Note: If you don't yet know about Google Maps Streetview, check it out! You can "virtually" walk throughout all of Madrid.
 The best museums in Madrid
The best tourist area in Madrid
Runner up for best tourist area in Madrid:
The best party area in Madrid
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 Between the Royal Palace and Puerta de Sol in the West and the Prado Museum area in the East, my favourite area in Madrid for both day and night time fun
is called Huertas  and runs along Calle Huertas from
the Plaza de Santa Ana to the Prado museum. There are plenty
of bars and restaurants throughout the area and you can just
take your pick. Huertas is part of a tourist area with very little vehicle traffic permitted in it. You can walk on pedestrian-only streets from Recoletos at the Prado Museum all the way to the Royal Palace. More on: Drink in Madrid on Wikitravel.
There are also plenty of clubs and discos in Madrid for night-lifers like: Joy Eslava,   Radical, Sala La Riviera (Recent concerts: Jimmy Cliff, James Blunt, Whitesnake, B-52's, Christopher Cross,
Journey, Kansas) photos , Sala Heineken, Grupo Kapital (several discos ). Here are some Irish Pubs on: MadAboutMadrid. Personally, I prefer: The Irish Rover It's great for watching sports on the big screen. |
The best of In-English comedy entertainment in Madrid
 The Giggling Guiri is the leading professional English language comedy provider in Spain, staging regular live comedy nights in Madrid. They bring comedians from the U.K., etc. to perform in Madrid.
Here's their most up-to-date information: Comedy in Spain.
The best tourist area in the Community of Madrid
The "other" best day-trips outside of the Community
of Madrid
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Just outside of the Community of Madrid there are some other wonderful places to visit, At the top of the list is Segovia. It's also an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Roman-built aqueduct is one of Spain's best known monuments, but you've probably seen the fairy-tale "Alcazar" castle at right as well.
While you're in the area, try to find the time to visit La Granja de San Ildefonso and have a picnic at Boca del Asno park.
 Other nearby places you just have to go to are Toledo, Aranjuez, Avila, and, a bit farther away, Cuenca (It actually may be faster to go to Seville by high-speed train than to go to this last one.)
If you can get access to a car, you might also consider going to Arenas de San Pedro in the mountains of Gredos, 2 hours southwest of the
Community of Madrid. |
 The second-best tourist area in the community
The
Valley of the Fallen is a close runner up and it's just 10 minutes down the road.
Bear in mind that this destination is controversial in Spanish society as it is the place where the dictator Franco was buried.
See: Valle de Los Caídos for more information.
The best of nature in Madrid
The best shopping area in Madrid
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The
Rastro - You can find anything and everything at the Rastro from
left-over pieces of junk to beautiful works of art. And
in case you were worried about safety, it's usually crawling with
police officers.
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The best thing for kids to do while you visit
The best English book store in Madrid
Booksellers
English language bookshop - The English teachers'
bookshop though it's got a lot of novels and things
like that (maybe not as many as wherever you're from).
(Near Metro Iglesia) One big problem for English teachers is that a lot of the textbooks come shrink-wrapped in plastic. They'll let you have a look at them and then re-wrap them, but it does tend to make one feel a bit awkward about looking at very many, which is why shopping for books at Amazon.co.uk is probably better for most people.
Prices are similar and they usually deliver within a week.
Calendar: Holidays, Concerts, Events, Festivals and Recommended Excursions: (See links below for lots more info. Some events are terribly popular so you have to plan them months in advance. There are a lot more things going on all the time. This is just my "top 10" list of things for English teachers to do this year and when it's best to do them - in my opinion. Ask your students for more. Holidays and festivals are always more expensive times to travel. Please double-check dates, etc.)
 = cultural highlight //  = worthwhile //  = long weekend for an excursion
2009:
Madrid soccer Real Madrid. Whatever else you do, try to watch a match in the Bernabeu stadium during the year.
Toledo excursion, June 14, Corpus Christi Festival
Segovia excursion, 1st and 2nd Saturdays of July, Concert of Candles, Pedraza.
(This is a complicated venue to organize because it's so exclusive and small.)
- Conde Duque Music Festival in Madrid (July) (Loreena McKennit was there in '08 - cost was 35 euros)
Pamplona, Navarre, excursion, July 6-14, Running of the Bulls, Sanfermines, San Fermin, San Fermin online.
Guadalajara excursion, 2nd weekend of July, Medieval Festivals of Siguenza, Wikipedia. (Book a train ticket and hotel room months before.)
- Music Festival of Benicàssim (Valencia), late July. Also, Summercase? (Another competing music festival)
- Madrid Holiday, July 25 (Friday), Santiago Apóstol.
Segovia excursion, July 25 (+25 August, 30 May), La Granja Ildefonso fountain show
- Madrid Holiday, August 15 (Saturday), Asunción de la Virgen. Fiestas Latina
Dates below this point will be confirmed in August of 2009:
Avila excursion, Aug. or Sept. Jornadas Medievales (Medieval Festival)
Madrid Holiday, September 9 (Wednesday), Santa María de la Cabeza.
Segovia Excursion, Sept. ?, Annual Town Festivals of Segovia. Also, April, Segovian Cooking Festival. Cocina, Segovia, Alcazar, Wikipedia
- Madrid excursion, last weekend of Sept. Medieval Fair Buitrago, Feria Medieval.
- Madrid event, in the fall, Biocultura environment and natural foods fair, Biocultura
- Madrid Holiday, November 1, Todos los Santos (All Saints).
- Madrid Holiday, November 9, La Almudena.
- Madrid event, Nov., EXPOTURAL, Rural Tourism and Ski Fair (IFEMA)
- Madrid event, Nov., Expocomic, Pabellón de Convenciones del Recinto ferias de la Casa de Campo.
- Madrid event, Nov., Chocolate Fair, Pabellon de Cristal, Casa de Campo.
- Madrid event, Nov., Expoocio, Free Time and Leisure Fair (IFEMA)
Madrid Holiday, December 6, día de la Constitución Española.
Madrid Holiday, December 8, Inmaculada Concepción.
- Madrid concert, Dec. ?, "Festival de Gospel and Negro Spirituals" in Casa de Campo.
- Madrid event, Dec. ?, Juvenalia (IFEMA) children's leisure fair - 150,000 visitors in 2007. (Search Google images for "Juvelania fotos")
Madrid Holiday, December 25 (Thursday), Christmas in Madrid, Navidad Madrid. There are potentially 2.5 weeks of holidays. I personally cancel all classes which don't cancel themselves as they tend to cancel at the last-minute anyway. Because of the intense heat of the summer and milder winters, this is probably the best time to visit the cities of the south in Andalucia: Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, Cádiz and Seville, as well as some other places like Arcos de La Frontera.
The winter's also the best time for skiing and there are plenty of places here for that. Check out these supercool 360 photos at: Aragon Virtual
2010:
- Holiday, Jan. 6, Three Kings' Day.
- Madrid event, Late January, International Tourism Fair (IFEMA)
Madrid Art Fair, some time in February, ARCO
- TESOL Spain Conference some time in March.
- Madrid event, March, AULA Students' Fair (IFEMA)
Cuenca excursion, some time in Apri, Semana Santa (Easter week)
Madrid Holiday, May 1 (Friday) and 2, Music and military parades in Madrid 2 de mayo.
- Madrid event, sometime in May, Expomanga, Pabellón de la Pipa del Recinto ferial de la Casa de campo.
- Madrid event, sometime in May, Retromovil, (IFEMA, Pabellón 10) 2008 pics
- Madrid event, Sometime in May or June, Car Show (IFEMA)
Download: 2008-2009 School Year. Make your own Calendar. (Note that towns on the outskirts of Madrid each have two additional holidays per year. Also, there tends to be a minimum number of holidays per year and because there are a lot of holidays that fall on the weekend this year, I imagine a few more might yet be declared). (See also: blankcalendar.info)
The best up-to-date information on what to do (in Spanish):
Festivals and concerts at: El Mundo, PopMadrid Agenda, Festivales, Fiestas de Madrid.
Tickets at: Elcorteingles.es, Ticktackticket, Telentrada. Tickets tend to be about 60 or 70 euros for superstars and maybe half of that for anybody else. Also, other events at: Madrid Espacios y Congresos and Madrid en Red. The best local information can be found in print on Fridays as a supplement to the daily
El País: OnMadrid (don't waste your time on the online version). It's got what's going on in the next week, plus restaurants, etc.
The best of Sports in Madrid
  Real Madrid (Real Madrid Club de Futbol on Youtube) Tickets are somewhere between 30 and 50 euros each at the ticket office, or more. Matches are at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. See more information here: Real Madrid. More:
Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid.
By the way, you have to double-check current offers, but I think that if you join the Real Madrid "club" for about 30 euros (I just did), you may be able to get a "free" ticket per trimester to a Real Madrid basketball game in the Palacio de Vistalegre plus all sorts of discounts at stores, amusement parks (i.e. 40% off one ticket at WB), cinemas and so on. Plus, I took advantage of a short-term offer and got somebody with an existing membership to refer me and then we each got a free ticket to a football match. Call the "Linea Carnet Madridista" at 902221144 or see their webpage for up-to-date information.
Golf in Spain - Do you play golf or tennis? Tennis in Spain,
Swimming pools in Madrid, Aquopolis - In the Community of Madrid there are two of those swimming-pool parks with all sorts of strange contraptions for people to torture themselves with (worse than the inquisition). I go to my local neighbourhood swimming pool which is just fine at 2.50 a head for the day. There are plenty of them around along with Sports Complexes where you can sign up to play sports like tennis and soccer. You may even be able to join the local leagues, it's all pretty well organized. A warning: I don't see the lifeguards at my swimming pool ever paying very close attention - just an opinion - and there were something like at least 20-30 drownings in the summer of 2008 on the beaches and in the pools.
The best (and only) Amusement Parks in Madrid
Warner Park Madrid Tickets are 35 euros for adults (6 for parking) and I've heard people are searched for "contraband" food so you have to buy something to eat there (1.50 for water, 2.80 for cokes, 13.00 for meals). I'll bet it's not any cheaper than the ticket to get in. Otherwise, except for the lack of shade in August and super-long waits on weekends, I've heard nothing but positive recommendations about cool rides and shows.
Parque de Atracciones Tickets are a little cheaper at 27.50 and as far as I know, you don't get frisked. It's also far closer to Madrid.
The best in-English Newspaper in Madrid
| In
Madrid - If you can't speak Spanish, there's no doubt at all that
"In Madrid" is the best "in-English" press around. If you
want to know what's in-fashion and happening in
Madrid. |
The best in-English cinema in Madrid
|
Cine
Ideal This "original version" cinema (English mostly
and other languages) is a few hundred meters south of "Puerta
del Sol" on Calle Doctor Cortezo, 6 just off Plaza
de Jacinto Benavente. Warning: all cinemas in Madrid cost
6.50€ or more. More movies on El Mundo Cartelera.
If you want to watch something really cool in 3D, go to the IMAX Cinema By the way, I went with my family in July of 2008 (33 euros for 3 people) and, in my opinion, the place needs renovating, especially the bulbs on their 2D projector which seemed all too dark at the edges. |
The best music-related electronics shopping area
|
 People
say that the area to go to is about 500 metres north of
Calle Alcalá on Calle Barquillo just up the street
from Banco de España metro. The truth is that there
are a lot of shops here with stock that looks quite professional
so maybe you can find things that aren't generally available,
but prices seem the same to me for average cd players,
etc.
There are several instrument shops around the center. I've personally shopped quite happily at Union Musical Española on Echegarai. |
The best PC shops
| PCBox
- If you know what your doing, PCBox is probably the best
and cheapest shop for computer hardware in Madrid. Mediamarkt,
(their shops are on the outskirts), though it seems to me
to have a horribly abusive returns policy, usually has some
really good sales, but doesn't seem to me to be really focused
on PCs, and PCCity
(near Metro Arguelles) is also a good solid choice. The
best reason to buy at El
Corte Inglés is because of their excellent financing and the guarantee
their brand offers (there's usually no problem at all returning
goods for whatever reason here). One of my students is the
head of the IT department in a French multinational which
buys many of their computer supplies online here: Bechtle.
There are plenty of other shops in Madrid to be wary of. The best PC magazine printed here is: PC Actual. |
The best of Telecommunications in Spain
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The best mobile-phone and internet company overall is "Movistar-Telefonica." Their competitors Orange and Vodafone work just fine as well. The best thing to do is to go to their shops, which are all over the place, and compare current prices and offers. |
The best music and films shop
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If anyone actually buys music or films anymore, which I have
to admit that I do, FNAC next to metro Callao is the best for music because of their
listen-before-you-buy system, and Mediamarkt
has excellent prices on their videos (often 50% or less of
what others are asking). |
The Best Art Supplies store
Chopos art supply store is one of the best art
supply stores in Madrid and the materials are usually fresh. (I've
bought acrylic paints in other stores which had just about solidified.)
It's just east of Plaza de San Jacinto Benavente towards the Plaza
de Santa Ana.
The Best Chocolate bar in Madrid and Eating in Madrid.
Mallorquinas On the southwest corner (on the Plaza Mayor
side) right next to one of Sol's Metro exits, Mallorquina's is
one of the best quality chocolate shops in Madrid. If you're a
chocolate lover and you can stand waiting in line for 10 minutes
to get served, go for it! You'll love it. And, by the way, there's
a little restaurant area upstairs, but you can bet it'll be full
as well.
Eating on Wikitravel (very good) - In general restaurants tend to be around a minimum of 25 euros a head on the menu. You usually can get the daily lunch special for 10-12 euros in lots of places during the week - wherever you see loads (the more the better) of workers, who have to commute, having their lunches. See also PaininSpain.com: Budget Restaurants in Madrid.
The Best Hiking and Camping Equipment shopping in Madrid
 The
best area in Madrid to shop for camping equipment (i.e. backpacks,
hiking boots, etc.) is in the rastro. Decathlon
is a sports-related department store located in various towns
on the outskirts of Madrid.
The best place for hiking maps and guides is: Tienda Verde.
The Best Hiking Club in Madrid.
Senderismo
en Madrid - A Madrid-based hiking club made up of
an extremely welcoming bunch of folks. Find more links and resources on their site. They share rides to go somewhere different in Spain just about every weekend. Sign up on their site, but don't be cheeky if you go with them: help pay for the gasoline.
The Best Video-Game Store in Madrid
GAME - This store has 27 locations and loads of new and second-hand games. I find prices can be cheaper currently for both new and second-hand video games on Amazon.co.uk.
The Best Toy Store in Madrid
Dideco This is an educational store in the shopping center right
next to the Puerta de Toledo Metro and near the Rastro. There
are loads of educational games for children of any language. |
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