With Madrid being as popular as it is with Maltese holidaymakers, chances are that you have already dropped in at the obvious tourist attractions of this majestic capital.
Forget them – not because they are not worth your time, but simply because Madrid offers a lot more than that. Here are 10 places that will give you that real madrileño vibe.
10. El Templo Debod
One of the most unusual places in Madrid, this Ancient Egyptian temple travelled a long way to get there. It was donated by the Egyptian government in 1968 for Spain’s help in moving the temples of Abu Simbel out of the flooding zone when the Aswan High Dam was built.
The temple was dismantled stone by stone, shipped to Spain and rebuilt in the Parque de la Montaña in Madrid. The best time to see it is at sunset, when the sky is reflected in the surrounding pool and the lighting seems to turn the hewn stone to gold.
www.munimadrid.es/templodebod
Parque de la Montaña, Calle de Ferraz, 1 (Metro: Plaza de España, Lines 3 & 10; or Ventura Rodriguez, Line 3)
9. Faro de Moncloa
At 110 metres tall, this is one of the best places to see the city. The panoramic view from the observation deck reaches all the way to the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range and you can see most of the beautiful monuments and landmarks of the city, from the Palacio Real and the La Almudena Cathedral to the Torrespaña tower.
While only guided tours are allowed up in the mornings, you can go up unaccompanied after 1.30pm.
Open 10am-8pm Tuesday-Sunday. Closed on Mondays. Avenida Arco de la Victoria, 2 (Metro: Moncloa, Lines 3 & 6)
8. 100 Montaditos
The most madrileño thing you can do while in Madrid is eat at 100 Montaditos. With 96 stores across the city, they’re easy to find and the montaditos (small baguettes) are tasty, to boot.
The bread is baked when you order, not at the start of the day and, with 100 delicious varieties of ingredients, you’ll want to go back a few times to try them all.
http://spain.100montaditos.com/en/
7. Complutense Street Food Festival
Once a year, the Complutense University hosts a street food festival that is a must to visit. There are stalls, food trucks and the occasional converted school bus and caravan serving food from around the world as well as music, shopping and other little surprises. It’s a little bit of a walk from the train station, but your appetite will certainly be satisfied by the array of delicacies, sweets and drinks.
February 28-March 1, Plaza de Menéndez Pelayo, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Metro: Ciudad Universitaria, Line 6)
6. Malacatín
Not for the faint of heart (or stomach), Malcatín is famous for its ridiculously large servings. The restaurant only serves cocido, a traditional three-course buffet that dates back to a time when what were then the lower classes only had one meal a day. The meal starts off with a soup with noodles and baby onions, followed by a platter of garbanzos (chickpeas), potato, cooked cabbage and crushed tomato. And lastly, an abnormally large serving of meats – an entire chicken, blood sausage, chorizo, bacon, pig feet and more. My advice: don’t eat breakfast and don’t expect to feel hungry the next day.
www.malacatin.com/
Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and Thursday and Friday for (a late) dinner ; the restaurant doesn’t open till 8.15pm. Calle Ruda, 5 (Metro: La Latina, Line 5)
5. Desperate Literature
While relatively new, this bookstore has quickly become a favourite among locals and expats. With friendly staff and a wide selection of books in English, Spanish, French and a few other languages, if you’re looking for something to read while you relax after a big lunch or have coffee, then this is the place to go.
They also allow travellers to live in the bookstore in exchange for working there – an idea they borrowed from the famous Shakespeare and Co. bookshop in Paris – so if you’re a book lover, why not take them up on their offer for a unique experience?
http://desperateliterature.com/
Open every day, 10.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-10pm (they take their siestas seriously in Madrid). Calle Campomanes, 13 (Metro: Opera, Lines 2 & 5)
4. Círculo de Bellas Artes
Another place to see the city from above. The Círculo de Bellas Artes is a cultural centre with exhibitions, concerts, films and a meeting point for conferences and discussions about philosophy, literature and the such. If you go to the terrace, however, you find yourself surrounded by the beautiful architecture of the Centro and Retiro areas. Downstairs, there is also a cafe that is open to the public. The chandeliers, statues and stunning painted ceiling make it a wonderful place to spend some of your afternoon.
www.circulobellasartes.com/
Calle de Alcalá, 42 (Metro: Sevilla or Banco de España, Line 2)
3. Taberna Txacolina
Small, dark and filled to the brim with people, this is not a place for claustrophobes. It’s standing room only in this hole-in-the-wall bar, but if you’re happy to push your way through a crowd, then this should be on your list of places to go.
The bar is known for its pintxos (Spanish for ‘spikes’), a type of tapas from the Basque region in the north of Spain, served on pieces of bread and skewered with a toothpick to save you from dropping it on yourself.
The pintxos are laid out on the bar and you pay per toothpick, which means you can eat as much or as little as you want. A word of warning: if you don’t like to experiment with your food, watch out for the gulas. While they taste delicious, baby eels are not for everyone.
www.tabernatxakolinamadrid.com
Calle Cava Baja, 26 (Metro: La Latina, Line 5); Calle de la Cruz, 11 (Metro: Sevilla, Line 2)
2. Fábrica Maravilles
Located in the busy Gran Via area, the first thing that you notice when you walk into this unusual bar is the collection of brewing vats behind the counter and the mingling chatter of English and Spanish as locals and expats meet. Their menu of artisan beers ranges from pale ales to dark stouts and the bartenders can walk you through the whole brewing procedure as it happens right there on location. It’s a small bar, but the tapas are good and the beer is definitely worth it.
Open Monday to Saturday from 6pm to midnight; Sundays and holidays from 12.30pm to midnight. Calle de Valverde, 29 (Metro: Gran Via, Lines 1 & 5)
1. Chocolatería San Ginés
If you’re wandering around the city at midnight (not an unusual occurrence, given how late people eat dinner in Madrid), I suggest you drop in here for their traditional Spanish-style hot chocolate with a side of churros. It’s open all day every day, but after a late night out nothing beats dipping a few churros into a cup of thick, sweet hot chocolate.
http://chocolateriasangines.com/
Open 24/7, Pasadizo San Ginés, 5 (Metro: Sol, Lines 1, 2 & 3)