Madrid, happening
The Tio Pepe bottle lurches into view, lit up high above Puerta del Sol, as your taxi pushes through the swarming streets.
Madrid's evening paseo is in full swing: locals roving from meeting place to tapas bar to bar, checking out what's in the shop windows, who's about, and what music is being belted out. Nightlife-driven weekend breaks in Madrid should start on Thursday and end blearily on Monday - well, that's the homegrown approach, anyway.
This city runs on bristling energy and feeds on art. In the Prado, sumptuous works from the private art collections of long-dead dynasties fill the walls, from Velásquez to Goya. In contrast, the Reina Sofia gallery is splattered and scrawled with contemporary creations by Picasso, Míro and Dali.
Madrid has never been the same since the Movida Madrileña (the Madrid Happening) in the 80s. With dictator Franco gone, the city erupted in creativity, hedonism and eccentricity. The graffiti-chic gay district of Chueca embodies this spirit, throwing together sex shops, cool cafés, quirky shops and grungy music venues with a take-it-or-leave-it smirk.
Other atmospheric barrios (neighborhoods) - Salamanca, Los Austrias, Huertas, Levapíes - jostle with bars, restaurants and wine boutiques veering from the bohemian to super-slick. Tantalising scents hang in the air, wherever you go. Seafood, chorizo, cheeses, cochinillo (suckling pig), roast peppers, garlic mushrooms and various South American delicacies await - all washed down with fresh Galician whites or tangy riojas.
You sniff, sample, bite, chew, smack your lips, glug and groan with approval, discovering for yourself that probably the best way to soak up Madrid is through the stomach.
People-watch
on weekend breaks in Madrid at El Rastro, a chaotic flea market which envelops the streets in La Latina on Saturdays and Sundays. The volume of junk peddled is mind-boggling, but ambling among the locals gaily sifting through it all is an experience.
Gawp
at the heaving parade of over-the-top buildings lining Gran Via, Madrid's main shopping thoroughfare. The 1920s Telefoníca rivals the Edificio de España and the Torre de Madrid in colossal size, while the Metropolitan and Grassy compete on curves and ornate detail.
Tuck into
traditional Spanish fare in charismatic surroundings in the Barrio de Los Literatos, once the stomping ground of poets, painters and scribes. Restaurants retain a decadent air, with turn-of-last-century touches including beautiful tiles, chandeliers and tiny, tucked-away courtyards.
Neda, marketing coordinator, MalagaSundays in La Latina are fantastic. Not only for the crowds at the Rastro flea market, but because the squares are filled with groups of friends enjoying tapas and sipping sangria from about midday onwards! The atmosphere is brilliant
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Weekend breaks in Madrid
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Madrid life
48-hour Madrid Card (covering museums, tour bus, attractions)
€38
Entrance to the Prado art museum
€6
Glass of wine in a restaurant
€2.50
Tourist visas to Spain
No - Nationals of UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Japan
Yes - Nationals of India, South Africa
Guide only - always check with embassies before travel
Travel to Madrid
Flights to Madrid
| from | duration |
|---|---|
| London | 2h15 |
| Manchester | 2h50 |
| Edinburgh | 4h30* |
*average, including 1 stop
Airports
Madrid Barajas (MAD)
12km to Madrid
All figures approximate
Average daily highs °C