On a whirlwind European tour and only have 48 hours in Madrid? Don't waste any of those hours planning, open this guide and you'll have your itinerary covered. 

Madrid, Spain

48 hours in Madrid

I lived in Madrid for about 4 months towards the end of my time in Spain, and believe me when I tell you this city has it all. Madrid is a vibrant blend of people from around the world, but stays proud and true to its traditional Spanish customs and culture at the same time. Only here will you find the energy of a big city mixed with the laid back feel of a vacation destination as you enjoy busy walking streets, outdoor cafes, beautiful parks, and unmatched nightlife. ¡Bienvenidos a Madrid, España!

1.  Spanish people care about fashion and dress nice (by US standards) for almost all ocassions. So if you decide to go with your tennis shoes and T-shirts, expect to stand out as a tourist. Not to mention some nicer restaturants/bars/ and especially night clubs could deny you entrance if your attire is not appropriate. 

2. Adjust your eating and sleeping schedule to Spanish time! It will make your experience here that much easier, more enjoyable, and authentic. Lunch at 2 or 3pm, dinner between 8 and 11pm, and expect some things to be closed between 2-5pm for siesta (some places will still stay open since it’s a big city).

3. Don't expect places to have have air conditioning, even in the summer. (Unless it's a very new buidling!)

Get on your way to the airport to catch that flight! Arriving to Madrid-Barajas Airport 3 hours ahead is always a safe bet, the airport is large, lines are long, and things move slowly. (Yes, I have missed flights arriving even 2 hours ahead before.) Make sure to check the terminal your flight leaves from, the different terminals are NOT close to each other. 

4. Having cash (euros) on you always is very necessary in Spain, not all places take card.

5. "Un bar" is a resturant that serves food, "un pub" is a bar that serves only drinks, "discoteca" means nightclub with dancing. Discoteca does not imply 70's disco music, you won't find that anywhere. Spanish people might shorten the word and say "vamos a la disco" meaning "let's go to the club."

You just arrived at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD), it's a Friday evening at 6pm (18:00 as you’ll see they use a 24 hour clock in Europe), and now it’s time to get to the city. You have 4 options: 

1) Uber/Lyft, this will be relatively cheap and the fastest (usually about 15-20 euro)

2) taxi, usually they are similarly priced to Uber or Lyft and very safe/realiable

3) the metro, you can either jump directly on the metro line from T4 or T2 and head into town (about 1 hour to city center), or take the cercanías suburban rail line from T4 which will connect with the metro (sometimes this is faster, but google maps with show you routes and times!)

4) buses, I would not recommend this, much slower and more confusing than the metro

You’ll want to check into your accommodation, drop your bags, and put on something nice to wear. Spanish people are very well-dressed most of the time, and especially after 6pm on a Friday night! Booking accommodation toward the city center, in Malasaña, or Salamanca will be your best options! 

Start your night out in Madrid by walking through the center of town to a classy rooftop bar with the best sunset view in Madrid. Order a cocktail, enjoy the music, and admire the city from above. No reservation required, there is usually a short line at the door below to get in.

By now it's 9pm which means time for "la cena" (dinner)! Head over to this lovely and fairly casual Spanish restaurant called Lateral Santa Ana for your first meal in Spain. Some classic things to order are "croquetas," "tortilla de patata," "jamón ibérico," one of their "pinchos,"  or gazapacho." ¡Buen provecho!

Dinner is served between 8pm and 11 (ish) pm, so stick to that schedule if you want to travel like a local! Most restaurants are fairly strict about when the kitchen opens and closes for dinner, and you might be out of luck if you deviate from this time slot.

After sitting on a rooftop terrace drinking a classy cocktail, you might want to mix up the vibe and head to this awesome dive bar in the neighborhood of Malasaña called "La Via Lactea." It's a great atomphere, and they have cheap drinks and pool tables. The perfect way to start your night out on the town.

By now it's 1 am so the night clubs will start to get busy around this time! If you like to dance salsa, bachata, or any other type of latin dance, this "salsateca" is seriously so much fun. Standard cover charge for clubs in Madrid is 10-15 euros, but the bigger more famous clubs will cost more. 

From 2am on is prime clubbing time. Maybe you want to stay at Discoteca Azúcar because you are having too much fun or maybe the latin dance vibe is not for you and you're ready to move on. Here's a website where you can find some alternative options with varieties of music. 

It's 3 am by now so here's another club recommendation. Teatro Kapital is one of the more famous and bigger night clubs in Madrid, and it's in an old theater so the main room is about 6 stories tall. The main rooms plays a variety of music and a lot of American club music which could be disappointing especially since you are in Spain after all! The most popular club music in Spain is usually reggaetón; luckily the room on the top floor of Kapital is reggaetón only if that’s what you’re wanting.

Early morning means time to make your way back to your accommodation to rest and reset for the next day!

It’s breakfast time again! Try this delicious and rustic cafe. You’ll be able to order breakfast food usually until 11 or 11:30am in Spain. A typical Spanish breakfast consists of a some form of toasted baguette, commonly with tomato spread and cured ham. In Spanish it’s called “una tostada con tomate y jamón serrano.” Pastries are common as well! 

You can’t leave Spain before trying their churros and chocolate. Usually they’re eaten for breakfast, or as a late afternoon snack. Head over to the oldest running chocolatería in Madrid and get another breakfast snack before you start your day! Churros don’t come with the chocolate, so you’ll have to order them separately.

A nice thing to do in the late morning is wander around the charming streets of Malasaña and shop! Stop by this store to sample and buy some turrones! (Description in the link below)

The Palacio Real de Madrid is a must-see. Touristy but worth it. The architecture and design is impressive, and you’ll be fascinated by the history if you enjoy that sort of thing. 

After seeing the palace, take a walk through  the Sabatini Garden, located right next to the palace. There are tons of beautiful spots for photos of the palace! Then walk through the Plaza de España on your way out of this area. 

If you’re looking for more walking, head down to Lago Casa de Campo. It’s a small lake located at the edge of a huge natural park area, and there are tons of paths to walk and bike on. A fun thing to do in this park in general is rent bikes and explore the whole park by bike. There are lots of dirt paths too so be prepared for that. It’s an ideal way to escape the city for a while!

Lunch time! Or “la comida” as the Spanish say!

It’s time to try a “tortilla española,” a Spanish dish resembling something like an omelette with potatoes. The Spanish are very proud of this dish, and the restaurant below makes one of the best. They have pitchers of Sangria here too!

If you’re still hungry (or even if you aren’t), walk over the the Mercado de San Miguel for a variety of fresh foods, and small food booths with tapas-style options. 

Siesta time! Usually from 2-5pm stores close; restuaturants will serve lunch food until 3:30 or 4pm. Luckily in Madrid there will still be some options if you miss the proper lunch time. 

5pm means everyone is back out and about! Grab some ice cream next to the plaza mayor, then wander into the plaza and take it all in!

Next stop is the “Estadio Santiago Bernabeu” for a Real Madrid game. The metro will be the easiest and fastest way to get here! The metro stop you’ll want is called “Santiago Bernabeu” on line 10. 

48 hours in Madrid

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