ourjourneys Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 We arrive in Barrajas airport at 5pm on a Monday. We have done this before and spent more time figuring out where we were than seeing anything. This time I would like to have a couple of places to head to from the metro. ANY budget ideas for food? We are thinking of the Prado because it is free between 6-8 pm. We have a hotel that will pick us up from the airport after sightseeing. Thanks for any advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deacongirl Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Lucky you! Have a great time--I think the museum is a good bet. Just remember to really watch out for pickpockets--they are particularly bad in Madrid--and remember that dinner is late--it is very hard with kids to find a place to eat at what we consider dinner time. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourjourneys Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Well, just realized the museums are closed on Monday nights, so now we really do need something to do! Anyone been to Madrid and have some advice? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Well, just realized the museums are closed on Monday nights, so now we really do need something to do! Anyone been to Madrid and have some advice? Thanks! This is my first post ever, and I've not introduced myself yet, but a wonderful thing to do in Madrid is to go to the Retiro, a gorgeous park. It has been years and years since I was in Madrid, but I enjoyed simply strolling around -- there is so much to see. There is a park near the Royal Palace, too, called Parque del Oeste that has a beautiful rose garden, so that might be open, as well as the Templo de Debod. I can't remember if these were ticket visits, or just open viewing. Not far away is a well known monument to Cervantes with statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. And I just read a note that it is free to wander around the Sabatini Gardens, by the Royal Palace. These are just a few of the things you can see just wandering around Madrid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 This is my first post ever, and I've not introduced myself yet, but a wonderful thing to do in Madrid is to go to the Retiro, a gorgeous park. Yes, this. And welcome!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 And welcome!:) Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) This is my first post ever, and I've not introduced myself yet, but a wonderful thing to do in Madrid is to go to the Retiro, a gorgeous park. That's what I was thinking too, lol! It looks like the Reina Sofia museum is open on Mondays. It's pretty awesome, esp. if you like modern art. (FYI, it is home to Picasso's Guernica & also some of Dali's works.) Serenade, welcome. :001_smile: Edited March 25, 2011 by Stacia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 I'm jealous :) I did a semester abroad in Sevilla and over one holiday week, I went to several other cities starting with Madrid. We got into the city after taking the bus (complete with smoking and non-smoking sections :ack2:, and "Midnight Express" as the movie) from Sevilla at 11pm. We went to the Prado when it opened, but we were exhausted and nodded off on one of the benches (that we made it thru that whole trip and were never pickpocketed is amazing). I have some great pictures of the train station, and the outside of a palace that I think we did go in. There were some museums and other national landmark kinds of places that were free for students, so keep that in mind. I loved being in Madrid (we also went to Segovia, Salamanca and Avila - 4 cities in 5 days!) and that area. If nothing else the Spanish was slower and more clear than down in Sevilla :) Thank you, Spanish citizens, for generally being patient with American exchange students! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourjourneys Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share Posted March 25, 2011 Thank you all so much! Now, any ideas about a budget place to eat spanish food? Chorzos are found all around and that is not a problem and a MUST for our trip. But, we do not eat pork and need a restaurant that will be able to serve us a typical spanish meal (CHEAP). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Thank you all so much! Now, any ideas about a budget place to eat spanish food? Chorzos are found all around and that is not a problem and a MUST for our trip. But, we do not eat pork and need a restaurant that will be able to serve us a typical spanish meal (CHEAP). I don't eat meat & often lived off of Spanish Omelettes (tortilla espanola or tortilla de patatas) while in Spain (along w/ olives, bread & cheese, & other non-meat tapas). Pretty much any tapas bar will have the omelettes & they are most often just eggs & potatoes (some have onions & some are served w/ mayo on the side). Don't know about any specific places to recommend because it's been a long time since I was there. I'd just check out some tapas bars myself. If you're going to a museum first, you could as the museum employees to recommend a tapas bar that is great & nearby. You might be able to find a paella w/ just seafood (no pork), but that may be hard to find. You could always ask.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourjourneys Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 Thank you Stacia, that does help! I am kind of ashamed to admit this, but the last time we were in Madrid I was craving Mexican Tortillas.... We were all exhausted from travel and we were only there for about 30 hours which included security, picking up luggage, changing airlines, getting a hotel, etc and I just wanted to sit, rest and eat some good Spanish food... SOOOOOO... my husband told the waiter at the restaurant that we wanted tortillas with no meat in his broken spanish and we waited for a long time. I kept thinking - it will be so delicious to get real spanish tortillas ;) Then when he came there were eggs, more eggs, and more eggs :001_huh: I just wanted tortillas that we know in America. Then I felt real silly when I had that ahah!! moment and realized that the Spanish food we are used to at home is Mexican, not Spanish :lol: So, thank you for the info - We will be prepared to eat eggs this time around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 That's what I was thinking too, lol! It looks like the Reina Sofia museum is open on Mondays. It's pretty awesome, esp. if you like modern art. (FYI, it is home to Picasso's Guernica & also some of Dali's works.) I saw Guernica when I was there years ago, and at the time it was very close to the Retiro. I don't know if it's been moved. It's been so long since I was there. Serenade, welcome. :001_smile: Thank you! I'm jealous :) I did a semester abroad in Sevilla and over one holiday week, I went to several other cities starting with Madrid. We got into the city after taking the bus (complete with smoking and non-smoking sections :ack2:, and "Midnight Express" as the movie) from Sevilla at 11pm. We went to the Prado when it opened, but we were exhausted and nodded off on one of the benches (that we made it thru that whole trip and were never pickpocketed is amazing). I have some great pictures of the train station, and the outside of a palace that I think we did go in. So I've gotta ask, what program were you with in Seville? I studied in Seville, too, with UNC, but I know that there was also a program from SUNY, and a few others, at that time, anyhow. I loved Seville! I still love Seville. Sigh. Thank you all so much! Now, any ideas about a budget place to eat spanish food? Chorzos are found all around and that is not a problem and a MUST for our trip. But, we do not eat pork and need a restaurant that will be able to serve us a typical spanish meal (CHEAP). Really, I would just browse around and see what looks cheap! Many small restaurants offer a fixed price meal, which is often a good deal. And then, of course, the Tapas bars. For filling up, I'd always recommend the Tortilla Espanola. Oh, one thing I just remembered -- many cafes offer the same thing in different sizes -- like you could request a tapa of Paella (small), or a Racion (larger) or a Plato (large). I was a student when I was there, so low budget, and we had our favorite restaurants where we'd get a bowl of beans or lentils with a piece of bread. There are also Pescaderias where you can buy a cone filled with fish/seafood or croquetas, and you can take it to a park or bench and eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabelen Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Since the Prado is out, I would definitely go to the Retiro park and the Reina SofÃa, they are close to each other. You might also want to eat at El Brillante, which is right at the Reina SofÃa Museum square. If you don't eat pork, just go for the fish, seafood and potato dishes. The calamari subs are famous and if you are feeling adventurous you could try vinegar marinated anchovies called boquerones en vinagre or even paprika octopus, pulpo a la gallega. As far as potato dishes, other than the tortilla española, if you like spicy, you could order some patatas a la brava, or if you prefer garlicky potatoes go for the patatas al ali oli. Croquetes are good too, but make sure you order chicken or tuna instead of ham! Of course you could also have olives or any of a variety of Spanish cheeses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourjourneys Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Thank you all! We had a wonderful whirl of about 4 hours in the city. We got out of the subway at Sol and just walked around the streets, did some window shopping, and found a buffet of great food. We let the kids play in the mazes of shrubs in the palace gardens. It was a lovely chilly Madrid evening :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Thank you all! We had a wonderful whirl of about 4 hours in the city. We got out of the subway at Sol and just walked around the streets, did some window shopping, and found a buffet of great food. We let the kids play in the mazes of shrubs in the palace gardens. It was a lovely chilly Madrid evening :) Glad you had a nice time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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