Tourist Attractions in Madrid

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When I was kid my father would bring my sister and I dolls from all over the world. (He was with the Merchant Marines.) We loved collecting and displaying them. My mother probably hated dusting them all! I've no idea what's become of all those dolls now. Too many moves on my part, my parents as well, plus a divorce thrown in somewhere along the line.

At any rate, it's nice to reminisce. Did I buy one? Oh hell no; I don't wanna dust 'em!

Sunday got its on rhythm in Madrid, and therefor , visiting the "El Rastro Market". Prepare yourself to long crowded day, together with a lot of Madrid people who search for,,,well, what not? Everything: antiquities, clothes,art, used things, pictures,old music records, and more.

In the last day in Madrid, I would defiantly take a long walk at Gran Via street and the Puerta del sol, Puerta del Alcala and Plaza de la cibeles (great photos to make).
Try to make some time for shoping . Why? cause Madrid holds the best combination between fashion, people who love fashion, and a price tag that fits to everybody. It is a winning combination in my eyes.
So, the most expensive is the Salamaca quarter , and for whomever that look for Haute couture and designer clothes it is the right place.
The popular street to do your shopping is in Calle De Serrano , and it is normal to find Spanish labels there.

Not tired yet? go to the Malasania quarter and enjoy the night life it can offers.

Day Tow - Art and Culture

Madrid is having an abundance of museums and in three days, it's hard to visit them all. However, visiting few Museum peacefully is the best way to get the Spanish art experience.
My favorites Museums in spain are:

1. Centro de Arte reina Sofia, located at Calle de Santa Isabel 52

2. Museo del Prado , located at Paseo del Prado. One time visit in that museum won't be enough, but I believe its a must while in Madrid.

3. Palacio Real - (the Royal Palace) also calls Palacio Oriente, and it is a biggest palace in Europe. It's where the royal family of Spain used to live. The exaggerated wealth is probably the reason why the present royal family decided not to live in that place. Go and enjoy beautiful gardens and the palace itself.

Day one - Walking, Eating, Drinking

Starting your travel from the Plaza Mayor is a good choise, since it is easy to walk from there to lot of places, with spending time looking for the right Metro or bus line.
Don't forget to make a stop at the little Cafe's that you can find at the Plaza, and, basically, in everywhere you go.
Spend lunch time at one of the restaurants that offers Tapas and typical Spanish food, and make sure to visit in one of the bar (there is a big range of them).
Go visit the Cava Baja street, cause you can enjoy here both dinner and a late night good drink.

Got only 3 days to stay at Madrid and you want to see the best of the city? my recommendation is the "Three days in Madrid", that I suggest my friend when they are out of time but with big desire to see the city..

There are many, many different internet shops available in Madrid. The most prevalent appear to be the shops of the KioscoCity chain.

These shops are convenience stores, tourist souvenir shops and upstairs have a room with a number of computers.

You have to decide in advance how much time you will want and pay for it up front. Then you get a password to connect to the internet. The minimum permitted is 1 hour, with increments of 1/2 hour each time e.g. 1 hour, 1 1/2 hours, 2 hours and so on.

I tried three of them. The internet connection is slow and the clocks run fast in all of them.

Unique Suggestions: Choose a different internet shop. There are many.

Fun Alternatives: Use the shops of the WorkCentre chain instead.

I had such a great time in Madrid, I didn't think I'd be able to come up with a tourist trap tip but one thing did bug me thoughout my entire trip: as a VTer, I must admit that I sometimes found it rather frustrating that I was not allowed to take pictures - even without the flash - in most museums, palaces and churches in and around Madrid. I can understand how taking pictures with the flash can damage certain pieces, but other than that... Since all the museums and historic sites in Paris allow people to take pictures even though they generally receive more visitors than the ones in Madrid, I can only guess that it's some sort of strategy to sell more postcards :o(