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Day 1: Skip The Metro, See Madrid By Foot!

You can definitely find a lot of cool things to do in Madrid. I think the population of the entire city is something like 5 Million. So, Madrid is a little more than half the size of New York City. I've been spending most of my vacation time in Spain for the last 17 years, I even did study abroad in Madrid during one summer while I was in college. I lived near the Metro stop Callao and although my school was about 3 miles away, I usually walked to school instead of taking the metro. Oh, in Madrid many people reference their location by a metro or by a plaza; it's basically a way of naming a neighborhood.

One thing I love about Madrid is the fact that it is totally developed. If you've ever been to New York City, it's like being there but with older buildings and larger streets and sidewalks. Oh, and everyone speaks Spanish.

In one day, by foot, you can get a lot accomplished.

I love to spend the early part of the day in Retiro Park (think Central Park). The recently re-opened Crystal Palace is something to see -- a palace made from crystal. On a warm day, I like to go row boating on the lake. Since the park is so huge, it's a nice way to get some privacy and perspective. People tend to take blankets and have picnics or sunbathe on the grass throughout the park. Sometimes there are concerts in the park near the various statue landmarks, but the real gem of the park is the foliage and the age of the park alone. On my way out, I usually try to stop next door (down the street) at the Real Jardin Botanico. It costs about 1 Euro to get in and some of the most well maintained gardens in Europe reside there.

Between the Jardin and Retiro park, I spend about 3 hours in the park in the middle of the great metropolis.

In the early evening I depart for my city walk. I like to start in modern Madrid near the Gran Via metro, then head down toward Puerta del Sol. Sol is a really crowded area (think Times Square) so I tend to find my beer and tapas stop somewhere between Gran Via metro and Sol. Also, Sol is where the major nightclubs are, so it stays busy all day and all night.

To be honest, any tapas bar will do. As you get closer to Sol, they get less expensive. Gran Via is home to things like Lacoste and Coach and the likes, while Sol is home to El Corte Ingles (if you need anything, head there, it's the Macy's of Spain). After a nice tapas stop, I head through Puerta del Sol and make my way to Plaza Mayor. Getting to Plaza Mayor around twilight is something magical. Plaza Mayor is quite beautiful at all times of the day, but the magic jumps out at twilight. It is basically the center of the universe as far as Madrid is concerned, but everything there is overpriced. The cafes, the bars, the gift shops...everything! Also, watch out for pickpockets!

After taking some really beautiful pictures in Plaza Mayor, I like to continue my walk toward Palacio Real and Old Madrid. As you walk around, you can see the changes in the architecture and even the stores and prices. One thing that's new in the Palacio Real area is the infusion of other types of restaurants. 17 years ago everything was very mom and pop, but now, there are a few mainstream looking restaurants in the area. But...nothing to fear. The old far outweigh the new!

So, in the span of about 3 hours, you can move from Gran Via, stop for tapas, push through Puerta del Sol, marvel at the beauty of Plaza Mayor, pass by some of the oldest restaurants in Spain, and land in at the Royal palace!

Day 2: Get To The Museums

My two favorite museums in the world are Museo del Prado and Musee du Louvre. Lucky for the people of Madrid, El Prado is a hop skip and a jump from anywhere in the city. I think that it is best for those who haven't studied Spanish art to invest in a guided or self guided tour. El Prado is so huge that you could easily spend 4 - 6 hours looking at the works of the masters.

The museum is free during most evenings, but it leaves you with only a few hours to see one of the best art museums in the entire world. I would just pay the few euros or whatever it is now (maybe 10 euros now) to spend more time with some of the most beautiful works of art.

When I'm not museumed out, I usually head to the other MUST SEE museum in Madrid, the Reina Sofia. The works there aren't as famous, but they musuem is equally as popular. And, since it's smaller, it's a little bit more crowded. I usually spend about 2 hours fooling around trying to guess the artist.

Day 3: Spend A Half Day In Toledo

About an hour outside of Madrid is Toledo. While Madrid is basically the evolution of Spain, Toledo is more like the heart and soul of Spain. It's one of the oldest cities in the entire country and it used to be the capital a few hundred years ago.

I'm in love with Toledo. Everything about it speaks to me. My favorite things in all of Spain are there. There's this small church called Iglesia San Tome which houses the Burrial of Count Orgaz which was painted by Velasquez and is my favorite piece of art. It's like the only reason tourists go to this tiny church, but it's so worth it!

Also in Toledo is the El Greco museum which is actually El Greco's house turned into a museum of his work. It's beautiful. On the cliff, facing out. It is the only place to really feel the inspiration of the artist. It's quite a fantastic feeling.

To get to Toledo you can take a bus from Madrid. I don't know if you can buy your bus ticket online, but I'm sure you can go to the bus terminal and get the tickets in advance of when you want to go. But, a good plan would be to try to catch the 9:30 or so bus so you're in Toledo by 11am. Some tour guides meet the buses as they come in and you can hire them on the spot, but Toledo is pretty small. You can go by foot and basically stop at the visitor's center and make your own tour.

I like sitting down at a cafe and having jamon croquetas and other local deliciousness. When in Madrid, also, don't forget to have some cafe and Tempranillo. You won't regret it! Enjoy your trip!