sodatrain wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2025 10:43 am
Hey Folks - I'll have a few solo days in Madrid in March. And then a few days with DP after that, before ultimately meeting up with family.
Plan is... Madrid, Seville, and hopefully a quick stop in Cadiz.
DW and I spent eight days in Madrid and four in Sevilla, so I have a few thoughts but that obviously isn't a huge amount of time for authoritative recommendations.
I think @guitarplayer is currently in Madrid, so he may have some good suggestions. I plugged La Tabacleria in Lavapies in his journal:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Tabacalera_de_Lavapiés
It might be closed down now, but it was probably the most interesting thing we did in our month in Europe. We went over to check out the grafitti art on the external walls, and there was a huge series of community events going on in the gardens and tunnels beneath the buildings. The tunnels are covered in amazing street art, and we enjoyed it more than the Prado.
Here is a list of free things to do for a budget-friendly trip:
https://www.esmadrid.com/en/madrid-free-attractions
From that list, we went to El Retiro Park and the Sabatini gardens, and both are worth a visit IMO. The Sabatini gardens are close to the central square (which has delicious churros and hot chocolate. and plenty of Jamon). Some of the famous museums such as the Prado have a free evening so we scheduled our visit to Retiro on the same day, then went over to that museum. If you decide to hit a free museum, just make sure to give yourself plenty of time because the lines are really long.
If you are in Madrid on a Sunday, El Rastro is a flea market that is worth checking out for all of the quirky and amazing goods on display, plus some great people watching. It is located in the La Latina neighborhood (where we stayed). This neighborhood is also famous for tapas in Calle Cava Baja and Cava Alta. We found a couple restaurants there with reasonable prices, but a lot of them were very expensive. You can look at menus in front of restaurants before committing. The tapas in Sevilla are outstanding and much more affordable in our experience.
https://thespanishradish.com/spanish-ra ... apas-tour/
We skipped some of the famous tourist sites, and opted to spend a full day walking around and exploring different neighborhoods each day in Madrid. I wouldn't drop too much money on food here. You can eat really well for half or a third of the cost of many menus without sacrificing quality if you are willing to look at different menus and walk a couple blocks away from the tourist centers.
In Sevilla, I think you should put a flamenco show at the top of your list. It is the birthplace of flamenco, and well worth pursuing if you have any interest in music, dance, or local culture. You might be able to catch shows for free or with the price of dinner at a bar or restaurant. DW danced flamenco and I play guitar, so we wanted to splurge on a show. After a lot of research, DW opted for La Casa Del Flamenco based on price and what we were looking for (a small intimate setting, acoustic performance, with a small group of dancers and musicians). We paid a little under 20 Euros per ticket. It was located in the Jewish quarter, which was fun to wander around in and explore. There are other great options as well.
It is also worth visiting Tirana, which is the traditional gypsy quarter. That might be a place to catch a flamenco show in a bar or restaurant. They have a great public market there, and lots of good restaurants in the neighborhood with affordable tapas and local types of alcohol.
We stayed in the Centro, which has loads of great restaurants. The Setas offers some great people-watching and a unique flavor on urban design. Worth checking out IMO. From there you can wander through old alleys and check out menus for tapas, or grab a delicious sandwich from a local butcher to eat in the park or a public square.
The Plaza De Espana is free, and surrounded by massive public gardens. Definitely worth checking out if you have the time.
The Real Alcazar is one of the main tourist sites, and one we committed to visiting. Unfortunately the gardens were mostly closed when we went, but the palace is stunning and gives you a good taste of the amalgam of Spanish and Moorish culture. If you decide to do that, you'll need to book a ticket in advance.
It is a great city to just wander around in, soak up the architecture, and enjoy the food.
Have fun!
