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Madrid



Pogue Mahone

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2011
10,698
A weekend. Flying in on Friday evening, flying home on Sunday evening.

Is it worth it for such a short time, in mid January? What should we do, how should we get about, where should we stay, eat etc?

And how is the weather there at that time of year?

I want to treat Mrs PM for her birthday, and NSC always comes up trumps with this sort of thing.
 

Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,891
Living In a Box
Sorry to say this but myself and Mrs Hut found Madrid to be totally devoid of anything interesting.

So what we did was a Stadium Tour of the Bernabeu, did the tour of the old bull ring and the most boring old art museum in Europe (by the time you hit room 15 of another load of old religious paintings it was shit) however the more modern one might be better.

Really sorry to disappoint but absolutely nothing excited us, Valencia was far better
 

Pogue Mahone

Well-known member
Apr 30, 2011
10,698
Sorry to say this but myself and Mrs Hut found Madrid to be totally devoid of anything interesting.

So what we did was a Stadium Tour of the Bernabeu, did the tour of the old bull ring and the most boring old art museum in Europe (by the time you hit room 15 of another load of old religious paintings it was shit) however the more modern one might be better.

Really sorry to disappoint but absolutely nothing excited us, Valencia was far better

Thanks.

Valencia, and to a greater extent Seville, both appeal, but unfortunately the times of easyjet's flights don't fit so well.

And we've been to Barcelona a few times.

I may consider Prague, or Rome, but it'd be nice to go somewhere accessible and a little warmer at this time of year.
 

dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Mar 27, 2013
51,892
Burgess Hill
You can have a decent evening out around the Plaza Major (tapas, a few beers) then get a decent meal, but I am probably with [MENTION=38]Beach Hut[/MENTION] in that it's more of a commercial city than a tourist city from what I have seen on many visits. Prague is brilliant for a short break. Compact, lots to see, airport close to the city etc. Also Madrid is likely to be at least as cold as here this time of year anyway.........
 


South Stand Bonfire

Who lit that match then?
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Jan 24, 2009
2,176
Shoreham-a-la-mer
Rome is fantastic any time of year. Would highly recommend it for 2/3 days. Probably better to go when it's not high season as it can be too hot and BA do some relatively cheap deals now and again.
Thanks.

Valencia, and to a greater extent Seville, both appeal, but unfortunately the times of easyjet's flights don't fit so well.

And we've been to Barcelona a few times.

I may consider Prague, or Rome, but it'd be nice to go somewhere accessible and a little warmer at this time of year.
 

dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Mar 27, 2013
51,892
Burgess Hill


clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,128
I love most Spanish cities and although it has to be said Madrid is a working city rather than a tourist one I like it for that.

Best thing in Madrid, the bars and the tapas. Don't sit down and have a meal, just tour the bars.

I had a book but it's worth doing a bit of research before you go.

I love Seville and have been a number of times but I loved Madrid.
 

Bolton va va

Active member
Nov 20, 2012
374
Awful place. I went for 3 days watching Bolton at Athletico.

The locals were unfriendly tossers, we were plagued by pickpockets ( especially on the underground,) ,attacked by the police at the match, the taxi driver tried to rip us off & the food was horrible including some unidentifiable soup which had a fried egg lurking at the bottom.

Avoid.
 

Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,782
Seven Dials
The weather is pretty similar to here in winter - Madrid is about as far from the sea as it's possible to be in Spain, and is Europe's highest capital, so is freezing in winter and stiflingly hot in summer.

Medieval Madrid, around the Plaza mayor, is quite nice, and the Rastro flea market on Sunday morning (near La Latina metro) is bustling. The Retiro park is good for a stroll, near the Prado museum, which is either fuill of boring religious paintings or one of Europe's great art galleries (with works by Goya, Velazquez, El Greco and Bosch) depending on your point of view. Picasso's Guernica is, I believe, at the Reina Sofia museum.

The food, though, can be a bit of a lottery without recommendations. Tapas may be the best shout. And don't leave without trying churros (doughnuts in chocolate sauce).
 


Wilko

LUZZING chairs about
Sep 19, 2003
9,921
BN1
Also have to go with the consensus that Madrid is dull. I also got punched in the face and had my iphone stolen.
 

Half Time Pies

Well-known member
Sep 7, 2003
1,402
Brighton
I would also advise against Madrid for a romantic break, very uninspiring place. In terms of weather you will struggle to find anywhere in mainland Europe with a max daily temp of over 16c in Jan.

How about the Portuguese cities of Porto or Lisbon? I have been to Porto and it was very picturesque, UNESCO world heritage site and the banks of the river are packed with port houses, all of which you can tour and go on tastings!

If you want to go bit further a field then Marrakech in Morocco is a decent shout for a romantic break, staying in a historic Riad.

Italy would also be a good choice as others have suggested.
 


1234andcounting

Well-known member
Mar 31, 2008
1,609
Prado is a bit dull as others have written, but I found Reina Sofia (which does hold Picasso's great painting Guernica) and Thyssen-Bornemisza great value.

There is a cable car that runs from fairly close to the centre of the city to a park, which offers great views of the city, which you also get from the cafe in the park.

Would agree with the consensus, though, that Madrid is not a tourist city. I went for the art museums and to Atletico, which took up most of my time.
 

Meade's Ball

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,610
Hither (sometimes Thither)
Madrid I've been to a number of times, mostly thanks to the girlfriend being from there when we sort of met, and while it's not always a city of astonishment i don't agree with some posts of its dullness. I was there a few weeks back and we went down to a little exhibition about stop-motion film down the ages, a whole basement floor devoted to the models of Jan Svankmeyer's twisted imaginings. I liked. So really there are things going on in Madrid if you look for them. I love a stroll and even a run around the Retiro. A very beautiful park half-filled with the squawking chatter of colonies of little parrots. The latino part of town is good for a night out too. Not the most romantic of cities, but a good enough one to go to through my best air-friend Norwegianair, with their total £70 cost, free wifi usage and joyously comfy seats in comparison to firms like Vueling and Ryanair.
 

Vegas Seagull

New member
Jul 10, 2009
7,782
Good fun Madrid, I recall having sex on 7 consecutive nights as a highlight, also a trip to the Alcazar @ Toledo was interesting
However, the only place in mainline Spain/Europe to get some warmth in Jan the Costa Del Sol with Malaga itself as a lovely old town often overlooked or the racier Marbella/Banus if you prefer with great hotels at good rates
 


Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,782
Seven Dials
How about the Portuguese cities of Porto or Lisbon? I have been to Porto and it was very picturesque, UNESCO world heritage site and the banks of the river are packed with port houses, all of which you can tour and go on tastings!

Very much this. Porto is a hidden gem and Lisbon is brilliant.
 

Boroseagull

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2003
2,045
Alhaurin de la Torre
Agree with Vegas Seagull because I live in Malaga. It's a truly fascinating city with a super mix of galleries, museums and tapas bars. Temperature yesterday was 17c but felt more like 25c in the direct sun, and falls to some 10c at night.
 

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