Madrid - Things to do for a weekend break

cafc4life

Ive booked to go to Madrid in January with the Mrs, does anyone know how to go about getting Real Madrid tickets as it seems online they only become available the week before the game , is this true?

Any suggestions on what do to and where to go out there would be appreciated.

sam3110

Oh man, Madrid is a wonderful city, Museo Nacional del Prado, Parque de El Retiro and that whole area is great to walk around, though obviously it'll be a bit chilly in winter. The stadium tour at Real Madrid is great too, but for the football, if you want atmosphere you should go Atletico instead.

i_b_b_o_r_g

Shit hole by all accounts, shoulda booked Saville, my favourite European city

i_b_b_o_r_g

.....after London of course

colthe3rd

Madrid is one of the best cities in Europe. Been 3 times and you'll have a much better time going to an Atleti game.

I booked Real tickets through their website and picked them up just before kick off, was really easy tbf. Not cheap though so be warned.

i_b_b_o_r_g

Don't listen to em, they're bowling you a googly

Pedro45

Getting tickets is usually easy. Just turn up on the morning of the game, and buy what you need. Not expensive either, but I would suggest that you don't sit behind the goals...

Loads to do so depends what you like.

I love the theme park there (parquedeatracciones.es/en) ; opens at midday and great for an afternoons fun. Royal Palace. Lots of walking tours, many taking in local tapas. Plaza Mayor is good for a break, and Sol is always busy (like Trafalgar Sq) so be careful of pickpockets and bag snatchers. Get the cable car up over Casa de Campo. Retiro is a massive park and good for people watching. Lots of museums and galleries. Good metro system, but lots easily walkable.

Botin (just off Plaza Mayor) is one of my favourite ever restaurants (the suckling pig is yummy!).

Plenty of day trips out by train from Atocha: Segovia, El Escorial, Cordoba, Toledo, Aranjuez, Avila, and Salamanca are all easily do-able and all good fun if you like wandering around.

Be prepared for damp and cool weather in January...

SOTF

sam3110 said:

Oh man, Madrid is a wonderful city, Museo Nacional del Prado, Parque de El Retiro and that whole area is great to walk around, though obviously it'll be a bit chilly in winter. The stadium tour at Real Madrid is great too, but for the football, if you want atmosphere you should go Atletico instead.

I agree with that. Stadium tour is impressive, but generally speaking if you're a tourist they stick you up in the clouds next to the away fans. Atletico was a much better 'football' experience, although watching 22 players who look like ants running around the pitch was a strangely impressive experience.

Other than that, I much preferred Madrid to Barcelona and even if you don't make any plans you'll never be short of things to do.

colthe3rd

Well it looks like most are disagreeing with Rob. First time for everything I guess.

MrLargo

La Latina is a good area for bars and restaurants, and is on the same side of the city as Atletico's ground.

Making my first visit to the Bernabeu in a couple of weeks, although not got particularly high expectations. I went to Barcelona a couple of years ago and there seemed to be as many tourists as there were proper supporters so expecting more of the same. Saw Atletico last January, that was excellent. Rayo Vallecano (second tier this season) is worth a visit as well.

Unless it's a high profile game like Barca or Atletico, wait until the tickets are on sale on the official website. You'll just get ripped off if you go to Ticketmaster or Viagogo.

Bangkokaddick

I was there a few weeks ago for a third visit. The second time I went it was bloody freezing so that's the sort of weather you can expect: Madrid is the highest capital city in Europe (apart I think from Andorra La Vella) making the winter much colder than you'd expect.

So make the most of the tapas bars, the great food, churros and chocolate and as the Mrs is with you you'll probably be dragged around the shops. I certainly was!

Staying close to the Plaza Mayor was perfect as everything was walkable, though not the Bernabeu, which is a few stops on the underground.

colthe3rd

Yeah great point. I went to the Madrid derby in Feb 2014. It was freezing. Hats, scarves and gloves were on at all times. But also another good point about the churros , they are absolutely sexual over there.

cafc4life

They have got Real Sociedad the weekend im going so id expect to be able to get some kind of ticket. Ive been Barcelona 3 times already and absolutely love it, I am going again in November so wanted to compare it with Madrid really.

The_President

Madrid is a lovely city - I got my RM tickets (v Seville) from my concierge in the hotel - just laced his palms with a couple pesetas and bobs your uncle !

i_b_b_o_r_g

colthe3rd said:

Well it looks like most are disagreeing with Rob. First time for everything I guess.

It woukd make a change from Sidcup I spose, but it ain't up my Strata

InspectorSands

Not sure if this is still the case, but when I went about six years back you could pick up tickets from the big Servi Caixa cash machines at branches of Caxia bank. If your Spanish ain't too hot, it should give you English options. (Same applies for Barcelona tickets.)

I've had that tourist football ticket experience - went to Espanyol v Barcelona a couple of years ago and bought the ticket from the tourist office. Enjoyed it, but was weird to be sat in what was effectively a neutral block (albeit one with the only Barcelona supporters in the stadium!)

sam3110

The churros are awesome, the tapas plentiful and the shopping, if you're into it, is great.

The city has a proper Capital City Feel to it too, people getting on with life, walking with a purpose, very similar to London.

Oh and there's some fantastic acrhitecture pretty much everywhere you go, from Las Ventas to the Royal Palace and everything in between

The_Organiser

Had my stag do there last March which was fantastic.

Really can't remember much other than the bars, clubs and strip joints were plentiful! Blues skies always but it was cold at times! Saw Madrid beat Celta Vigo 6-1 - amazing ground but, just like Barcelona, non-existent atmosphere!

The food and drink market was great to amble round on a hangover, but it's easy to spend a lot in there.

Didn't find the people particularly friendly.

Been to Barcelona a few times and personally much prefer it.

i_b_b_o_r_g

Cheers for the invite Orgo pal

Covered End

DO NOT BUY MATCH TICKETS IN ADVANCE UNTIL YOU KNOW FOR SURE THE KO TIME. THE GAMES ARE SWITCHED FOR TV AT EVEN LESS NOTICE THAN OURS. USUALLY ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE.

Sorry for shouting, but I was sitting in Gatwick departure lounge on a Friday evening as the Barcelona game we were going to see kicked off. It was switched from the Saturday.

Croydon

Go to OTTO bar in Salamanca. Fittest barmaid and clientele I've ever seen

i_b_b_o_r_g

Croydon said:

Go to OTTO bar in Salamanca. Fittest barmaid and clientele I've ever seen

You never been Millers of Bexley,?

i_b_b_o_r_g

....oh sorry I thought you said fattest

colthe3rd

The Organiser said:

Didn't find the people particularly friendly.

Been to Barcelona a few times and personally much prefer it.

I accept it's all personal preference but it's completely the other way round for me. Found all the people in Madrid much better. The problem I found with Barcelona was that it was too touristy and yes I appreciate the irony of me posting that having visited as a tourist. Also we had a bouncer that was racist towards a mate of mine, sort of leaves a sour taste and yes I realise it doesn't define a whole city or it's people but never had any trouble like that in my three visits to Madrid.

CharltonMadrid

Great choice! Will be very cold in January but still really sunny. You should be able to get tickets on the official site and if not on one of the unofficial ones without too much difficulty.

Lots of good areas to go out for drinks and food - Cava Baja, Malasaña, Santa Ana, etc. Have a look at stuff about them online to see which scene suits you best.

If you are here for a few days, consider a day trip to Toledo or Segovia - both spectacular and less than an hour away.

Far less touristy here than Barcelona, which sometimes means that visitors don't quite get into it. It is far more typically Spanish though and far fewer people here speak English so maybe work on your Spanish phrases and vocabulary (duolingo is great) to get the most of your experience here.

Message me closer to the time about tickets and anything else you need.

You'll have a fantastic time here!

i_b_b_o_r_g

CharltonMadrid said:

Great choice! Will be very cold in January but still really sunny. You should be able to get tickets on the official site and if not on one of the unofficial ones without too much difficulty.

Lots of good areas to go out for drinks and food - Cava Baja, Malasaña, Santa Ana, etc. Have a look at stuff about them online to see which scene suits you best.

If you are here for a few days, consider a day trip to Toledo or Segovia - both spectacular and less than an hour away.

Far less touristy here than Barcelona, which sometimes means that visitors don't quite get into it. It is far more typically Spanish though and far fewer people here speak English so maybe work on your Spanish phrases and vocabulary (duolingo is great) to get the most of your experience here.

Message me closer to the time about tickets and anything else you need.

You'll have a fantastic time here!

Cor you know a lot about it, where you live then @CharltonMadrid?

CharltonMadrid

My first stalker!

cafc4life

CharltonMadrid said:

Great choice! Will be very cold in January but still really sunny. You should be able to get tickets on the official site and if not on one of the unofficial ones without too much difficulty.

Lots of good areas to go out for drinks and food - Cava Baja, Malasaña, Santa Ana, etc. Have a look at stuff about them online to see which scene suits you best.

If you are here for a few days, consider a day trip to Toledo or Segovia - both spectacular and less than an hour away.

Far less touristy here than Barcelona, which sometimes means that visitors don't quite get into it. It is far more typically Spanish though and far fewer people here speak English so maybe work on your Spanish phrases and vocabulary (duolingo is great) to get the most of your experience here.

Message me closer to the time about tickets and anything else you need.

You'll have a fantastic time here!

Thanks mate appreciate that! @CharltonMadrid

Gammysnr

i_b_b_o_r_g said:

Shit hole by all accounts, shoulda booked Saville, my favourite European city

Don't book Saville, dodgy and dead I think I read in the papers.

ken_shabby

Try Leganes FC (recently promoted to La Liga). Certainly recommend Toledo and Segovia (and Cordoba if you can travel a bit further). Apart from that, the nightlife was great when I was younger there, certainly more fun tan Barcelona, which I have always found a bit snobby. Food, wine and some art - why wait till january?

Wheresmeticket

Stay in your hotel with a bottle of whisky, 14 grammes of coke, babestation on the TV and the curtains closed.





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