[MADRID, SPAIN] — There are lots and lots of Madrid guides, so I won’t go into much detail here, just think of this post like an old postcard rack at the train station, look for places that look good, then go find them. These are all my favorite places in Madrid. The Best Things to Do in Madrid, at least the best things to do over a winter weekend in Madrid.

I won’t go into much detail here, others have already done it. Just think of this post like a cluttered old postcard rack at the train station. Look for places that look good to you, then go find them.

This is a long post, so forgive me. I consolidated a bunch of smaller earlier posts into one comprehensive post.

See a Piece of Egypt, High Over Madrid

Perched high on a hill in Cuartel de la Montaña Park, is a true Egyptian temple given to Spain the Temple of Debod in the 1970s as the Aswan High Damn was about to swallow it up.

I mean, seriously, this temple is from the second century BCE. Now it sits in a perfect park overlooking the hills of Madrid and the Royal Palace. Go at night when it and the Palace are both lit up.

Also, there’s a chairlift contraption that takes you further into the parque, which is 2-3 times the size of Madrid itself and is Right There.

Check Out a Cool River Makeover

I’d read about this redevelopment project a while ago and always wanted to check it out. Long abandoned and gone to seed, a giant busy highway used to plow through here, cutting of neighborhoods right in the middle of Madrid. Several years ago the massive redevelopment transformed the whole river. Over the last several years, it has really come together.

I was there soon after it opened, so a lot of the plantings were new and nubile. They should all be grown in my now.

What used to be sludgy is now sparkling, with walkways and bridges intertwined along the river, with kids playing, people jogging and chatting. A great place to get away from the crowds, even in the winter.

Go at sunset so you can watch the lights of the city come on and the moon rise. Start on the south side, by the new Matedero arts center and move your way up north to the Royal Palace. Delightful way to spend an early evening.Here’s a great article about it in the NYTimes.

Warm Up in the Sun in Parque del Retiro, Madrid’s Central Park

Take time out of eating, drinking and shopping to take a long stroll or do some eating or drinking in Madrid’s Parque del Retiro.  Beautifully laid out, with different sections that beckon you to keep going on to the next site, there’s lots to see, summer or winter.  (These shots are from winter, just imagine what summer looks like.)

The camera I had at the time had a “toy camera” mode, so I experimented with it here, making these surreal sculpted trees even surreal-ier.

Feel Like You’re in a Life-Size Toy Set

On the western side of Madrid, just below the royal palace is a typical looking European train station from the outside, but inside it’s not.  The Estacion de Principe Pio was remodeled to incorporate all the metro and commuter rail stations, stacked up on top of each other like a toy train set, with trains criss-crossing above and below you in all different directions.  

Some of the tracks seem dormant, then all of a sudden a train comes shooting through.  Definitely recommend killing a long while here just taking it all in from all the angles.  Really is cool.

Eat Everything You Can Find at the City Mercados

Mercado de San Miguel is the biggest and best. These markets have evolved from just serving raw ingredients to having food stalls, some by some of the city’s famous chefs and restaurants. Serving incredible tapas, snacks or full-blown meals. Just belly up to the counters and order away. Move around and eat something completely different. Get there earlier than the typical Spanish lunch time and it’s a little less crowded.

Pick Up Some Well Designed Things for Your House at Gonzalez & Gonzalez

Order a Spanish Gin-Tonic, Anywhere

Spain is one of the largest consumers of gin and all over the country they have perfected the Spanish Gin-Tonic (no &). Rumor has it that the best chefs often would take a pour of gin in the back, fill a goblet full of ice and tonic and throw in whatever herbs or citrus was around the kitchen to switch it up. A Spanish G-T is about a 4:1 tonic:gin ratio, so the chefs could drink them for hours and not get completely wasted.

Walk into any good bar, or even neighborhood cafe, and not be surprised find a wall with 20, 30, 50 gins. You pick your gin, you pick your upscale tonic and then pick your “toppings” usually a fist full of herbs, cucumbers, citrus or spices, or all the above. Huge goblets loaded like buckets of ice.

I never really drank them before coming to Barcelona and Madrid, but then saw one being served and wanted it right away. Now I have my own set of giant goblets and lemons ready to be rined.

Duck Out of the Weather at Madrid’s Great Museums

I’m almost as big a fan at following museum architecture as the museums themselves. So I tend to seek out those that have had new additions by famous architects. There are so many amazing museums in Madrid, but I loved these.

Go to The Prado for all the Classics

Go See What Jean Nouvel Did to the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia

CaixaForum Madrid 

One of my favorite architects is Herzog & de Meuron and what they did with the CaixaForum Madrid is just amazing.

They took a dilapidated old power plant and brought it back to live, including a living wall by famed Parisian living wall expert, Patrick Blanc. It’s like a classical building merged with a spaceship merged with a living wall. Inside, now it’s a host for changing exhibitions and events, while the architect is on display in nearly every corner.

Do a Drive-by at the Royal Palace

I don’t really need to see the inside of any more palaces, but you can if you want to.

Walk Around and Look Up at the Amazing Architecture

You Could Stay Here in Madrid

Iberostar Las Letras Gran Vía. I stayed here, had a great room, fantastic central location. Extremely nice people at the front desk. Amazingly helpful. The room I had was enormous. Great views. Very quiet. Nice bathrooms. Perfect location, easy to get everywhere walking, Gran Via metro stop just a block away. And the San Anton Market is just a couple of blocks away.  Although I can’t say I remember much about the hotel itself, other than the great rooftop views. I think it was a boutique hotel when I stayed there long ago, but looks like it is now a member of Iberostar chain.

Room Tip: Splurge for the top floor suite #607. Two floors, two terraces. You won’t want to leave.

— Last Visited December 2012 —

More Information on the Best Things To Do in Madrid

Here are more through guides to Madrid than mine. I just didn’t want to bore you with repeating what everyone else says. Let me know your recommendations in the Comments box below.

Here’s a Madrid guide from the hip Airmail.

Here’s the official Madrid tourism website top things to do. Here’s TripAdvisor’s list of Top 15 Things to Do in Madrid. Here’s TimeOut’s Top 10 Things to Do in Madrid. Here’s Travel & Leisure’s Top 30 Things to Do in Madrid. And my always favorite whacko site, Atlas Obscura’s Unusual Things to Do in Madrid. And Conde Nast Traveler’s best things to do.