Tapas With a Dash of Picasso (Madrid)

Madrid was the first stop of my introduction to Spain, and It was the perfect window into the soul of Spanish life.  Madrid is the capital of Spain – a city full of culture, food and history. If you are a lover of art, you could easily spend days just visiting the famous museums and viewing all of the works of famous Spanish artists (Picasso, Dali and Goya to name a few).

 

Because art is such a focal point of Madrid, and because I had heard that the area of Madrid heading towards the museums was a great place to stay, I picked ME by Melia Reina Victoria as my hotel for the visit. It did not disappoint, with celebrity appearances (5 Seconds of Summer was staying at the hotel during the same time), an amazing location close to most places I wanted to visit (Prado museum, Plaza Mayor and Mercado San Miguel all within walking distance) and a great rooftop bar for the nights. If you decide to stay here, book well in advance (2 months), as prices increase dramatically as it gets closer to your desired date.

  

To do in Madrid

Prado museum: this museum is considered the best in Spain and one of he most important in the world, and contains works by almost every known Spanish painter you could think of (Goya, Picasso, Bosch and Velasquez to name a few) as well as a number of Italian, Flemish and Dutch artists. Picasso had a special relationship with the museum and a number of his works were on loan from another museum while I visited. You can enter the museum for free during the evenings, but beware of lines.

Reina Sofia Museum: if you still want more art after the Prado, this museum is your next stop. It has works by Dali and Picasso’s famed ‘Guernica’. This museum focuses on modern and contemporary art.

Plaza Mayor: A huge, lovely square full of restaurants with outdoor seating, and many more restaurants, cafes and shops in its general area (and a minute away from Mercado San Miguel (see below).

Mercado San Miguel: A fabulous indoor tapas market, with every tapa imagineable. The food was so yummy and this was one of my favorite things about Madrid!

 Gran Via: Gran Via is a large street that runs through the city, and is a bit like the Times Square of Madrid, with shops, theaters, hotels and restaurants lining the street. It’s worth a visit just to see it, and the iconic Metropolis Building marks its start. It’s most famous for its shopping (more on that below). The street is also considered important for its display of modern architecture. Finally, Gran Via is well known for its nightlife and casinos (see below).

Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace): The Palace, still in use by the Spanish royal family, is breathtaking. It is the largest palace in Europe by square feet. There is also a free entrance to the Palace in the evenings, but also long lines here.

 

Shopping in Madrid

For more affordable shopping, Gran Via, anywhere near Plaza Mayor, or anywhere near Puerta Del Sol, and Calle Preciados connected to it which has stores like Zara, Mango, etc., are the places to go.

For high end shopping, visit the Salamanca area (it has stores like Chanel, Valentino, etc.) of Madrid, where houses hit a cool $2 million or above on the regular.

My favorite discovery in Spain shopping-wise, was a store called Bershka, which is a really affordable brand from Spain and is owned by the same company as Zara. The stores are everywhere in Spain and almost as popular as Zara there (which you should definitely check out as well).

To Eat and Drink in Madrid

Outdoor eating and drinking is ever popular in Spain, where each city has a plethora of squares just meant for these very activities, especially post-work, pre-dinner tapas. Madrid is no different, with Plaza Mayor and others offering a countless supply of such outdoor dining options.

Another area to visit while in Madrid is Barrio Latina, an area filled with smaller restaurants and tapas bars, some more hole in the wall then others, some that are standing room only, but all equally charming. Spend one night at least exploring their many eats and visit at least a handful to get the true experience. My personal favorite was La Cana Espanola (to the true nature and history of tapas, this place gives you free tapas when you order a drink, with delish additional menu items available to order), with La Chata (we sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender, who gave us samples of a local liqueur) coming in as a close second.

 

 

 For the true vice seeker ;), there are a number of casinos in Madrid that are open at all hours of the night. If an international traveler, don’t forget your passport when visiting!