a must if you like cities

get a 10 trip ticket for the metro you will use it, it is the way to get around. To get a feel for the city and an idea of what your going to see try the open top bus tours that start /finish in puerta del sol there are 2 routes. palacio real (free on wednesday for european passport holders) naval museam,plaza major especially on a sunday morning for the rastro market. see the collectors in the plaza then ask the way to the rastro,real madrid stadium,retiro park are just a few things i enjoyed. just watch out for people on the metro with jackets over their arms especially in summer when its 40 c... pickpockets!!

Great for: History/Culture, Nightlife, Budget Travel

Last Visit: July 2008

29 July 2008 | A Yahoo! User

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Wonderful!!!!!!

All Pros & No cons! I love everything about Madrid and will definitely return!!!!!

Last Visit: August 2005

15 November 2007 | A Yahoo! User

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Can't believe how low people's standards are...

First, for the person who wrote that he/she visited 6 beaches in Madrid and that it's a great place for swimming/snorkelling, I'd tell him to stop the rubbish and not try to confuse people. Madrid's nightlife is alright (although more expensive than anywhere else in Spain) but people are stuck in the 80's and they are racist and narrowminded. If my best friend didn't live there I wouldn't bother spending my time and money there...

Great for: Nightlife

Last Visit: June 2006

19 June 2006 | A Yahoo! User

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madrid's unknown

most people don't really know about Madrid, they just think in tapas, sun and parties but it ain't only that, it's much more. Cities like paris and london are really impressive but madrid doesn't really lag behind, it's just that Spaniards aren't as chauvinist as French or English. they only sell beaches and partying, they don't know how to sell culture. madrid has lots of things to see also during the day. The Royal Palace, the best art gallery in the world, and please don't tell me that the British Gallery or the Louvre have better paintings(you know any other painting in the Louvre apart from the Gioconda?) Retiro park is a really romantic place to spend some time in, especially in Spring when you can row in its pond. The Gran Via, Alcala Street or La Castellana can stand alongside the Champs Elysées perfectly and you can expect people to deign to stop and talk to you when you ask for help, something that doesn't always happen in london for instance. if you say that madrid isn't a cosmopolitan and interracial city try visiting Sol or Lavapies. And thanks to its privileged situation you can visit historial cities that are within less than an hour driving such as Aranjuez( there's a palace which reminds to Versalles), Alcala de Henares(oldest city in the world to be planned around its university, home of Cevantes), El Escorial(most impressive construction erected during the Spanish Empire), Segovia(roman aqueduct), Avila(most important city walls in Spain,Cultural patrimony of Humanity) , Toledo(former capital city)... You think Madrid it's just heat, well, maybe you could go skiing to Navacerrada which is 50 km away from the city centre, now tell me, which other cities in Europe can offer you a wider range of fun and culture??

6 February 2006 | A Yahoo! User

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A wondeful place

Madrid is a fantastic city and I have been there twice.We went to about 6 beaches both times and we had lots of fun in the sun.

Great for: Beaches, Scuba/Snorkeling, Hiking/Camping

Last Visit: March 2005

17 September 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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an amazing city, roll on november

been her many time as friends live out here, if ya looking for a bit of sight seeing an culture it's here, nite life, well i could go on but i'd say get out here an find out for yourself, iyt beats back home, trust me, an of course football, well i got a reckomend the Bernabeu, only 4euro for a full tour of stadium, highly recomend it, even ta all you chicks out there, but ta watch a game ya need ta see atletico,better than real.

Great for: History/Culture, Nightlife

Last Visit: May 2005

7 September 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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Attractive but underwhelming

Am dismayed by the superficiality of some of the other reviews here. "The most elegant city in Europe" one person wrote. No it isn't! Paris is more elegant, Rome is more elegant, London has far more culture and pzazz, and Barcelona puts Madrid in the shade. I've just spent nine months in Madrid. To be fair, it's attractive enough: it has wide leafy boulevards lined with cafes, lots of tapas bars, some grand architecture and atmospheric old lanes in La Latina or Lavapies. It's also buzzing and almost always sunny. But let's face it: Madrid ain't Paris or Rome or London. It's pretty underwhelming really - the Retiro is not a patch on Hyde Park, the Castellana is no Champs Elysees and for all those much-quoted people who are out to party there are all those conservative, reactionary, fur coat and Barbour jacket. Your reviewer who rated Madrid above London, Paris or Rome needs a reality check. It's a nice enough city, it's warm, grand, attractive - but it's pretty provincial and has a long way to go before it's a "world city".

Great for: History/Culture, Nightlife

Last Visit: July 2005

20 August 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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Fantastic, Great, Clean and SUNNY

This is fab city. madrid has loads to offer and for me has the best night life in the whole Europe... definetely I place I will be thinking in moving to :)

Great for: History/Culture, Nightlife

Last Visit: July 2005

20 August 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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It was so wonderful...

I love tihs city!! its completely unique! full of live,very cosmopolitan (i think more than Barcelona) and completely fashionable, i came from Italy and i dint thought that this is its so nice, in the same league with Paris,London or Rome and more friendly, i stayed in the salamanca district and it was very nice,near the best shops in the city with chueca that its a very cosmopolitan place and finally i think that its very courious how many teenagers wearing like gothic style like japanese people Have a nice holidays in Spain!!

Great for: History/Culture, Theatre/Music, Nightlife

Last Visit: April 2005

13 August 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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can't wait to go back

Food, wine and entertainment great. People very friendly, and transport very good

Great for: History/Culture, Nightlife, Budget Travel

Last Visit: February 2005

6 August 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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