Why your next city trip absolutely has to be to Madrid
I may be privileged to say this, but Madrid simply has all the ingredients you need for the ideal city trip. And I can say this with certainty, as I have been living here for about three months now and have seen every Spanish city from top to bottom, so I can confidently say that the capital stands out head and shoulders above the rest. You might wonder why exactly Madrid and not a city on the Spanish coast. I have a number of valid reasons that will likely have you searching for a return ticket on Skyscanner in about three minutes.
You have all the hotspots within walking distance
Included in a capital are countless hotspots that you must visit, whether you feel like it or not. But to avoid spending 75 percent of your time in the metro going from one place to another, a city where all the sights are within walking distance of each other is quite nice. And that is exactly the case in Madrid. Whether you want to row a boat in El Retiro, see the largest royal palace in Western Europe, or prefer to enjoy a tinto de verano in the sun at Plaza Mayor; all the highlights are within walking distance of each other. It saves you a few hot flashes in the metro.
You won't get cold there
In Spain, in Spain, in Spain, in Spain the sun always shines... Or well, almost always. From March onwards, you can often sit on the terrace without a jacket. But it remains Spain, and it can be thirty degrees from one day to the next. Traveling to Madrid in the height of summer I would advise against for this reason. Instead, opt for spring or autumn.
You have the perfect mix of green and city
Just a fun fact in between: the only capital that has more trees than Madrid is Tokyo. Quite logical too, when you look at the two gigantic parks and botanical gardens located in the middle of the Spanish capital. On warm days (and you have plenty of those in Madrid), the whole city relocates to the park where everyone lies on blankets picnicking. Music is played everywhere and the atmosphere that hangs there, well, you won't find that so quickly in the Netherlands.
You eat the very best tapas there
I could write volumes about the food, it's that good here. In the street Calle de la Cava Baja alone, you can do a sort of pub crawl but under the guise of tapas. My ultimate favorite in this street is Cava Baja 17; I don't take my guests from the Netherlands there for nothing. But you don't have to rely solely on this street. Recently, I discovered another favorite that is not so well known among tourists: El Tigre Sidra Bar. You won't get more Spanish than this place. You only need to order one drink and you get ‘free of charge’ a gigantic plate of traditional tapas served. It's not pretty inside, but it's really the ultimate experience if you want to mingle with the locals.
You have the coolest cocktail bars and rooftop bars
And if you still want to go out in the evening, good news: you can drink cocktails in Madrid non-stop. Now there are already plenty of bars in the city where this can be done very well, but if you want to make it just a bit more special? Then go to a rooftop. They are spread throughout Madrid, but I recommend choosing one in the middle of the city center. My go-tos are the RIU 360 Rooftop Bar at Plaza de España and Picagalartos Sky Bar & Restaurant where you have a view of the entire Gran Via. If it's sunset, you're in for a treat.
You can shop (vintage) like no other
You can shop pretty much anywhere, but if you really want to score gems, you need to go to Madrid. You can do this in the many streets of the Salamanca district where you have the chicer boutiques. Is your budget a bit lower? Then I recommend the neighborhoods of La Latina, Chueca, Malasaña, and Lavapiés: very modern neighborhoods where you can shop to your heart's content for vintage clothing. In La Latina, there is even a large flea market every Sunday where you can find plenty of fun stuff. But for those who still prefer to shop at ZARA: rest assured. Just on the Gran Via, a.k.a. the Kalverstraat of Madrid, you have two stores.
For those who feel they've seen Madrid after a few days, I have the ultimate tip: wait a little longer before booking a return ticket and add a few days in Valencia. You don't have to make it complicated, as you can just take the train. Train tickets in Spain are not expensive at all, and you'll be lying on the Spanish coast within two and a half hours. Hard to resist, right?
