Neighbourhoods
Malasaña
The trendiest pocket — vintage shops, natural wine bars.
La Latina
Best for a Sunday vermouth-and-tapas crawl.
Salamanca
Upscale, polished, good for shopping.
Things to do
Prado Museum, weekday morning
Free entry the last two hours before closing, but go a full morning if you actually want to see it.
La Latina Sunday tapas crawl
Order a caña at each stop, never sit down — that's the actual local ritual.
Retiro Park, rowboat on the lake
The most local-feeling thing to do on a sunny afternoon.
Chueca late-night bars
Madrid doesn't get going until midnight — plan dinner at 10pm to keep pace.
Eating & drinking
Mercado de San Miguel
Beautiful but touristy — good for a first taste, not your main meal.
Any classic tasca in La Latina
Order whatever the bartender points at — that's usually the good stuff.
Day trips
Local logistics
City-specific transport and safety notes — for country-wide context, see the Spain guide.
The metro is fast, cheap, and covers the whole city well — better than Barcelona's for avoiding walking in summer heat.
Very safe; standard pickpocket caution in Sol and on the metro during rush hour.
Pacing & budget
Pacing: 3 days covers Madrid properly; add a day for Toledo.
Budget: Cheaper than Barcelona for comparable quality, especially for food and nightlife.
Visa, money, culture & transport for all of Spain
Currency, key phrases, getting around by train, and everything that applies to your whole trip — not just Madrid.