If you’re looking for an excellent Brunch address, go with your eyes closed to Billy Brunch. The food is excellent and the prices are very reasonable.
Address: Calle de Fuencarral, 82, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Same genre as Billy Brunch, and located just off Madrid’s Gran Vía, Brunch IT is a very good brunch address. You’ll find a varied menu and a carefully decorated venue.
Address: Calle del Noviciado, 12, 28015 Madrid, Spain
One of our favorite restaurant addresses in Madrid! A magnificent venue, a festive atmosphere and a dance floor with DJ, we didn’t need more to enjoy Habanera for a good part of the evening. For the more festive among you, you can even finish your evening at Caro club, a nightclub just a stone’s throw from Habanera. That’s what we did, and we found the club’s atmosphere very nice.
Address: Calle de Génova, 28, local Habanera, 28004 Madrid, Spain
La Perrachica is a restaurant in Madrid that offers exactly the same setting as the Habanera restaurant. That is, a festive atmosphere with very careful decoration. However, La Habanera and La Perrachica belong to the same owner, and the menu is identical! We discovered this once we were there, and if you don’t like eating the same thing twice in a row, we advise you to choose between the two addresses on your trip to Madrid.
Address: C. de Eloy Gonzalo, 10, 28010 Madrid, Spain
We end our list of good food addresses in Madrid with an Italian restaurant, Bel Mondo. This restaurant from the Big Mamma group offers great food, all in a beautifully decorated restaurant. As with all the addresses featured in our article, remember to book well in advance!
Address: Calle de Velázquez, 39, 28001 Madrid, Spain
For our week in Madrid, we flew Transavia from Paris Orly. To find the best mode of transport to Madrid for your budget, we recommend you always look on the OMIO comparator. This will give you an overview of all available modes of transport. You’ll be able to compare prices very easily.
If you’re looking to rent a car during your trip to Madrid, we recommend you take a look at the RentalCars website. This will enable you to find the best prices and conditions for your rental.
In order to find the best hotels and benefit from the best conditions (security, cancellation…) we go almost exclusively through Booking.com for our trips. We recommend that you take a look at the available hotels before you leave. You can filter them according to their ratings. There are plenty of recent customer reviews, so there are no unpleasant surprises when you’re traveling!
If you want to get ideas for things to do on your vacation and want to book in advance, we’d also recommend taking a look at the GetYourGuide website. This will give you an overview of the activities on offer in your destination, so you don’t have to wait until you get there to book your places.
Here we are at the end of our must-see Madrid blog post. We hope it will help you visit Madrid in 3 days. We’ll leave you with a small selection of photos taken on film in Madrid. Enjoy your trip!
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