Madrid (Spain)

Advantages: Splendid architecture and surrounding nature
Disadvantages: destinations are scattered and hard to reach by public transport

...who plan a trip to Madrid like to combine it with some excursions in the surrounding area. Nearby Toledo and Salamanca, for example, are places that most of us may have heard of, if only from an Ernest Hemingway novel or from Cervantes' famous account of Don Quixote de La Mancha. But this wouldn't be worth an FTC review, had I not some more exclusive places to tell you about. On the third day at the latest, every first time visitor to Madrid will ...
...very popular day trips for Madrid tourists: 1. To the cities of Salamanca and Avila in the province of Castilia Leon, 70 and 100 miles west of Madrid respectively. 2. To the city of Toledo in the province of Castilia - La Mancha, 50 miles south of Madrid. BUT: while all these places are beautiful and worth a visit, they are also flocked by tourists from March to October. Thus I have chosen a slightly different itinerary, maybe not completely off ... Read review

Advantages: Plenty to see, (and eat!)
Disadvantages: Some knowledge of Spanish a distinct advantage.

...pedal. I wonder whether all Madrid taxi drivers are so short sighted that they have to drive close to the car in front just so they can see it. One plus point – they seem to be cheap for a big city’s cabs, and don’t need tipping. WHERE WE STAYED Our hotel, which was a 4-star, was situated just off the Gran Vía, and was called Hotel Mayorazgo. It was neither brand spanking new, nor decrepit, being decorated with an eclectic mixture of stained glass ...
...at least some Spanish in Madrid is a distinct advantage compared to “Las Costas”. It’s not that the city isn’t geared for tourism, but please remember, but that it’s also a working business centre, not a holiday resort. SUNDAY MORNING One of the sights earmarked the previous day, was the Atocha RENFE terminus station – not an obvious tourist magnet, you might think, but combined with the fact that we’d have to use the Métro to get there, that was ... Read review

Advantages: great bars and restaurants, wonderful for shopping
Disadvantages: Some areas are a bit run down, gets unbearably hot at the height of summer

Driving from the airport into Madrid you’ll notice numerous high-rise flats, looking somewhat squalid and not particularly appealing. Don’t let them put you off. The closer you get to the city centre, the better it gets. Although Spain’s capital may not have the ambience and attraction as it’s main rival (and I’m not just talking football here) Barcelona, Madrid has it’s own unique personality. But first of all the basics. Accommodation is plentiful, ...
...ensure this stops. Getting around Madrid is easy, walking is the best way of doing this since the city centre is so compact. If you are feeling particularly lazy or tired then Madrid has a n efficient metro system, although it isn’t that expensive. The city is awash with restaurants, and there are plenty of options - I even found a curry house on one visit. Veggie food is also easy to find and there are several good restaurants, my personal favourite ... Read review

Advantages: It's a wonderful city
Disadvantages: None!

...I've been living in Madrid my whole life. In fact, I'm Spanish, and I'm just studying abroad for a year (currently living in St. Andrews), so I think I can speak from my own experience about this wonderful city. Madrid is the capital of Spain, so many people from other parts of Spain usually go to live there. That makes of Madrid a city with a great mixture of cultures and a huge diversity of styles. When one visits Madrid for the first time, one ...
...the most interesting thing about Madrid is the night. If you have seen any film by Pedro Almodovar, you'll see what he means by "movida madrileña". Madrid is full of discos, pubs and bars. You can go to a disco at 8pm and go back to your house at 4pm the following day, or, if you have enough energy, stay 24 hours or more dancing like crazy. There are also lots of music styles, so you'll just have to look for what you want. You can find places where ... Read review

Advantages: Lively, great for culture, food, shopping
Disadvantages: Extremes of temperatures, can be noisy all night

Madrid is one of those cities, like Brasilia or Islamabad, which were invented for political reasons, rather than springing up organically because it had a natural harbour, or was on a confluence of rivers, or a fertile plain. It shouldn't really exist, perched as it is deep in the dusty interior of Spain, intolerably hot at the height of summer, and often bitterly cold in winter. It's the artificial capital of a maritime nation, a seafood loving ...
...soul sapping Francoist interregnum, Madrid is a thrilling city to visit, with something for everyone (except beach lovers, obviously). It's possible to stay cheaply in Madrid in one of the many hostales lurking in places like Fuencarral off the Gran Via. These are usually clean enough, often with private facilities, and much better than anything you could get in London for the price. They offer a glimpse of what it's really like to live in the Spanish ... Read review