Blog Article

Here we have the challenge: a list with 50 things to do in Madrid to feel like a real ‘madrileño’. Will you be able to complete it? Do you accept the challenge?

1. Visit the Glass Palace (‘Palacio de Cristal’) at Retiro Park.
2. Take a selfie with ‘El oso y el madroño’ statue.
3. Enjoy the views from the city hall rooftop (better in December with the Christmas lights).
4. Go shopping in calle Preciados.
5. Take a picture of Puerta de Alcalá and check that the two façades (front and back) are different.
6. Go to the ‘Pradera’ for the local festival called ‘San Isidro’ (mid-May).
7. Taste the ‘rosquillas listas y tontas’ traditional of San Isidro festivity (mid-May).
8. Eat a pain au chocolat at La Mallorquina.
9. Hire a boat and take an amazing picture of the Retiro Park Pond.
10. Spend at least one Sunday at ‘el Rastro’.
11. Take a picture of the Cibeles fountain.
12. Sunset views goals: go to ‘El Templo de Debod’ for sunset.
13. Enjoy the views from the Círculo de Bellas Artes’ rooftop.
14. Go to ‘Las Vistillas’ for the local festival called ‘Fiestas de la Vírgen de la Paloma’ (July).
15. Get tickets for a musical in one of the theaters you will find in Gran Vía.
16. Visit the Reina Sofía Museum to see Piccaso’s Guernica.
17. Go gastro-routing! Visit all markets possible –San Antón, San Miguel, etc.–.
18. Visit the Royal Palace, at least the outside!
19. Have a relaxing evening at Sabatini Gardens.
20. Take a picture with the KM 0 milestone.
21. Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Puerta del Sol –and eat the 12 grapes!– (Xmas).
22. Eat ‘huevos rotos’ in Casa Lucio.
23. Take a ride on the ‘teleférico’.
24. Find the best ‘croquetas’ in town.
25. Enjoy the street art by taking a stroll in Lavapiés.
26. Visit Plaza de España and admire the huge ‘edificio España’ –while you smell like Chinese food, but you have NO IDEA where it comes from–.
27. Discover the Chinese food restaurant located under Plaza de España, inside the parking.
28. Take the ‘Navibus’ bus to enjoy Madrid Christmas lights (Xmas).
29. Take a picture of the Neptuno fountain.
30. Enjoy La Latina atmosphere by going for a drink –or two– to its terraces.
31. Visit the Prado Museum to see Las Meninas by Velázquez.
32. Ride a bike in Madrid Rio.
33. Eat ‘churros con chocolate’ at Chocolatería de San Ginés.
34. Take a selfie with the lions of the ‘Congreso de los Diputados’, and check that one of them has testicles, but not the other one.
35. Wait the qeue –it could be long depending on the date– and buy a Christmas lottery ticket at Doña Manolita (Xmas).
36. Visit Cortilandia (Xmas).
37. Go window shopping in the area called ‘La Milla de Oro’. Lucky you if you can actually go shopping there!
38. Go to Madrid mountains to enjoy the snow (winter).
39. Eat a ‘bocata de calamares’ at Plaza Mayor.
40. Come back to childhood by spending one day at ‘Parque de Atracciones’.
41. Try ‘yayos’ at Casa Camacho and ‘zapatillas’ at Melo’s.
42. Take your date to El Capricho park.
43. Go to Malasaña on a bar hunt: find your favorite place!
44. Have some drinks in Chueca, but if you are the ‘go big or go home’ kind of person, do it during the Gay Pride week (beginning of July).
45. Have breakfast at the Palace hotel –we can afford it… at least once! #YOLO–.
46. Buy a ‘figurita del Belén’ in one of the stands of the Christmas market at Plaza Mayor (Xmas).
47. Visit –at least from the outside– the ‘Plaza de Toros’.
48. Take a selfie in Gran Vía with the Schweppes sign and the Metrópolis building.
49. Watch the sunset –or the sunrise!– and enjoy the skyline views at Cerro del Tío Pío, a.k.a. ‘Parque de las Siete Tetas’.
50. Try to meet a ‘gato’!