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?
- Visit the Glass Palace (‘Palacio de Cristal’) at Retiro Park.
- Take a selfie with ‘El oso y el madroño’ statue.
- Enjoy the views from the city hall rooftop (better in December with the Christmas lights).
- Go shopping in calle Preciados.
- Take a picture of Puerta de Alcalá and check that the two façades (front and back) are different.
- Go to the ‘Pradera’ for the local festival called ‘San Isidro’ (mid-May).
- Taste the ‘rosquillas listas y tontas’ traditional of San Isidro festivity (mid-May).
- Eat a pain au chocolat at La Mallorquina.
- Hire a boat and take an amazing picture of the Retiro Park Pond.
- Spend at least one Sunday at ‘el Rastro’.
- Take a picture of the Cibeles fountain.
- Sunset views goals: go to ‘El Templo de Debod’ for sunset.
- Enjoy the views from the Círculo de Bellas Artes’ rooftop.
- Go to ‘Las Vistillas’ for the local festival called ‘Fiestas de la Vírgen de la Paloma’ (July).
- Get tickets for a musical in one of the theaters you will find in Gran Vía.
- Visit the Reina Sofía Museum to see Piccaso’s Guernica.
- Go gastro-routing! Visit all markets possible –San Antón, San Miguel, etc.–.
- Visit the Royal Palace, at least the outside!
- Have a relaxing evening at Sabatini Gardens.
- Take a picture with the KM 0 milestone.
- Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Puerta del Sol –and eat the 12 grapes!– (Xmas).
- Eat ‘huevos rotos’ in Casa Lucio.
- Take a ride on the ‘teleférico’.
- Find the best ‘croquetas’ in town.
- Enjoy the street art by taking a stroll in Lavapiés.
- 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–.
- Discover the Chinese food restaurant located under Plaza de España, inside the parking.
- Take the ‘Navibus’ bus to enjoy Madrid Christmas lights (Xmas).
- Take a picture of the Neptuno fountain.
- Enjoy La Latina atmosphere by going for a drink –or two– to its terraces.
- Visit the Prado Museum to see Las Meninas by Velázquez.
- Ride a bike in Madrid Rio.
- Eat ‘churros con chocolate’ at Chocolatería de San Ginés.
- 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.
- Wait the qeue –it could be long depending on the date– and buy a Christmas lottery ticket at Doña Manolita (Xmas).
- Visit Cortilandia (Xmas).
- Go window shopping in the area called ‘La Milla de Oro’. Lucky you if you can actually go shopping there!
- Go to Madrid mountains to enjoy the snow (winter).
- Eat a ‘bocata de calamares’ at Plaza Mayor.
- Come back to childhood by spending one day at ‘Parque de Atracciones’.
- Try ‘yayos’ at Casa Camacho and ‘zapatillas’ at Melo’s.
- Take your date to El Capricho park.
- Go to Malasaña on a bar hunt: find your favorite place!
- 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).
- Have breakfast at the Palace hotel –we can afford it… at least once! #YOLO–.
- Buy a ‘figurita del Belén’ in one of the stands of the Christmas market at Plaza Mayor (Xmas).
- Visit –at least from the outside– the ‘Plaza de Toros’.
- Take a selfie in Gran Vía with the Schweppes sign and the Metrópolis building.
- Watch the sunset –or the sunrise!– and enjoy the skyline views at Cerro del Tío Pío, a.k.a. ‘Parque de las Siete Tetas’.
- Try to meet a ‘gato’!