World Travel Guide > Guides > Europe > Spain > Madrid

Local time Madrid

Currency

€

Madrid tours and excursions

Madrid tours

Bus tours

Take an open top city bus tour, with recorded commentaries available in 14 languages. There are two routes available, both taking in sights, and places of interest, including shopping districts. Tours run throughout the year.

Tel: +34 913 69 27 32
Website: http://madrid.city-tour.com/en

Gastronomic Tours

Antociano organise wine and tapas tasting tours of Madrid. Each lasts two hours and there are five different routes around the city to choose from. Participants stop at various bars and restaurants where they are taught about food and wine pairings.

Tel: +34 91 551 8985.
Website: http://www.antociano.com

Madrid excursions

Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial

This monastery lies just 50km (31 miles) northwest of Madrid, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The extraordinary rectangular edifice with four spired towers was built by Philip II, as a memorial to his father, Charles V, and is a combination of monastery, church and palace. It contains numerous artistic treasures, an austere 17th-century church and a beautifully decorated library with vaulted, painted ceiling. Trains depart from Atocha and other stations.

Tel: +34 91 890 5903.
Website: http://el-escorial.com

Segovia

North of the Sierra de Guadarrama, 90km (55 miles) north of Madrid, easily reached by train (there are regular departures from Chamartín Station and Atocha Station), by bus (from Estación Sur de Autobuses), or by road (along the A6 and the AP61), lies Segovia. Once an important Roman city, evidence of its splendour is the magnificent 2,000-year Augustan aqueduct which remains intact to this day. The Alcazar (dating back to the Middle Ages) was originally a Moorish castle, later the residence of the Catholic Kings. Along with the aqueduct, it is the most distinctive landmark.

Tel: +34 92 146 6070.
Website: http://www.segoviaturismo.es

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

City Highlight: Madrid

Madrid is vibrant, creative, and has a regal vibe with grand architecture befitting an ancient empire that once gripped the Iberian Peninsula

Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

Petit Palace Ducal Chueca

Located close to the Gran Via, this Madrid hotel can truly boast 'all mod cons'. Part of the state-of-the-art High Tech hotel chain, its 58 boutique rooms are full of electronic knobs and whistles, including a flat screen TV and a hydro-massage shower. That doesn't impinge on comfort levels, though, and the red and black décor gives it a classy feel.

Vincci Soma

The location is one of the main attractions of this 170-room boutique hotel in Madrid, opposite Goya Metro station in the upmarket Salamanca district, 1km (0.6 miles) from Retiro Park and the chic shops of Calle Serrano. There are a few forays into the realm of luxury service, with a pillow menu and a book delivery service. The restaurant serves creative Mediterranean dishes.

Hotel Trafalgar

Less than 10 minutes from the centre of town by metro (Iglesia or Bilbao), the Trafalgar is a modern hotel that is popular with both tourists and businesspeople. It lies in a residential neighbourhood, well provided with shops, restaurants and other amenities. The 48 en-suite rooms, while unexceptional, are air-conditioned and have direct-dial telephones and TV. There is also a laundry service and currency exchange. The English-speaking staff are friendly and helpful.

Hotel Paris

One of the popular cheap options in Madrid’s Puerta de Alcalá area, Hotel Paris' 120 rooms are surprisingly spacious, decorated in classic style – this was one of the first luxury hotels in Madrid at the start of the 20th century. It was only when the Ritz was established in 1910 that it was relegated to a more modest category. Its main attraction is its location, right on the Puerta del Sol, with the main cultural stops right on its doorstep.

Hotel Unico

Despite the name, this five-star property in the heart of Madrid's most affluent neighbourhood, Salamanca, is not exactly unique – at least in terms of interior design. But based in a 19th-century palace, it is smart and elegant, with numerous luxurious touches such as the coffee machine in the rooms, the ground-floor garden that manages to block out the noise of the city and the staff who deliver complimentary chocolates and water to your room in the afternoon. Breakfast in the aforementioned garden is an extravagant affair, with fresh-baked pastries, Iberico ham, fine cheese and eggs to order.

The Principal

Concealed behind a palatial facade, The Principal is situated on the corner of one of Madrid's most important streets, Gran Vía. The entrance, reception and dining area are handsomely decorated, with portraits of aristocrats and fine wooden furnishings conjuring 19th century grandeur. Rooms are stylish without being ostentatious; expect carpeted floors and elegant but simple furniture. Ask for a room overlooking Gran Vía for terrific views over the city, or you can always pop up to the roof terrace for a drink.

Introducing Madrid

While you’re there

Plan your trip

Spain Information