Second Time in...Madrid

Despite being one of Europe’s most underrated cities, Madrid often falls into the shadow of Barcelona and the ‘big 3’ of Andalucia – Seville, Granada and Cordoba.  Many visitors will either pass through or whizz round the main sites – Royal Palace, tick, the Prado, yep, a quick jaunt to Toledo and/or Segovia, done - and feel almighty pleased with themselves.

That’s far from the full story – Madrid’s appeal is far broader and it took me three visits before I felt I really appreciated the city for all its worth.   This meant busting out of the city centre for tapas, heading to the lesser-heralded museums and researching alternative short excursions out of town to maximise your time and see this fantastic city in a new light.  Here’s my guide to a weekend in Madrid for returners to prove that second time’s a charm.

You’ve already done – El Prado, the Royal Palace, Plaza del Sol, eaten tapas somewhere on the Gran Via, taken a day trip out to Toledo and Segovia

Day 1: Art and Aproveche!

Morning: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

📍 Getting there: Located on Paseo del Prado, it’s a short walk from Banco de España metro station (Line 2).

🎟️ Entry: €13 for general admission, free on Mondays from 12:00-16:00.

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is the underdog of the city’s big three art museums but for me – as a casual-at-best art observer – its eclecticism makes it by far the most appealing While the Prado dazzles with Spanish masters and the Reina Sofía champions modernism, the Thyssen’s magic is in its sheer variety.   Don’t care for impressionism?  Walk two rooms down and try some pop art. 

Effectively a history of art – drawn from the owners’ private collections - one moment you’re admiring Caravaggio’s dramatic realism, and the next, you’re face-to-face with Dalí’s surreal dreamscapes. Highlights include Holbein’s Portrait of Henry VIII, which practically radiates royal arrogance, and Hopper’s Hotel Room, an introspective piece that may feel all-too-familiar to any solo traveller.

The museum is also refreshingly easy to navigate – after the Prado’s laissez-faire approach to room numbering, this was a relief - making it a delightful way to spend a couple of hours.

For lunch, head to the string of tapas bars on c. de Jesus, a short walk from the museum zone.  You can’t go wrong here – competition breeds high quality – but Los Gatos, Cervantes Cerveceria and El Gran Cantabrico are all excellent options.  For something a little more refined (where you can sit down!), try the marvellous pastries alongside a tea or coffee at Bond (pl. Jesus 3), which also sells a range of sweet treats as excellent souvenirs. 

Afternoon: Parque del Retiro

📍 Getting there: The Retiro and Ibiza metro stations (Line 2) have direct access to the park.  It’s about a 5-10 minute walk from any of the art museums.

🎟️ Entry: Free!

A five minute walk from the Thyssen, you may well have visited Parque del Retiro in your first jaunt to Madrid.  In which case you already know the cliches – it’s more than just a park—it’s an open-air museum, a performance space, and the city’s favourite backyard etc etc…

This time though, is your opportunity to be more active.  Hire a rowing boat on the Grand Pond (€6 M-F, €8 Euro at weekends) – beware of the ducks and pigeons who have zero respect for humans or hire a go-kart (€8 for kid-sized, €18 for adults) to find hidden corners or some peace and quiet away from the tourist hordes which gather close to the central waterpiece.

Whichever your preferred mode of transport, exit through the South West corner and wander down Calle Claudia Moyano, with its inviting second-hand book stalls.  

A fixture in this location for over 55 years, the majority of the books are – obviously – in Spanish but that doesn’t make the browsing any less enjoyable.  Some of the titles on sale date back over 100 years and - knowing Spain's turbulent 20th century history - the act of holding one of these feels like you're grasping a small piece of national history. Plus you might get to glimpse a satirical statue per the image.

Evening

Make like a madileño and head for Chamberi for some world class tapas.   I’ve covered my recommendations on where to go for a tapas tour you'll never forgot in a separate blog post. 

Day 2: Saints & Sinners

El Escorial Monastery

📍 Getting there: Take Metro to Moncloa (L3) and then bus 661 to El Escorial San Lorenzo (€4.20 – bring cash).  The monastery is a 5 minute walk from the bus station.

🎟️ Entry: €12 general admission, free on Wednesdays and Sundays for EU citizens.

Start your second day early with a visit to El Escorial, a masterpiece of Spanish history and power an hour outside Madrid. Built by King Philip II in the 16th century, this sprawling complex is part palace, part monastery, and part royal tomb. The vast, austere halls reflect Philip’s obsession with piety and control, but inside, the details are stunning.

Day-trip hordes descend on the complex from 11am onwards so if you get the bus from Moncloa around 9-9.30am for the one hour journey, you’ll be one step ahead.  Thank me later.

There’s a clear self-guided route (audioguides also available for €5) to take you around the principle sites.  The frescoed library was my personal jaw-dropping highlight, with its golden-hued vaulted ceiling and outsized globes from the Spanish Golden Age. The Basilica is another highlight—its dome gives a dizzying sense of scale, and the paintings by El Greco and Titian add an artistic flourish.  Below ground, the Royal Pantheon houses Spain’s kings in an eerie, bronze-clad crypt.

There’s no café inside the complex so from the exit, the appealing town of San Lorenzo del Escorial has multiple good-value options along c. Florablanca and c. del Rey.  I recommend Cafetin Croche (c. San Lorenzo 6) for their bocadillos with very generous servings of the prized jamon iberico bellota.

The bus station is a 5-10 minute walk from the town centre, with buses going back to Madrid approximately every 20 minutes.

Once you’re back in Madrid, hop on the 44 or 133 bus and head to…

La Almudena Cathedral

📍 Getting there: Located next to the Royal Palace, a short walk from Ópera metro station (Lines 2 and 5).

🎟️ Entry: Free for the main cathedral (donations welcome), €7 for the museum and dome access.

Recommending a visit to a European city’s cathedral is in the ‘Florals? For spring?  How groundbreaking’ territory but I’m amazed how many visitors miss this in Madrid in their rush to the royal palace next door.

What sets Madrid’s La Almudena Cathedral apart from every other cathedral in Spain is its

meshing of styles: a neoclassical giant that somehow wasn’t finished until 1993. Yes, it looks staidly traditional from the outside, but step inside, and you’ll find a vividly painted, almost psychedelic ceiling that feels more modern than medieval. The cathedral’s stained-glass windows are equally unconventional, casting bright, geometric patterns across the stone. 

One of the highlights is the Crypt, a cavernous space lined with over 500 columns and home to Madrid’s oldest Virgin Mary statue. For spectacular views, climb up to the Dome Terrace, where you’ll get a panoramic sweep of the city, including the palace gardens and the distant Sierra de Guadarrama mountains.

Wander back to your hotel via Chocolateria San Gines (Pasadizo de San Gines 5) to sample a century-old tradition of churros and hot chocolate – the oldest such locale in Madrid. 

Get a siesta to reset your body clock for an evening out, which in Spanish terms means starting no earlier than 9pm.

Evening – Chueca-mate

Regardless of whether you made it to Chueca on your first visit, a return is always advisable.  It’s chock-full of bars catering to all aesthetics.   Known for being the queer heartbeat of the city, it’s welcome to everyone who’s not a dick.  So that should include you, right?

I’d recommend seeing where the night takes you but here’s a starter for 10 on places to pay a visit to.  Before starting – and on the assumption you’ve had enough tapas to sink an Armada – I recommend grabbing a bite to eat at La Hummuseria (c. Hernando Cortes 8) on the edge of Chueca.  Superb Middle Eastern dishes a plenty to line the stomach – the hummus with pine nuts

will put you in the good mood even before you start your bar crawl.

Barbanarama (Calle de San Bartolomé, 7) – Retro vibes & fun cocktails

Kick off your night at Barbanarama, a colorful, kitschy bar with a ‘90s throwback aesthetic. The drinks are affordable, the music is nostalgic, and the crowd is friendly. The gin is a delight and their house mojito potent.

La Kama Café (Calle de Gravina, 6) 

Next, head over to La Kama Café, a laid-back bar known for its diverse crowd and cozy atmosphere. It’s perfect for conversation before the night gets wilder. They serve a great tinto de verano (Spain’s refreshing red wine spritzer).  If you’re s and a selection of tapas if you need a snack.

Angel Sierra (Plaza de Chueca, 1)

This is one of Madrid’s most beautiful old-school bars, with the wooden interiors and tiled walls a delight.  If last night put you in the mood for vermouth, this is the place to grab one – specifically vermut de grifo (vermouth on tap).  If you’ve got a case of the late-evening munchies, order a boquerones en vinagre (marinated anchovies) or jamón ibérico – both go down a treat.

Gris (Calle de Pérez Galdós, 9)

If you’re now craving an alternative 80s, 90s or 00s soundtrack and/or a cocktail, Gris is the place to be. Over 40 years old, it’s stylish, intimate, and serves some of the best cocktails in Chueca.  If you want to up the pace of the evening, try their selection of chupitos (shots) – TNT or Sangre De Infierno remain firm favourites.   Table football and frequent 2x1 offers draw in the punters.

There you have it – a second visit in Madrid and surroundings which ticks all the boxes you associate with Spain, including an irrepressible joie de vivre that will have you already contemplating a third visit.