Madrid is a pretty big city, and there is so much to do and see in Madrid every day of the week, and all throughout the year. Apart from living here in Madrid and doing my day to day, I also spend every Sunday taking a walk to find new and exciting places to see in Madrid.
We are getting closer to winter now, so there may not be as many outdoor activities, but there is still plenty you can do. No matter what the weather, the sun always makes an appearance here so you are almost always guaranteed to have a nice walk here in Madrid.
Depending on the day, I might be walking on my own, with friends or with my kids and family so I choose the route based on the company also.
On this particular Sunday I was with the missus and the in-laws, and we knew were going to the famous Rastro Market in the center of Madrid, so we set off from Canillas (area I live in) at around 10am for a walk that will typically last 90 mins or so.
WALKING ALONG CALLE ALCALA
If you are lucky enough to be near Calle Alcala, it is one of the easiest ways to get to the center of Madrid without getting yourself lost. It is one straight road that takes you all the way to the center of Madrid, without much need of a Map. It is also the longest road in Spain so there is plenty to see on your way.
It takes around 20 minutes to get to Calle Alcala from where I am. Walking along Calle Alcala so often, you would think you just get used to everything and things just blend in to the background, but that is not the case. No matter how many times I walk down this street there is always something new to see I hadn’t before.
One of the most striking things to see will always be the Plaza De Toros. You can never really get over how stunning this building is and I have more pictures of this building than you could ever imagine. In autumn there are also festivals that take place here and the area livens up on these days, they have market stalls outside where you can get yourself a souvenir or two.
What To Eat In Madrid
Ok so Sunday is also a day where I let loose a little on my diet and indulge in a few things, and Madrid has so much to offer when it comes to food. I could never fit in one post all the amazing things you can eat in this city, but I will let you know a few of my favorites that I visited today.
No matter if you have a sweet tooth, prefer savory things, or you just want to have a little snack with a coffee, even eat a giant steak, there is something to eat for everyone here in Madrid.
There are also food places from all over the world, so you are not just given the option of Spanish cuisine, but all types of foods from all over the world.
The Best Tiramisu In Madrid – MEDRI Tiramisu
We are somewhat fans of Tiramisu in our house, and are always on the look out for a good Tiramisu when we are out and about.
I used to search all the time online for the best tiramisu in Madrid, and Medri always came up as a result, but I was either too far from the store or I would forget, so it took me a long time to visit this shop, but after the first visit, we have now become regulars!
Now the original choice and the one you should try first is the Amaretto, the original, then you can get in to the more exciting flavors. They have Pistachio Tiramisu, Oreo Cookie Tiramisu, Lemon Tiramisu, Nutella Tiramisu and the list goes on.
They also have Sfogliatella’s with a variety of fillings (A sfogliatella is a shell-shaped filled Italian pastry originating from Campania, like a mini crispy croissant with a cream filling) and a number of Sicillian Cannoli’s. These are the three main things you can buy at Medri’s and they specialize in this so they are to die for!
They have more than one store, and we always go to the one at AVENIDA DONOSTIARRA No. 4, 28027 MADRID, which is just around the corner from Plaza De Toros. But you can check out all about Medri and what they sell here on their website.
What to eat when you get to the Rastro – EL CAPRICHO EXREMEÑO
The best Tostas in Madrid without a doubt!! A tosta is a thick slice of bread heavily buttered that can come with a number of toppings.
Here at the Capricho Extemeño this can be crab salad, Russian salad, cured ham with cheese, goats cheese with a sweet sauce, grilled chicken, Squid and loads more.
The atmosphere here is amazing, it is hectic inside where the owner, a really sweet man serves up the same foods he has been doing so for decades, and there is always a queue outside that is tended to by his daughter, and you can hear her shouting our orders to the chef who is also her mother !
All of the tostas are delicious, seriously cheap, ranging from 2 to 4 euros, the gazpacho is seriously yummy, but be aware it is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, so it’s almost customary to visit here on the weekend when you go to the Rastro Market
C. de Carlos Arniches, 30, 28005, Madrid, Open 9am to 5pm sat and sun only
Having A Pint Of Guinness In Madrid – The Dubliners Pub Madrid
As much as I like a cold Spanish beer, I am also a big lover of Guinness, and have always struggled to get a decent pint over here in Madrid. You can get the cans of Guinness in the supermarkets over here, but its not the same a cold one poured from a barrel.
There are quite a few English pubs in Madrid, the most famous probably being the James Joyce, but of all the pubs I have been to, Dubliners has had the best pint of Guinness so far.
This pub is just around the corner from Puerta del Sol, at C. de Espoz y Mina, 7, 28012 Madrid. They also put the football, rugby and all manner of sports on here, so if you fancy a cold pint and are missing home a little, be sure to pop in to the Dubliner.
Doing A Little Clothes Shopping In Madrid
More than buying anything, I like the hunt, rummaging through the shelves and boxes, finding something of good quality with a bit of wear to it.
I was specifically wanting to find a leather jacket, but ended up buying some Levi jeans and a pair of boots for the winter. There are a few of these stores around where the Rastro is, but the real fun is over in Malasaña where the majority of these shops are located.
If you are looking for the fancier stores, all around Puerta del Sol are a number of shops like Zara, Bershka, Adidas, H & M and the like, and if you want the fancier stores you will need to go over to Calle Serrano for stores like Gucci, Dior, LV etc.
Tea Time In Madrid
By now it was around 5pm, and with all the walking we were a little peckish, so we decided to go to VIPS to get a coffee and some pancakes.
Vips is a really well know chain of restaurants that are more like a diner. They do breakfast menus, lunch menus and menus just for afternoon tea. They have all different types of foods here.
My favorite thing to eat at VIP´s are their salads and their burgers, they are really good and not expensive at all, but around the holidays they always have a special sweet menu for tea.
Right now for xmas, they have special pancakes that come with a type of chocolate that is seasonal called Turron, so we got a couple orders of the pancakes, some coffee and recharged for the walk home.
Ending The Day
The sun goes down a lot earlier now, so its dark at around 6.30pm, but this actually makes the walk home really cool, because in Madrid, most of the historic buildings, and just any building that is pretty enough is lit up. So walking back the same is like a whole new experience as you get to see Madrid at night all lit up.
All in all, we walked a cool 24 km around Madrid, andI cannot wait to do it all again next Sunday and share with you any new sites, or food or shops that we manage to discover.