Quick Guide: 3 Days of Fun and Culture in Madrid

Day 1

We arrived in Madrid at 10 AM and took the metro to the station closest to our accommodation. We were delighted with the place we chose to stay in, as it was reasonably priced and less than a 10-minute walk from the Royal Palace. At the airport, we purchased metro tickets – one card for two passengers, covering 10 trips, including the airport transfers. We figured this would be sufficient and paid 14.6 euros. We reached Nuevos Ministerios station and then transferred to another metro to Plaza de España station. Since check-in was only in the afternoon, we arranged with the owners to unlock the accommodation so we could leave our luggage, with plans to return later to stay in. The apartment was small but adequate, with everything we needed, and its location was fantastic.

That day, we decided to explore the city center. To fuel up for walking, we had an amazing brunch at Panaderia Cafeteria Dulce Vida. I would give this place a high rating as the food was delicious, and the prices were very reasonable. We enjoyed breakfast there twice.

After brunch, we explored the area around the palace, the nearby park, and the cathedral. The sights were beautiful, everything was so clean and clear. The Spanish architecture is truly impressive. The palace in Madrid is the largest in Europe, with over 3,400 rooms and chambers. It is open to the public and functions as a museum. We thought about going inside but changed our minds because the line for tickets was too long, and online tickets were no longer available. Instead, we bought tickets for the royal gallery next to the cathedral, paying 34 euros and reserving a visit for 4 PM when we would return.

We then decided to enter the cathedral and look around. You can climb the stairs to the roof and later visit the church itself. It was very beautiful. We admired the views, paintings, and sculptures, as well as the view of the palace from the roof. The tickets cost us 14 euros.

After visiting the cathedral, we headed to Plaza Mayor, a square that has historically hosted many events, including royal ceremonies, bullfights, markets, theatrical performances, and even inquisitorial trials. It was fascinating to see it enclosed and surrounded by buildings with a total of 237 balconies overlooking the square.

From the square, we made our way to Parque del Buen Retiro, passing through Puerta del Sol, likely the busiest square in Madrid, which is the starting point for streets lined with hotels and shops. It was fascinating to walk around and admire almost all the buildings. I have to say that I find Madrid more beautiful than Barcelona, at least in the part we explored. We didn’t come across any poorly maintained neighborhoods or streets.

We entered the park near the Museo Nacional del Prado and wandered around without a specific plan until we realized we might end up walking around too long. We checked the map to figure out the route to the Crystal Palace, which we located and explored briefly. There was a free restroom near that we used. We also stopped by the Fisherman’s House (Casita del Pescador) before heading back toward the palace and cathedral. We strolled along Gran Vía to see more hotels, shops, and stunning buildings. We really enjoyed the sights.

By the time we reached the gallery, we were quite tired. The artwork, sculptures, and tapestries were exceptional, but we were too fatigued to fully appreciate them. We had walked about 30,000 steps by then. We toured all the rooms, but we were too exhausted to take any photos. Visiting the gallery is worthwhile, but it’s best suited for avid art lovers. We might have been better off skipping it and instead relaxing with a late lunch or dinner. Instead, we picked up some pastries from a store and had those for our meal.

Madrid is a truly gorgeous city, and we managed to see a lot even. We could have taken the metro from the park back to the palace, but walking along Gran Vía was enjoyable as well. We were tired but had a great experience.

Day 2

On the second day, we had planned to tour the Real Madrid football stadium, visit the zoo, and join a night walking tour (Spanish Inquisition, Ghosts, and Legends Evening Tour). Out of these activities, the zoo and the night tour were the highlights of the day for us.

I must say that the stadium tour did not impress us. We’re not avid Real Madrid fans who would be moved by seeing trophies and memorabilia; we were hoping to learn more about the club and enjoy the experience. However, the stadium was under renovation, and for the usual ticket price, we only saw the trophy room and the main stadium, which didn’t even have any grass. We had previously visited Liverpool’s stadium, where Tin is a huge fan. I follow football mainly during European and World Cup events, so I’m not particularly devoted to football or Liverpool. But the tour there was exceptionally well-organized for the similar ticket price. In Liverpool, we explored the trophy room and its history, the home and away team dressing rooms, the area where press conferences are held, and we were given an audio tour device full of fascinating details. It was so well done that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this visit offered very little in comparison. We saw the trophies, an empty stadium, and a lot of construction machinery and concrete in disarray. We weren’t well-informed online about the limited scope of the tour, and it’s possible that normally they don’t show the dressing rooms and other additional areas. It felt quite odd and disappointing. I don’t remember the exact cost, but I believe one ticket was between 25 and 30 euros. Another contrast was that we spent about 4 hours at Liverpool’s stadium, while we finished this tour in just an hour and a half (including the fan shop). We simply had nothing else to do.

Our stadium tour was scheduled for 9:30 AM, so we left around 8:30 from Plaza de España station by metro to Santiago Bernabéu station. As expected, the stadium is very close to the station. Since we arrived half an hour early, we decided to grab a coffee at the Balbisiana café. The atmosphere was pleasant, and the coffee and pastries were quite tasty.

After visiting the stadium, we took the metro for about 20 minutes to the Casa de Campo station, which is near the zoo. We spent exactly 5 hours there, and the zoo, being large and impressive, really wowed us. We purchased our tickets through GetYourGuide, having found them there with a price equal to that on the official website. We paid 46 euros for two tickets. We spent quite a bit of time at various exhibits and attended three different shows: the sea lion, dolphin, and exotic bird and birds of prey shows. We were delighted to see all three.

The Sea Lion educational show lasted 15 minutes and was scheduled on weekdays at 12:00 PM. The Dolphin educational show followed at 12:30 PM for another 15 minutes, and the Exotic Birds educational show, along with the Birds of Prey show, started at 1:00 PM and lasted about 30 minutes. Each show offered a wealth of interesting information about the animals and showcased some fantastic displays. The animals were clearly well-trained and performed numerous tricks, indicating they are well cared for.

I often wonder if the animals are comfortable in such small spaces in the zoo, but they are likely animals either born in captivity or rescued, and wouldn’t survive in the wild or manage on their own. The bird show surprised us the most, as it was something we had never seen before. The birds performed exceptionally well, flying from perch to perch to get food from the keepers or circling around the stage and spectators. It’s intriguing how they return to their perches instead of flying off into “freedom.” While they clearly enjoy being well-cared for and fed, do they ever feel curious about their situation?

After spending several hours at the zoo, we took the metro back to Plaza de España. We decided to try Taco Bell for lunch since we had never been there and had heard various things about it. I even received a recommendation that it wasn’t bad. However, Tin and I were not impressed. Tin thought it was average, and I didn’t enjoy it at all. To make matters worse, we later experienced some mild stomach discomfort. It might have been better to eat at a restaurant or go to a different, more trusted fast-food place.

Our walking tour was set to start at 8 PM, and since we finished our late lunch at 6:45 PM, we headed to the meeting point near Plaza Mayor. With half an hour to wait, we spent the time buying souvenirs to take home. There were many souvenir stands, and it was worthwhile to visit a few to find the best and most affordable options. While some places had the same magnets at all stands, this area offered a variety of different ones. We visited several stands and picked out the ones we liked best without spending too much money.

The walking tour we booked through GetYourGuide for 42 euros for both of us was amazing. It took us past key landmarks in central Madrid while providing fascinating insights into the Spanish Inquisition, a subject we knew little about, along with various legends and stories from that period. Established in the late 15th century, the Spanish Inquisition aimed primarily to root out heretics, particularly new converts (conversos) from Judaism and Islam suspected of secretly practicing their old religions. The Inquisition employed various interrogation and torture techniques to force confessions, often involving severe physical torment. While estimates of the number of death sentences vary, it’s believed that tens of thousands went through Inquisition trials, with thousands executed. The Spanish Inquisition was formally abolished nearly 350 years after it began, leaving behind a rich history of events and stories. Our guide did an excellent job of sharing these stories with us! The tour was captivating and something we would definitely recommend. We enjoy these kinds of special tours, especially when they explore events that have significantly influenced the local culture. The tour concluded after almost 2 hours, and since it ended near the palace and our apartment, we were able to quickly return to our place and get ready for the next day.

Day 3

Our third day was a bit less hectic. With a Wine and Tapas Walking Tour scheduled for 11:30 AM, we decided to sleep in a bit longer. We scheduled it on GetYourGuide and paid 85 euros per person. This tour was especially delightful as we visited some of Madrid’s oldest family-run restaurants and enjoyed some fantastic tapas. The wine was excellent too. We stopped at four different places, and each offered a unique experience through their food and wine. We enjoyed ourselves so much that I completely forgot to take any pictures. We were so immersed in the experience, especially with the friendly and open group, that we didn’t have time to snap any photos.

Our first stop was Casa Gonzales, where we sampled various tapas served on bread or as pastries. At each stop, we had the choice of red or white wine, and I chose a different wine each time. After Casa Gonzales, we went to Bar la Campana, where we tried breaded shark, asparagus, potatoes, and bacon. This was the only place on Plaza Mayor that was worth eating at; the others were commercialized and overpriced for the quality. Everything was very tasty, but my absolute favorite were the shrimps at La Casa del Abuelo. They were served hot from the kitchen, and I enjoyed several pieces of bread with the delicious sauce. I would definitely recommend this spot to everyone. Lastly, we visited the beautifully decorated and spacious restaurant Los Galayos, which also impressed us. I only managed to take a photo of the pork cracklings (chicharrones), but everything was great. We also had their cava sparkling wine at this final place to cheer and celebrate life and good food.

After enjoying all those restaurants and feeling pleasantly full, we took a leisurely walk around the city before returning to our apartment. Since Tin and I were participating in an online NITROX course, we spent the evening studying and attending lectures on our tablets. While it’s possible to add more activities to the day’s itinerary, we felt that this was enough for us.

I would highly recommend catching a Flamenco show in the evening. We had already seen a show in Barcelona, so we didn’t feel the need to see another in Madrid. Nevertheless, a Flamenco show in Spain is an absolute must-see, as it’s an incredibly powerful and beautiful experience. I was so moved at the Barcelona show that I cried several times during the performance and was in awe of the dancers’ skill and passion.

Day 4

I wouldn’t include the fourth day in the itinerary as we spent most of it in the apartment until our check-out time at 11 AM. We then made our way to the train station with plan to find something to eat before catching our train to Málaga. Our train was set to depart at 2 PM from Estación Madrid – Puerta de Atocha.

We picked up a few snacks because the station was huge and disorganized, making it challenging to find a decent place to eat other than the usual fast food options. We also had difficulty locating entrance to our train’s departure platform. Since we arrived early, we even considered boarding an earlier train on the same route to see if our tickets might still be valid. Ultimately, we couldn’t get any clear information and ended up waiting at the station until our 2 PM train. During this time, we were quite anxious from the waiting, and I began to feel unwell. By the end of the day, I developed a high fever and chills, which explained my irritation and lack of enthusiasm. I wasn’t in the mood for walking around Madrid near the station while we waited. Tin was frustrated but later apologized when he realized I was genuinely sick, not just unwilling.

The only interesting part of the day was stepping outside the station to watch an air show featuring planes and helicopters. It was a national day in Spain, and there was a parade of military vehicles, including fire trucks, military cars, trucks, and tanks. We watched the parade for about 20 minutes before heading back inside the station. The road was closed to traffic, and the street was packed with spectators.