I am coming to Spain in April to go to Semana Santa in Sevilla, but planning 24 hours in Madrid on the way down. I have been to Madrid several times, but I'm bringing along a friend who has never been. Can you give me some suggestions on the highlights for a newbie? I have my own thoughts, but I'd like to hear from others about this as well.

Thanks!

I think a great way to see the city on limited time is to take the Madrid Vision tour buses. They have several routes and you can hop on and off! I still take the tour (sitting on top, of course) every summer with my daughter. Lots of fun,
Google Madrid Vision and see if they are running in April because I don't think they run year round.

teachertraveler8: 24 hours is not a long time to see much of anything, especially given the jet-lag on the first day of arrival.
The must-see highlights in one afternoon/evening would be the following:

Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de la Villa, Plaza de Santa Ana and streets of Huertas neighborhood (modernly called "Barrio de Las Letras"), Plaza de Oriente & exterior of the Royal Palace, Plaza de España & maybe the Templo de Debod, Gran Vía, streets around Chueca, Plaza de la Cibeles and the Puerta de Alcalá, a walk down the Paseo del Prado to Atocha train station and maybe darting inside to see the "Botanical Garden". The above will surely take all afternoon/evening but those are MY highlights.

laduque, et. al.: The MadridVision buses are "no more". The city didn't renew their contract last December (surely because they realized they could do the same thing and profit from it themselves). But they, the city, will be offering a similar service at some point this spring, either in March or May. Not sure yet what the new Touristic Buses will be called, though.

Saludos, MadridMan

thanks, MadridMan. We will be arriving during the afternoon and will have the following day until we get our train. I haven't bought the ticket yet, but was thinking about a later one so we could have most of the second day in Madrid, as well. Perhaps with a Prado visit in the morning.

I appreciate the ideas though and will put them on my list.

The service will be temporarily controlled by the EMT. Begin to move on Monday, January 31, with two tracks: 'Madrid historic and modern Madrid.Work every day from 10.00 to 19.00

I always think that Madrid is best defined ,not by it´s museums and monuments , but by the people and the food and bar culture , so I would suggest you take your "newbie" to traditional Madrid bars for drinks or tapas or a restaurant where you'll experience the true Madrid . Oh , and a bullfight . The new season will have started when you arrive .

Steve has a good point for lots of reasons - many of which he stated. What he failed to mention - perhaps out of politeness - wan that a cana or vino and a few tapas is the best ever cure for jet lag.

Whilst I do consider mysel , in general , to be polite I would totally agree , Puna . Every time I go to Russia I usually have one day where I have stomach problems ( the water is bad out there ) . My brother´s Russian mother-in-law , Lilya , ( very nice and smart woman ) suggested a shot or two of vodka and it works !! I don't take any prescription drugs ... not even paracetamol so I was glad for this natural solution .
When she came to England she burnt herself on the oven .. She used vodka to clean and sterelise the wound .
When I was in Moscow a few months ago my nieces bought themselves some new earrings . My Russian sister-in-law soaked the earrings in vodka first !

I just knew vodka was a cure all!