It is easy to get from city to city via train except to or from Barcelona. Flew into Barcelona. Took a flight from there to Granada, trains everywhere else and flew home from Madrid. (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Barcelona is about a 3 hour direct train ride from Madrid (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Hefty Senior Citizen discounts for people over 65 apply even to non-Spanish citizens. Be sure to ask! (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Magestic Hotel and Spa In a lovely neighborhood near Antonio Gaudi's houses. Rooftop overlooks city, fireworks and Sagrada Familia Cathedral (2011 - Anita Poss)
Hotel Colon Beautiful hotel; fabulous location (2010 -- Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Hotel Claris Lovely boutique hotel with a gallery of Egyptian artifacts in the lobby. Near the Eixample area. (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Taller de Tapas Wonderful tapas, open all day so you don't have to wait until 9:00 PM to have dinner. There are many ordinary tapas places nearer the busy section of Rambla and seaport, so find this one. Eur 20-30/pp. (2011 - Anita Poss)
Madrid-Barcelona Arago 282, off Passeig de Gracia, across from Burberry store. Open 8:30-12 pm. Eur 35/pp (2011 - Anita Poss)
Loidi Mallorca 275 Open 1-3 and 8:00-12 pm. Basque cuisine. c. Eur 50/pp. (2011 - Anita Poss)
Set Portes Share the paella! (2015 - Class of 2012 Guides)
Inside Tips
Museums and Galleries
If you are short on time, the museums in Barcelona are not compelling (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya If you love our Catalonian Chapel, here is where the rest of the frescoes from small churches in the Pyrenees are (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Sites
Sagrada Familia Basilica Be sure to get inside -- enter through the original Gaudi entrance (2014 - Susan Cohen) Beyond fabulous (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Palau de la Musica Catalana Even if you can't get to a performance, be sure to go see the stage and ceiling on a tour of the building (2014 - Susan Cohen) Spectacular (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Parc Guell Designed by Gaudi (2014 - Susan Cohen) Don't miss it! (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Casa Battlo Pricey admission fee but don't miss this Gaudi building (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Experiences
H1898 On the Ramblas A great place for drinks (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Ramblas Walk the Ramblas that goes from Plaza de Cataluna down to the sea. (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Bouqueria Colorful market; eat lunch at one of the tapas bars inside. Check out the hanging jambon and get a lecture on the different types of ham (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Eixample Elegant walking area built up in the 19th-early 20th century. Many great examples of Moderniste architecture and Gaudi's Casa Mila/La Pedrera (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Gothic Quarter Excellent walking tour; look for the stenciled building walls (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Sardana Locals dance the Sardana many days at noon in front of the Gothic Cathedral (2015 -- Class of 2012 Guides)
Old capital of Castile with fabulous Burgos Cathedral. Part of the Camino de Santiago or Saint James Way from France to Santiago, Spain. Cathedral is a World Heritage site. A delightful day trip or stop on the way to Bilbao (2012 -- Stacey Weaver)
Hospice Palacio del Ballio Bodegas Campos Absolutely loved this hotel in a magnificent old Roman villa with gorgeous modern Spanish/Italian furnishings. Ancient ruins under a glass floor in the dining room. (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Vienta 10 Very modern, but very comfortable, and the breakfast is divine (2012 ---Stacey Weaver)
Night Tour Fantastic. Highly recommend (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Juderia area Historic area with the magnificent Mezquita, Cathedral and also the oldest synagogue. Charming walks through narrow streets. Note all the little fountains! (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Palacio Museo de Viana One of the few private palaces open to the public (2015 - Class of 2012 Guides)
Hotel Wellington Hotel Wellington is well located near Retiro Park, Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen Museums. (2011 - Anita Poss)
Villa Real Hotel Elegant 5* luxurious hotel well located in Museum Triangle. Large balcony with great view of the area (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Hotel Westin Palace Luxury hotel within the Art Triangle (2015 -- Class of 2012 Guides)
Restaurants
Botin Hemenway's hangout, world's oldest restaurant according to the Guiness Book. Roast suckling pig. Eur 40/pp (2011 -- Anita Poss) A beautiful experience. A lot of suckling pig and low ceilings and "comfort food." Reservations are essential and make sure you are not placed in the "bodega." Get tapas first at a nearby cuevas. (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Alkalde Basque Cuisine, one of the best in the world, also offers tapas. Eur 40-50/pp (2011 - Anita Poss)
Kulto al Plato Upscale creative tapas. (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
La Buganvilla Paella and fidegua (2010 -- Mimi Santini-Ritt)
The restaurant at the Royal Opera is extremely fancy and you get to see all the formal elegant receiving rooms (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Estado Puro Plaza Canovas del Castillo 4 Tapas near Hotel Westin Palace (2015 - Class of 2012 Guides)
La Terraza del Casino Alcala 15 1* Michelin. Jacket and tie required (2015 - Class of 2014 Guides)
Jose Luis Serrano 89 A great tapas bar (2015 - Class of 2014 Guides)
El Pescador Ortega y Gasset 75 (2015 - Class of 2014 Guides)
Inside Tips
Museums and Galleries
Spend your museum time in Madrid! Prado free after 4:00 pm. Visit Reina Sophia to see Guernica (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Favorite "new" Museum - across from the Prado, featuring many Impressionists and Garcia Lopez' Babies like the MFA (2011 - Anita Poss)
Real Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales Still a convent, this is where royal Spanish women went to join a nunnery - along with incredible dowries of art. You can only visit on a tour; go early to get tickets for an English tour. (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Food
Don't plan on lunch before 2 pm or 3 pm and dinner until 10 pm. Madrid is a late night city. Go on a tapas crawl -- great fun! Tapas bars have different specialities; try them all! (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Have Salmorejo - Spanish tomato gazpacho -- wherever you can find it. And oxtail stew -- sounds bad, but can be great. Sort of like short ribs. Also Iberico Jamon. (2014 - Susan Cohen)
Hotel Alfonso XIII Have drinks here to admire the stunning tilework (2014 -- Susan Cohen) One of Spain's most prestigious hotels (2015 - Class of 2012 Guides)
Hospital de los Venerables The Old Priests' Home's small Baroque church has a fabulous trompe l'oeil ceiling (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Plaza de Toros Visit the museum to learn everything you always wanted to know about bull-fighting without having to go to one (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Basilica la Macarena A bit off track, but a fabulous church with a museum dedicated to the Semana Santa procession (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt)
Experiences
See a flamenco show in Seville (2014 - Susan Cohen) Tablao El Arenal Fabulous flamenco (2010 - Mimi Santini-Ritt) La Casa del Flamenco (2015 - Class of 2012 Guides)
