First time in Madrid :Suggestions from Madrid lovers needed

Okay, so I have been recruited to take my cousins around Madrid on their first trip abroad. My cousin’s daughter (age 20) is in Sevilla doing a semester abroad there, but she will be coming up to Madrid to meet her parents, sister (age 18)and my family (daughters ages 17 and 12)and me.

So, I need to plan a few days in Madrid and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions.

So far this is what I am planning.

They arrive on Saturday morning from NY. Since they will probably be exhausted, I thought it would be good to do the Madrid Vision bus in the afternoon after a nice lunch so that they get a feeling for the city. Any suggestion for a Sat. lunch place? I want them to LOVE Madrid…and my cousin’s wife is a bit picky. I was thinking of a Paella place ? or does La Finca de Susana have the 9 euro lunch on Saturdays?

For dinner: tapas around Plaza Santa Ana…are there any specific places anyone loves for Paella ? I rarely eat Paella in a restaurant in Madrid.

Sunday (Palm Sunday) I was thinking of mass at the Catedral de Almudena (they would like that)n and then a tour of the Royal Palace. Does anyone know the schedule for masses on Palm Sunday? ( I will go to the Rastro while they are at the Palace) Lunch at Casa Paco for a delicious steak Evening around the Plaza Mayor (the mesones) for tapas.

Monday: day trip to Toledo
Dinner: Calle Huertas for tapas? Or a Galician restaurant? Does anyone know a good Galician restaurant?

Tuesday: day trip to Avila and Segovia
Dinner: suggestions? a Basque restaurant perhaps?
Wed. El Prado and the Reina Sofia

Afternoon train to Sevilla...


thanks for any and all suggestions! My aim is for them to love Madrid and get a feel for the wonderful place it is.

...esparanza...as you appear to have an all female group, may i suggest a bit of window shopping along Serrano or as you are going to be around Plaza Mayor/Sol, a brief peek into El Cortes Ingles (right near the 'bear and strawberry tree' statue). My daughter thought that both locations were somewhat different to what she has available in the US....and besides, females just LOVE shops/shopping!! hehe

Esperanza..,for me,i would have to spend an hour or two in the Retiro park on Sunday.It's a great place to go for a leisurely stroll and do a bit of people-watching.(if weather is good!). A trip to Toledo would be a must.Have fun!

well an old time favorite in Madrid is Las Cuevas de Luis Candela off cuchillero near plaza mayor.
as for paella you better go to La Barraca, Reina 29 off GRan Via
or Bajamar, GRan Via 78.
barrio santa ana try cerveceria santa ana

In Sevovia, i love the Hostal Ventas Magullo crta Soria;great typical segovian resto.,also Meson de Candido, Plaza azoguejo near acueduct:tapear at La concepcion, pl mayor 15.

Toledo; tapas at El ALbaicin ,Chile 2; taberna de Lino, santa justa 8; but to eat try the Hostal del Cardenal, Paseo Recaredo 24; very typical toledan place for lodging and eating.

and i agree with the Parque Retiro, try wonder by it and have an horchata there while looking at the lake!!!

cant wait for my annual trip end august early september; Madrid forever!!!

you and your family have a great trip!

If the weather is decent, the first thing I do when arriving in Madrid is to plant myself in an outdoor cafe in the Retiro park, facing the lake. I have a snack, sit, and people-watch. It doesn't really feel like I'm in Madrid till I've done that and spent money at a book shop.

I don't live in Madrid (still hehe), but I was there many times. My favorite places are the Royal garden, quite place and nice for chilling. And while you are there you can go for a coffee to Secret Garden. Great small cafe (ones after 5pm if I remembers well).

Have fun!
ps. Don't miss shopping! El Corte Ingles is famous, but I found it kind of expensive. But you have Cortefiel, Mango, Zara, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada etc.

As for Madrid, I will let everyone else recommend particular restaurants. However, I would generally suggest, and of course you already know this, that you go for a tapas crawl in the mesones around Plaza Mayor. I think they are so much fun, and I try to go at least once when I am in Madrid.

And, I would agree about the shopping, especially the clothes stores that you don't have in the US. One of my favorite things to do is go to FNAC (near Metro Callao) and peruse the CDs and listen to some of them at the listening stations. It's great to find Spanish music that you can't get at home, and my friends and I always like the dance music compilations, too.

You asked about the mass schedule for Palm Sunday. I don't know if it will change for the holiday, but here is the schedule online: www.archimadrid.es/catedral/cel_hora/default.htm

As for Segovia, the last time I was there, I ate at a lovely little resturant near Plaza Mayor called Cueva de San Esteban. They even have a cool web site: www.lacuevadesanesteban.com I loved their gambas al ajillo and judiones de la granja!

Hello,
Near Plaza Santa Ana there are two places that I really like. One is Restaurante "Toscana", despite its Italian name they serve food from Leon. I love their main specialties, "ensalada de la casa" and "morcillo" (stewed beef). The second one is "Prada a Tope" in Calle Principe, they have delicious food from its own farms in Villafranca del Bierzo, wonderful "cecina".
For Basque food, I know an excellent restaurant called "Lur Maitea" near Plaza de Colón. Great fresh fish and wines. A bit expensive.
With any doubt, if you want a great t-bone steak (chuleton de Avila) try it when visiting Avila or Segovia.
Sorry but I cannot suggest any restaurant for paella in Madrid, I never tried it here because I cook it myself at home, like this "arroz al horno":
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u2/valenciano_en_madrid/comida/P3170122.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u2/valenciano_en_madrid/comida/P3170124.jpg

Or I go to Valencia to eat paella like these ones (the man in the pic is adding water, not CocaCola :
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u2/valenciano_en_madrid/comida/P3190283.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u2/valenciano_en_madrid/comida/P3190280.jpg


Anyway, I'm sure there must be very good restaurants for paella. I have heard about restaurants La Barraca, L'Albufera or Casa de Valencia.

Have a nice time in Madrid

Oh, how I love those photos of paella, especially after I just made myself a very boring lunch of grilled cheese. The paella looks delicious, and seeing that huge paellera reminded me of all the wonderful paella I ate in Valencia many years ago.

...esperanza...i was wondering how your visitors enjoyed whatever you decided for them. I would be interested to know what they enjoyed the most.

Basically we went for tapas every evening and they especially liked the Museo del Jamón ! (who wouldn't? ) They also LOVED chocolate and churros at Chocolatería San Ginés. I also took them to have patatas bravas at Las Bravas. We also went to the Mesón de la Tortilla under the Plaza Mayor. They loved that experience too! We ended up having Paella at a place near la Puerta del Sol. It was especially good too. ( I cannot remember the name!) And we ate on the Plaza Santa Ana at Viña P. It was the one day when we had enough sun to sit outside for a meal. They loved the Plaza Mayor and we were able to sit at a café there to drink in the atmosphere one evening too. We also took them to Taberna Toscana Taberna Toscana for tapas one evening and they LOVED it! They especially liked the berenjenas fritas (fried eggplant) and the croquetas there.

You are probably thinking that all we did was eat while we were in Madrid with my family? We did get to the Reina Sofía, the Prado and the Palacio Real. They took some day trips to Toledo and Avila and Segovia. Now they are in Sevilla and we are back in NY.

Thanks for your suggestions and comments, everyone!