Madrid.
Our first trip to Madrid certainly won’t be our last. The city offers an abundance of art, architecture, shopping, and unforgettable culinary experiences. We spent four full days exploring the different neighborhoods around the city center, finding something unique around every corner. Madrid reminded me a lot of London, a city you could go back to dozens of times and always discover something new.
Where we stayed.
We stayed at the Thompson Madrid, the first Thompson Hotel in Europe, and it was exceptional in every way. The design of the hotel is stunning, luxurious, modern, warm, and timeless all at the same time. However, what makes the Thompson Madrid so special is the service. The staff exudes hospitality, making you feel welcomed as soon as you walk through the door and going above and beyond to make your stay unforgettable. We were in Madrid celebrating our anniversary, and were surprised with a bottle of cava and chocolates in our room along with celebratory glasses of champagne and cake at breakfast. Speaking of breakfast… it is a delicious three course meal starting with an array of tapas, continued with your choice of savory mains such as eggs Benedict and omelets, finished with a sweet like yogurt parfaits or porridge. Not to mention the unlimited coffee and fresh orange juice.
Where we ate.
Lana Parrilla Argentina
There is a reason this place is on the Michelin guide and has been voted amongst the top 100 steaks in the world. The food and experience are unparalleled, with an ambiance that is both laid back and sophisticated. The space is centered around a crackling fire in front of which the cuts of meats are displayed for your choosing. One of the staff members explains the profile of every piece before you take your seat to make your choice and pick our your sides (which truly stand out on their own.) We had the Wagyu Ribeye, the lamb croquettes, the ricotta and green beans, and the flan.
Juana La Loca.
A modern tapas bar beloved by locals and travelers. We made a reservation several weeks in advance, but if you want to try to pop in I would recommend getting there a few minutes before they open at 8:00pm. We saw several couples able to get a seat but anyone who showed up after 8:15 had to wait. If you do end up waiting, rest assured it will be worth it. The tapas are delicious and even though we walked in not really hungry, we finished every single bite. We had the truffle confit egg, the smoked sardine and burrata plate, the wild mushroom ‘ravioli,’ the sweetbreads, and the rabo de toro oxtail medallions.
Grab & go spots.
In addition to our two reserved dinners, we tried several spots around the city for late lunches, snacks, and sweets. For an early dinner one night, we wandered through the famous Mercado de San Miguel, picking up tapas and empanadas from several of the stands. There is so much to chose from, you are sure to find something for everyone in your party. We waited in line at San Gines, known for the their crisp churros and thick hot chocolate for dipping. We tried the classic Madrid lunch, a calamari sandwich at a small shop adjacent to Plaza Mayor. We popped in for a coffee a local diner called La Austriaca, filled with locals enjoying breakfast. On our last day we wandered around the corner from the hotel to grab lunch at Bricco Gourmet, an unassuming pizzeria tucked into an alley way serving up some of the best handmade pizza in the city. The owner welcomes you as he explains the three day process of making their dough and can tell you exactly where he sources each of his ingredients.
Where we shopped.
Made in Spain.
As one of the largest cities in Europe, Madrid has all of the major brands from Dior to Zara. You can find these scattered along the Calle Gran Via just a short walk from the hotel. We focused more on small boutique shops in the Barrio de Las Letras, starting with a latte from Feliz Coffee and working our way south. This is where we found the gift market Real Fabrica Espanola, Morueco Ceramicas, the clothing store La Compania, and many more. We also ventured over to Lopez-Pascual 1919 to buy some of the best jamon iberico in Madrid. The owner Alberto teaches you about all of the meats, their processing, and the history of his shop which has been his family for over one hundred years.
Art & Culture
Museums
The 3 major museums are the Prado, the Thyssen, and the Reina Sofia. The Prado has some of the worlds most famous paintings (Bosch, Velasquez, da Vinci) and is absolutely worth a long visit, the Thyssen is beautiful and has lots of modern artists (Degas, Chagall, Van Gogh, Hopper, Kirchner, Gauguin.) The Reina Sofia is mostly contemporary and digital art. They have a very famous Picasso and a couple Dali’s as well.