Madrid Journals

Semester in Mad Madrid

A September 2000 trip to Madrid by BostonGal

Quote: For 3 1/2 months I lived with a family in Madrid. During that time I traveled around Spain and to other places in Europe. Madrid was incredible--there is so much culture, life, and activity there. The city at daytime is great, and the nightlife is awesome!

Semester in Mad Madrid

Overview

Quote:

-Kapital (7-floor club; if you've ever been here, you'll know what I"m talking about)
-trying to speak Spanish all the time
-cafes
-take a walk around the city
-discos--!baila!
-living with a host family

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Walk! Walk! Walk! It's the European way--plus, it's a great way to see the city and discover all those hidden little places you wouldn't have found otherwise.

Cheer!
Flag

Restaurante Chino

Restaurant | "El Restaurante Chino"

Quote:

This was my one and only Chinese food experience while I was in Madrid, since I preferred to eat the Spanish cuisine. However, when I took my host family out, this is where we went. The food was excellent and different than the American Chinese food (less fried). The restaurant was really pretty and the service was great. For five people to have a full 3 course meal with 2 pitchers of sangria, it only cost 33 USD! If you're in the mood for Chinese food, try this place!

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Restaurante Chino
Near Arturo Soria
Madrid, Spain

Cheer!
Flag

Pans & Company

Restaurant | "Pans & Company"

Quote:

Even though it's a fast food joint, I recommend it because it has good cheap food. The bocadillos are really good. Try my favorite - queso fresco.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Pans & Company
Throughout Madrid
Madrid, Spain

Cheer!
Flag

Cafe y Te

Restaurant

Quote:

This place is a chain all over Madrid. They have a million and one cafes and teas to try. Good cheap stuff. (and the people who work there wear funny outfits. Keep in mind that cafe (coffee) in Spain is a lot stronger than what we are used to. Cafe y te is a cute little place, but it's always nice to find some side street with a forgotten, quaint little cafe as well as the big commerical joints. You can find these in different parts of the city, even in side streets of the big commercial areas like Gran Via, Sol, etc.

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Cafe y Te
Throughout Madrid
Madrid, Spain

Cheer!
Flag

Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado)

Attraction | "Museo del Prado"

Quote:

This museum is great if you're looking to see a lot of famous Spanish works by artists such as Goya, Velazquez, and more. El Prado is fairly large and houses one of my personal favorite works, "El Jardin de las Delicias" by El Bosco (Herman Bosch). Open M-F until 7 and Saturday until 2.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado)
Calle Ruiz De Alarcón 23
Madrid, Spain 28014
+34 91 3302800

Cheer!
Flag

Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real)

Attraction | "El Palacio Real"

Quote:

This former royal palace is an incredible sight. I would definitely recommend going to see it. You get to view about 250 of the almost 3000 rooms that are there. Each room is so equisitely decorated with gold, porcelain, hand-woven items, etc. It really was, to me, the epitome of what a royal palace should look like.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real)
Calle Bailén, 6
Madrid, Spain 28013
+34 91 5475350

Cheer!
Flag

Kapital

Attraction

Quote:

This 7-floor club was my favorite of all the nightspots I went to in Madrid. It was just so huge with 7(!) floors of different music--techno, hip-hop, salsa...Not a place to meet people, just to go, dance like crazy and have fun. Open till 7am I think...or until you get tired basically.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Kapital
Atocha, 125
Madrid, Spain 28012
+34 91 4202906

Cheer!
Flag

Casa De La Cerveza

Attraction | "Casa de Cerveza"

Quote:

Prices and what you get: All you can drink for 500 pta on Tuesdays and Thursdays (mostly American students). For this price you can get either draft beer or Sangria (although they're both pretty weak). For an upgrade, you can pay 1000 pta (still quite a bargain) and get any kind of drink you want (!) all you can drink. For me, this just seemed like the better option. Atmosphere: This small bar has two floors and is generally really crowded on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On the other nights, it definitely has more of a local feel and not as many people go there. There are two bars, one large one downstairs and a small one upstairs. The music is pretty good, current hip hop and Spanish salsa musi...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Casa De La Cerveza
Luchana, 15
Madrid, Spain

Cheer!
Flag

Nightlife In Madrid

Attraction | "No Se Lo Digas Nada a Nadie"

Quote:

This club is hidden in the Santa Ana alleys along with a ton of other clubs and bars. It's a lot of fun with a stage and bars. The music is really good, a mix of hip hop and techno. I just found the whole atmosphere of the place to be fun. Anyone can go up on stage and dance. The dance floor is pretty small, but not too crowded. Upstairs you can relax and play pool for a while, if the dancing is getting to be too much for you. When I was here there was an added bonus, as a drag queen came on stage and performed a fun little number. Entertainment and good dancing atmosphere.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Nightlife In Madrid
Various Locations
Madrid, Spain

Cheer!
Flag

Rastro

Attraction | "El Rastro"

Quote:

Madrid is famous for this huge Sunday morning flea market. I went once and that was it. It's good to go once for the whole atmosphere of the place, but the actual stuff that's sold is junk and the same at every booth. A good cultural activity, I guess.

Member Rating 2 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Rastro
Entre las Calles Ambajadores
Madrid, Spain 28005
+34 91 588 2900 (tou

Cheer!
Flag

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía

Attraction | "Reina Sofia"

Quote:

This is my favorite museum in Madrid because it has a ton of Dali's work, one of my favorite artists. If you like modern art and want to see a lot of famous works by people like Picasso, Dali, Miro, etc. this is the place to go.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 16, 2001

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
Santa Isabel 52
Madrid, Spain 28012
+34 (91) 7741000

Cheer!
Flag

La Siesta

Story/Tip

Quote:

Just an FYI note--almost everything closes in Madrid from 2-5pm for their "siesta". This is not a joke. Except for major stores like El Corte Ingles you won't be able to get anything done during this time. My recommendation--do as the Spaniards do--take a siesta!

Cheer!
Flag

Spanish Food

Story/Tip

Quote:

I think either you'll love Spanish food or you won't. That's just how it seemed to go with my American friends and myself in Spain. I personally loved it. One of my favorites was paella, a traditional Spanish dish of spiced rice, vegetables, and often either seafood, chicken, or other meats. Other excellent food there is the tortilla espanola, an omelete-like dish that is made of eggs, potatoes, onions and spices. Since I do not eat red meat, I didn't try any of the meat dishes in Spain, but they are really popular. Jamon serrano, a special type of ham, is extremely popular in Madrid and a popular menu item. Also, various types of soups are common, like gazpacho (a cold summer soup of tomato an...Read More

Cheer!
Flag

Spanish culture

Story/Tip

Quote:

Just a few things about the culture here in Spain if you're interested: First of all, in general, the Madrilenos are very friendly and hospitable. Don't be afraid to ask people questions, as they will try to help you out. Staring is normal in Spain. Everyone stares at everyone. This is definitely a lot different than in America and a bit of a culture shock. I wanted to just ask, "Do you have a problem?!?", but it's normal there. If you're a girl, expect to receive comments from the men in Spain. They catcall a lot and will yell things at you, but in general they're harmless and won't approach you. Even though this may seem like a stereotype we have, it's ...Read More