January 28, 2007
36 Hours
Madrid
By SARAH WILDMAN
POOR Madrid. Stuck in the middle of Spain, the city has long been perceived as the provincial, sleepy sister to Barcelona. Even today, you can see little girls dressed exactly as their mothers were, in 1940s-style dresses and matching topcoats. But that is precisely Madrid's charm. As the city fast-forwards into the 21st century — with designer hotels that rival any international city's, a sleek new airport terminal designed by Antonio Lamela and Richard Rogers and non-tapas bars that flirt with minimalist décor — Madrid is still the country's political and cultural capital. It remains, as Ernest Hemingway wrote, “the most Spanish of all cities.”

Friday

4:30 p.m.
1) STRAIGHT OUT OF ALMODÓVAR

Grab a caña, or small beer, at the Plaza de Chueca, one of the city's best squares for people watching. It's quite a show: tiny old ladies in knee-length wool coats, young Madrileños in skin-tight jeans and mullets, and cross-dressing men who look like Amazonian extras in a Pedro Almodóvar film — all rushing between the 19th-century town houses, skipping nimbly between piles of dog waste and clutching tiny packages. Sierra (Calle Grávina, 11; 34-91-531-0126) is a friendly bar to take in the scene.

6 p.m.
2) SAVE THE PRADO

There is more to Madrid's booming art scene than the Prado. For temporary exhibitions of big-name artists like Roy Lichtenstein without the crowds, check out the smaller museums like the Fundación Juan March (Calle Castelló, 77; 34-91-435-4240; www.march.es), the Fundación Caja Madrid (Plaza San Martín, 1; 34-91-379-2349; www.fundacioncajamadrid.es) and the larger but often overlooked Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Paseo del Prado, 8; 34-91-369-0151; www.museothyssen.org).

10 p.m.
3) DINNER CRAWL

Tapas are a Madrid institution and are served in nearly every bar for just a few euros apiece, so you can spread your dinner across the city. The most traditional and popular tapas restaurants line Calle Cava Baja, a curving street just south of Plaza Mayor. Start at Casa Lucas (Calle Cava Baja, 30; 34-91-365-0804), a homey spot for a slice of tortilla española (potato omelet), then move up the street for seafood pintxos, the intricate Basque version of tapas, at Txakoli (Calle Cava Baja, 26; 34-91-366-4877). Be warned: these places get more crowded as the night wears on. If balancing plates and shouting doesn't sound like fun, head to Txirimiri, a quieter spot in Salamanca (Calle General Díaz Porlier, 91; 34-91-401-4345) for pintxos supplemented by a full Basque menu. For a global twist on tapas, there is a newcomer called Olsen near Plaza Santa Ana (Calle del Prado, 15; 34-91-429-3659) that swaps the Spanish roster for a Scandinavian smorgasbord. Five sandwiches and five shots of vodka to share, for example, are 22 euros, or $28 at $1.29 to the euro. The stark white Belvedere Vodka Lounge downstairs has a D.J. and stays open until 2:30 a.m.

12:30 a.m
4) NIGHT RIDER

Madrileños believe that night is the most important time of day. To party like a local, head to the multistory tavern El Viajero, or the Traveler (Plaza Cebada, 11; 34-91-366-9064), which draws everyone from women in their 20s in “Flashdance” off-the-shoulder sweatshirts to men in business suits. The roof deck offers unobstructed views of the magnificently illuminated Basílica de San Francisco el Grande.

2 a.m.
5) LA VIDA LOCA

It's still early in Madrid, so jump over to La Via Lactea, or the Milky Way (Calle Velarde, 18; 34-91-446-7581), an old-school rock 'n' roll bar that is decorated with three decades of concert posters. The bar opened in 1979 at the height of the Movida, the orgiastic explosion of sex and drugs that followed Franco's death. The clientele may have changed since those days, but the vibe is the same.

Saturday

10:30 a.m.
6) COFFEE AND BOOTS

Have a cortado — a shot of espresso topped with milk — at trendy Café Diurno (Calle San Marcos, 37; 34-91-522-0009; www.diurno.com), an airy loftlike coffee shop with Wi-Fi, fresh muffins and croissants in the heart of the gay-friendly Chueca neighborhood. Once you're awake, take a shopping break among the area's small boutiques. Check out Caligae (Calle Augusto Figueroa, 18; 34-91-532-0240) for boots and shoes from Spanish designers like Chie Mihara, or Óptica Toscana (Calle Hortaleza, 70; 34-91-360-5007; www.opticatoscana.com), a perfectly preserved 19th-century shop, for quirky eyeglasses.

Noon
7) OLD BUILDINGS, NEW ART

Downtown Madrid is dotted with historic buildings that allow visitors a peek into the past. The Centro Conde Duque was built in the 18th century as military barracks; today it is a cultural center (Calle Conde Duque, 11, 34-91-588-5834; www.munimadrid.es) with a small but excellent collection of modern art. Classical concerts are held Saturday evenings in the large internal courtyard; in the summer, string quartets are replaced by jazz, folk and world music singers like Erykah Badu and Cesaria Evora.

3:45 p.m.
8) BAREFOOT ROYALS

The Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, or Monastery of Barefoot Royals (Plaza de las Descalzas, 34-91-454-8800; www.patrimonionacional.es), is an imposing convent of Franciscan nuns built in the 16th century. The nuns maintain a remarkable collection of 15th- to 19th-century religious art, including works from Titian and Rubens, some depicting rather gruesome crucifixion scenes. Admission, including a tour, is 5 euros.

5:30 p.m.
9) YOU BETTER SHOP AROUND

Skip the Madison Avenue luxury brands on Calle Serrano, and head one block east where shops like Bazaar (Calle Claudio Coello, 88; 34-91-426-0585) and Scooter (Callejón de Jorge Juan, 12; 34-91-576-4749) carry of-the-moment French designers like Vanessa Bruno and Tara Jarmon. Nearby, Carmen Kaiser (Calle Claudio Coello, 69 bis; 34-91-576-7496) peddles fancy candles by European labels like Diptyque (41 euros). For post-punk streetwear, head to Mercado Fuencarral (Calle Fuencarral, 45; 34-91-521-4152; www.mdf.es), a three-story market filled with tiny boutiques like Sentido (34-91-521-5373), which sells funky printed T-shirts (18 euros).

10:30 p.m.
10) ROYAL CUISINE

Rub elbows with the Gucci-clad crème of Madrid society at Pan de Lujo (Calle Jorge Juan, 20; 34-91-436-1100; www.pandelujo.es), a restaurant run by the acclaimed chef Alberto Chicote. The clean and bold design is straight out of Elle Decor: a wall of glass opens onto a reflecting pool illuminated by three big light boxes. Indulge in an appetizer of paper-thin eggplant kissed by olive oil and nestled in delicate hummus (10.50 euros), and then tuck into the poached snapper with crisp baby veggies (20 euros). Reservations are mandatory. For a more traditional but no less happening spot, try Casa Lucio (Calle Cava Baja, 35; 34-91-365-8217; www.casalucio.es), a royal family favorite for 30 years. House specialties include huevos estrellados (broken eggs), served over fries (9.60 euros) and solomillo, a sizzling steak served in a scorching hot pan (21 euros). Paulina Rubio, the Mexican pop star, had waiters swooning on a recent visit.

Sunday

10 a.m.
11) SUNDAY IN THE PARK

For a bit of green relief, get lost in Retiro, a 330-acre park in the city's center. Rent a bike (By Bike, Avenida Menéndez Pelayo, 35; 34-902-876-483, www.bybike.info; 4 euros an hour) or just take a Sunday stroll alongside baby carriages and street performers by the artificial lake.

11:30 a.m.
12) FREE ART

The big-name museums are free on Sundays, so it's your chance to dip into the Prado (Paseo del Prado; 34-91-330-2800; www.museoprado.es) to see masterpieces like Velázquez's “Meninas” or Reina Sofia (Calle Santa Isabel, 52; 34-91-774-1000; www.museoreinasofia.es) for a look at Picasso's “Guernica.”

1 p.m.
13) TURKEY IN MADRID

Chances are, you lingered a bit at the Prado. Rest your tired feet at Medina Mayrit (Calle Atocha, 14; 34-902-333-334; www.medinamayrit.com), an authentic Turkish hammam in the heart of Madrid. The hushed terra-cotta subterranean rooms have hot, cold and tepid pools, along with a sultry steam sauna. Take a 90-minute dip (23 euros) and throw in an aromatherapy massage (from 35.50 euros). It's a side of Madrid that Hemingway wouldn't recognize, except that everyone lights up a cigarette as they leave. This is still Spain, after all.

The Basics

Continental Airlines flies to Madrid from Newark Airport; Iberia and American fly from Kennedy Airport. A Web search found round-trip fares starting around $500 in February. A taxi from Barajas airport to the city center takes 30 to 45 minutes, and costs about 20 euros, or $25.50 at $1.29 to the euro. The city's Metro (Line 8) takes about 30 minutes and costs 1 euro (www.metromadrid.es).

A number of boutique hotels have opened in downtown Madrid in recent years. Hotel de las Letras (Calle Gran Via, 11; 34-91-523-7980; www.hoteldelasletras.com) is a stylish hotel in a 19th-century town house between Chueca and Puerta del Sol. Rooms start at 140 euros.

AC Palacio del Retiro (Calle Alfonso XII, 14; 34-91-523-7460; www.ac-hotels.com) offers sleek design that appeals to tourists and business travelers alike. Housed in a well-preserved 20th-century mansion, many of the 50 rooms offer views of Retiro Park. Rooms start at 268 euros.

Laura (Travesía de Trujillos, 3; 34-91-701-1670; www.room-matehotels.com) offers futuristic design at a comfortable price, around the corner from the Monasterio de Descalzas Reales convent. Weekend rates start at 90 euros.

POOR Madrid. Stuck in the middle of Spain, the city has long been perceived as the provincial, sleepy sister to Barcelona. Even today, you can see little girls dressed exactly as their mothers were, in 1940s-style dresses and matching topcoats. But that is precisely Madrid's charm.