Can you get to know a city in one day? Of course not, or at least you can't get to know it completely and how the city deserves ... but there are times when there is no other way and you have to know how to take advantage of those hours.
Madrid in one day... how about?
Madrid in 24 hours
Did you end up in Madrid somehow and only have one day to do a few laps? What can you know in such a short time? How can you get the best out of it? It's simple, choose only the most popular attractions.
Maybe you arrive from the interior of the country, from a neighboring country or from the other side of the Atlantic, it does not matter, but you should get the Multi Card to use the subway as a means of rapid transport. Calculate that to spend 24 hours in the Spanish capital you will need at least two tickets, if you arrived in Barajas (one outward and one back to the airport), but to that you must add a couple more to get to the attractions Madrid faster.
There are 12 metro lines in Madrid, in addition to the bus, train and tram lines, but to make it simpler, the metro is convenient as this means of transport connects the most popular attractions very well. Obvious, if you can't always walk.
The city center is the Puerta del Sol, so if you are at the airport you can use the pink metro network, 8, to go to Nuevos Ministerios. From here take the blue line towards Puerta del Sol and get off at Tribunal. From there you change to the celestial line, the 1, and finally you go down in Sol that It is a very good starting point to visit the best of Madrid in one day. In total it will be a half hour trip.
It is best start with a walk through the historic centerIt is a very good snapshot of the city and its history. In the Plaza Mayor, every day, there is usually guides with white umbrellas that are gathering and guiding tourists, both Spanish and English speaking.
These types of tours last about three hours and co You will see the Plaza Mayor, the Mercado de San Miguel, the Gran Vía, the Almudena Cathedral, the Convent of the Carboneras Sisters and the Puerta del Sol.
You can make a reservation for a time that suits you or you can just show up and join the group that is being formed. It's a free tour, but donations are accepted and expected. If you want more of this type of organized walks, just go to a tourism agency. You can even hire a Segway tour or a private historical walk. And if you don't like being with guides and you want to be loose then you can always make your own way.
Keep in mind don't miss the Prado Museum, Retiro Park, Neptune Fountain, Sainte Jerome Cathedral, Plaza del Ángel and the Casa de Cisneros, in addition to what I listed above. With a good tourist map you will not have a problem. And of course, the route ultimately depends on your own tastes.
For example, Do you like art So he Museo del Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza they will be yes or yes on your list. They concentrate the best of art here in Madrid, but you will not have time to see them all so see which collections interest you the most and decide. Many choose the Reina Sofía because here is the popular Guernica by Picasso, but if you want something more general, the Prado Museum is the best choice.
Visiting museums drains energy, it is true, so if you prefer to leave art for another round and the weather is pleasant, it is better to be outside. For that you can cross the Paseo del Prado and see the Retiro Park and the royal chapel. If you already know what you are going to do, there are many tickets that you can buy in advance.
Plaza Mayor is the main beach and it is a place that you cannot miss in one day in Madrid. It is rectangular, surrounded by beautiful buildings, with more than 200 balconies, with the statue of King Felipe III from 1616… wherever you look at it, it has charm. There are the nine arched entrances, once medieval doors but today with restaurants from which to contemplate the cobbled streets of the center.
Between two towers there is a wonderful fresco, the Casa de la Panadería, with the goddess Cibeles in her marriage to Attis, as well as some more details that represent the history of the city. If by this time of the walk it is already noon then it is best to sit at eat some tapas at Mercado San Miguel Well, the atmosphere here is the best. While there are other markets in the Spanish capital in gastronomic matters this is considered one of the best.
Dating from 1916, it is a construction where iron prevails and the truth is that it offers everything from fresh fish to fine chocolate bonbons. And of course, the best ham. The Puerta del Sol is the kilometer 0 of Spain and it was one of the most important gates of old Madrid in the XNUMXth century. Today it is a lively square with many important monuments and buildings.
A good photo is next to the coat of arms of the city, The Bear and the Strawberry Tree, just outside the entrance to the subway. From right here you can walk down Calle Mayor towards the river and go through the Royal Theater, the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral.
Obviously you will not have time to appreciate its beautiful interiors but rest assured that on the outside they are also spectacular. With respect to Gran Vía It concentrates the most popular brands, but if you want something more boutique you can head towards the neighborhoods of Chueca and Malasaña, with their smaller streets and their little shops.
Having done this tour, the truth is that you are going to spend a large part of the day, counting the time for breakfast and lunch and why not drink a coffee in the middle of the afternoon and rest your legs. Around 7 or 8 you also have to stop to enjoy the sunset. The panoramic view of Gran Vía and the Metropole building from the Head bar is phenomenal and it will be the best of Madrid's farewells.
Head is on the rooftop of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, seven stories high, with the bar and restaurant having almost a 360 ° city view, or at least its charming and interesting historic center. The drinks are not cheap at all, obviously, but without a doubt It is the best closing to 24 hours in Madrid. You will not regret it.
And then yes, you can stay to eat or if it is expensive you go down to the street and you go out for tapas. A good neighborhood for that is Huertas, with Casa Alberto or La Venencia. Lastly, do you have the night or not? If you have the night to enjoy then you can go out to dance, if you don't follow bars which is a lot of fun.