Madrid - recommendations

[dita-on-tees]

I have a guidebook, I have googled, but if anyone has any recommendations for things to do, things that are pretty overrated, any great little places to eat/drink then these would be very welcome!

Thanks

[womanofdulwich]

Are you going at Easter? Beautiful place, some amazing parades where catholics dresed like the klu klux klan take the statues of saints out of churches and walk them round the streets dressed up - you can hardly move- it was a bit worrying if you could not see what was in the middle of the crowd to begin with!!

Toledo for a day trip by trian is excellent, also the station which has been turned into a botanic garden is good. Beware the scams on the underground where you need to watch out for pick pockets.

[Jah Lush]

Go to the Bernabau on April 5th and watch Tottenham Hotspur hopefully beat Real Madrid on their own turf.

[Annasfield]

Madrid is an amazing city. Just wear a pair of comfy shoes and try and see as much of it as you can.

If you're in to football, I'd recommend the Calderon over the Bernabeu every time!

[dita-on-tees]

Ha! my fella's a Spurs fan so surprised we're not going that weekend. Off this weekend so no festivals or parades

thanks

[Annasfield]

There are some amazing bars and restaurants around the backstreets of Sol. I have been a few times and could direct you, but wouldn't have a clue about names.

As has already been mentioned. Watch out for pickpockets - everytime we've been to Madrid, someone has been dipped or mugged. Even 'Arry got done when he went to the Calderon.

[matthew123]

Annasfield Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Even 'Arry got done when he went to the Calderon.

..or so he told the insurance company ;-)

[dita-on-tees]

thanks I think we are near Sol. Tell me about pick pockets - i had my purse stolen in florence and had no money for 4 days. it was sh%thouse.

[LadyTaTa]

We went to Madrid with work in January and found the service in restuarants to be verging on offensive, so don't take it personally if you experience that (as I did for the first couple of days). Prado museum is excellent. I didn't get chance to go to Toledo but everyone raved about it.

[mockney piers]

Did you order in English or Spanish?

[LadyTaTa]

Tried both ways with no discernable difference in treatment (some of my colleagues speak quite good spanish).

It was the same at the hotel where we had our conference, plates being whisked away while people were still eating etc. I remember watching them wrestle a glass out of a guy's hand (non-alcoholic drink). Quite funny actually.

I visisted Seville a few years back and found it to be much friendlier. Still, I had a very nice time in Madrid and I'm sure dita-on-tees will too. Some nice architecture around the palace and museums.

[Lola U.]

"De Madrid al cielo" (from Madrid to heaven)