A Guide to Madrid
Is Madrid safe?
We would very comfortably say yes! We walked around all day and at night in several areas of the city and never felt unsafe. As with any situation where there are crowds and opportunity, keep your belongings close and be aware of your surroundings.
Is Madrid a walkable city?
Yes! Although there is amazing public transportation available, we walked pretty much everywhere. As with every city, you never know what you will come across as you’re making your way through the city streets. We stumbled upon a shopping area adjacent to the Gran Via that we felt was much better than the famous shopping street. And as an added bonus to taking a wrong turn, we happened upon opera singers outside of a Samsung store.
How do you get to the city center from the Madrid airport?
The Madrid airport is huge! In fact Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport is the second largest in Europe, behind Paris Charles de Gaulle. However, it is very well organized and easy to navigate once you figure things out.
There are multiple transportation options to get to the city center from the airport.
We took the bus. The Airport Express is an inexpensive option at $5 and will take you from the airport to the Atocha metro station in about 35 minutes. However, the day we arrived was the princess’ 18th birthday which resulted in the closing down of station at Atocha and added some time to the trip.
The metro is $4.50-$5.00 plus an airport fee of $3.00.
Taxis have a fixed fee of $33 from the airport.
What is Madrid’s public transportation like?
The transportation system in Madrid is extensive and very safe. Same rules apply as in any city, keep your eye on your stuff.
The Metro
The metro is a very affordable way to get around the city with convenient stops near pretty much everything you want to see.
Taxi
Taxis are widely available and a good option to get around if you prefer not to take the metro. You can get one by standing at one of the stops around the city indicated by a blue sign with a T. Or if you are not near one of those, hail one as you normally would by raising your hand. You’ll know if a taxi is available by the green light.
One thing to keep in mind is the taxi drivers are known to strike so be sure to ask your concierge if you are staying in a hotel or your Airbnb host. It’s usually planned so you can make alternate transportation plans.
Bus
The bus system is also pretty extensive and affordable and have their own lane on many streets in Madrid. However, Madrid is a very busy city and traffic can make a bus ride considerably longer than the metro.
There are other fun options like bike rentals as well. Here’s a helpful guide to transportation in Madrid.
Where to stay
As with any large city, options are endless. Madrid is made up of 21 districts with 131 neighborhoods and there is something for everyone. The most popular neighborhoods for travelers are Sol (Centro), Retiro, Malasaña, Chueca, Salamanca, Lavapiés, La Latina and Chamberí.
We stayed in La Latina. It is the oldest quarter and is known for tapas. It’s home to the requisite Sunday tapas-and-drinks crawl along the surrounding streets. One of the best streets is Cava Baja and our favorite place Lamiak la Cava. We learned about this place from an expat we ran into at one of the local markets.
Food in Madrid
The topic of where and what to eat in Madrid would take up a full blog! I can tell you we did not have a bad meal while we were there. Tapas is what the city is known for and you certainly should experience that. As I mentioned above, the main street known for them is Cava Baja but there are places all over the city that you can try. There are ancient restaurants including one that touts itself as the oldest in the world, Botín, known for the suckling pig. And there are modern ones such as Arzábal near Retiro Park which was Michelin rated.
What is there to see and do in Madrid?
So much to see and do in Madrid! There are amazing museums, plazas, churches, the palace, beautiful parks, nightlife and of course, shopping. One tip we recommend is to book your museum tickets online ahead of time. They book up and the lines at the Prado were huge!
One must-do is churros and chocolate. There are serious debates over which is the oldest chocolatería, which is most traditional and which ones locals go to. One of the most famous, Chocolatería San Ginés, may be crowded and a bit touristy especially with it’s proximity to Puerto del Sol but it was well worth the wait!
There are tons of great resources to help you plan your trip and we hope this gives you a brief intro into the city of Madrid, Spain.
Be sure to check out our video!
