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Madrid

High-profile public building projects and a cosmopolitan feel mean Madrid is a city in flux. But it remains full of tradition with regional elements strongly influencing its restaurants. Expect icy cold weather from November to February and scorching heat from June to August - and little variation in between.
 

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01
Essentials

01 Avoid the traffic and take Madrid's excellent metro.
02 The city may be in central Spain but the seafood is some of the best in the country. Don't leave without having sampled at least one fish dish.
03 Coffee etiquette is very important: order a café con leche at breakfast time, a cortado after lunch and a café solo after dinner.
04 Spain's 2006 smoking ban in the workplace does not have to extend to restaurants and bars, so expect to come home smelling of smoke.
05 Don't lunch until 14.00 or dine before 21.00.

Hotels

Independent and easy
Hotel Abalú
19 calle Pez
+ 34 91 531 4744
hotelabalu.com

Dependable chain
AC Palacio del Retiro
14 calle Alfonso XII
+ 34 91 523 7460

hotelacpalaciodelretiro.com

Premium
Eurostars Madrid Tower Hotel
259 paseo de la Castellana
+ 34 91 334 2700
eurostarsmadridtower.com


Dining


Fast breakfast
Café del Real
2 plaza Isabel II
+ 34 91 547 2124


Business breakfast
El Panino D'E
12 calle Juan Bravo
+ 34 91 577 1662
elpaninode.com

Mid-morning coffee
Isolée
55 calle Claudio Coello
+ 34 90 287 6136

isolee.com

Working lunch with colleagues
Ølsen
15 calle del Prado
+ 34 91 429 3659

olsenmadrid.com

Need-to-impress-clients lunch
La Broche
29 calle Miguel Ángel
+ 34 91 399 3437
labroche.com

Lunch on your own
Botín
17 calle de los Cuchilleros
+ 34 91 366 4217
botin.es

Afternoon tea/drink
Café de los Austrias
1 plaza de Ramales
+ 34 91 559 8436
cafedelosaustrias.com

Dinner on your own
Don Pelayo
33 calle Álcala
+ 34 91 531 0031

Dinner with colleagues
Le Garage
7 calle Valenzuela
+ 34 91 522 6197
legaragemadrid.com

Private dinner
Maison Blanche
10 calle Piamonte
+ 34 91 522 8217

Big dinner with partner/clients
Santceloni
57 paseo de la Castellana
+ 34 91 210 8840
restaurantesantceloni.com

Drink after dinner
Gin Club
12 calle Gran Via
+ 34 91 521 3198
mercadodelareina.es

Late drinks
Loft 39
39 calle Velázquez
+ 34 91 432 4386
restauranteloft39.com

On the tiles
Charada
13 calle de la Bola
charadaclubdebaile.com

Reading

Bookshop
Graphicbook
50 calle la Palma
+ 34 91 521 0019
graphicbook.com

Thank yous

Chocolate shop
Cacao Sampaka
4 calle Orellana
+34 91 319 5840
cacaosampaka.com 

Shopping

Something you can't get  anywhere else
Foie gras and cured ham from La Boulette
28 calle Alaya
+ 34 91 402 4378
laboulette.com

Lost luggage - where to buy shirts, socks and underwear
El Corte Inglés
1-3 calle Preciados
+ 34 91 379 8000
elcorteingles.com

Something for the kids
Don Juego
113 calle Alcalá
+ 34 91 435 3724
donjuego.es

Something for someone you love
Accessories from Maria Roca
10 conde de Aranda
+ 34 91 577 8804
mobymariaroca.com

Something for yourself
Men's fashion by Loewe
34 calle Serrano
+ 34 91 426 3588
loewe.es

Two-hour tour
01
The Sorolla Museum is a fascinating collection of the paintings of Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida.
37 Calle General Martínez Campos
museosorolla.mcu.es

02
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The home of Real Madrid FC has an 80,000 capacity and a fascinating football museum. Take a stadium tour or see if there is a match on. Games take place at weekends and mid-week between September and May.
Paseo de la Castellana
santiagobernabeu.com

03
Parque El Capricho
Paseo de la Alameda de Osuna
Metro: El Capricho

04
And don't leave without a stroll around the Retiro park.

Limousine/car
Aero City
34 calle Marzo
+ 34 91 747 7570
aerocity.com

Transport

Buy a pass
Abono de 10 viajes
10-journey metro/bus pass. From any metro station or estanco (tobacconist) (€7).

Rent a bike
Trixi
12 calle de los Jardines
+ 34 91 523 1547

trixi.com

Fitness

Good gym

Holmes Place
77 calle Silvano
holmesplace.es

Good running route
Parque del Oeste
Metro: Plaza de España