48 HOURS


Exploring Madrid


48 hours barely scratches the surface of a visit to Madrid, but a couple of days are a great introduction to some of its city centre highlights, says Anna Maria Espsäter


Although art, history and architecture all draw visitors, Madrid also has quite a reputation as an all-night party city, with plenty of nightlife to choose from. After dictator Francisco Franco’s death in the mid-1970s, Madrid experienced a surge in late-night hotspots opening up and nightlife started to flourish.


Madrileños like to party and socialise,


often starting late in the evening and continuing way into the small hours. Each barrio has its own set of tapas bars and drinking dens where people congregate to gossip, chat, eat or dance the night away. Different areas have different bars to choose from, but the centre is a good place to start. For example, many bars around Puerta del Sol have outdoor seating areas. Food is another great draw and high


variety of events are taking place in Madrid throughout 2012, making it particularly good to suggest Spain’s capital as a year-round city break option. Despite its current standing as a modern


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and busy thriving metropolis, Madrid dates back over a thousand years. For several centuries it was nothing but a tiny backwater, overshadowed by the power centres of Toledo and Segovia, and it wasn’t until 1561 when Madrid was proclaimed capital by King Felipe II that the city started coming into its own. Little remains of its ancient roots and early Moorish influences, but Madrid is home to an historic quarter and a number of impressive buildings from later eras. The area known as ‘Old Madrid’, with


architecture dating mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries, is centred around Plaza Mayor, Madrid’s impressive main square. The narrow streets and alleys with atmospheric tascas (tapas bars) nearby have an almost medieval feel about them,


as does the barrio of La Latina, directly southwest. A stone’s throw to the east lies Plaza Puerta del Sol, Madrid’s busiest square, where no fewer than 10 streets converge. The square, one of the city’s prettiest, is surrounded by landmark buildings, including Casa de Correos, home to the regional government. One of Madrid’s main draws is its fabulous art scene. Three world-class art museums can be found within easy walking distance of each other – the ‘golden art triangle’ – along the Paseo del Prado: Museo del Prado, Museo Thyssen- Bornemisza and Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. The museums are home to some of the most treasured art in the world, including Pablo Picasso’s Guernica and all three can be visited with one ticket, the Paseo del Arte (Art Walk), which gives a substantial discount.


Summer and autumn 2012 exhibitions include Edward Hopper at Thyssen- Bornemisza, The Last Raphael at the Prado and Antonin Artaud at Reina Sofia.


on the social agenda for Madrileños. Tapas bars abound and you’re never far from a typically Spanish nibble when bar-hopping. It’s still a tradition to offer small tapas for free in some bars, to go with the delicious wines. Tapas such as the tortilla española (Spanish omelette) or jamón Serrano (Serrano ham) can be enjoyed any time of day, from breakfast to a late-night snack. Madrid also organises two restaurant weeks a year, in March and November, as well as a gastronomy festival. For the avid shopper there’s a lot to


choose from: large department store El Corte Inglés is an old favourite with visitors, but there are many smaller, quirky boutiques selling fashion, crafts or gourmet food and drink as well as fantastic leather goods. September hosts a fashion night in the barrio of Salamanca, with extended late-night opening hours. Although there is plenty to see and


experience in Madrid itself, nearby are some of the country’s most visited landmarks, including El Escorial, the historical residence of the king of Spain. And some of the oldest towns in Spain – Toledo, Segovia, Ávila and Aranjuez – are perfect for day trips from the capital, should visitors extend those 48 hours.


28 May/June 2012 • www.sellinglonghaul.com


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